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There would be replacement of every dead LTTE cadre or leader - IPKF commander

30 November 2012 01:21 am - 38     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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 “There would be prompt replacement of every dead LTTE cadre or leader as long as the idea of Eelam remained,” Brigadier (retd) Ravi Palsokar quotes Lt Gen AS Kalkat, who commandeered the IPKF in Sri Lanka as having said, in ‘Ours Not to Reason Why’.

Pune-based Palsokar, who raises questions on the operational goals of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) 25 years after it was sent to Sri Lanka as part of the Indo-Sri Lankan Accord (ISLA) comments, “Do I detect a hint of exasperation and frustration in the above words of our senior officers? Forgive me, but I do.”

Published by Power Publishers ‘Ours Not to Reason Why’ is Palsokar’s narration of commanding the 7 Infantry Brigade in Sri Lanka, the then LTTE citadel, Mullaitivu. Incidentally, it is the same brigade Brigadier John Dalvi commanded in the 1962 operations along the Thang La ridge. And like Dalvi’s ‘Himalayan Blunder’, Palsokar’s book is factual, and raises similar questions, and leaves the interpretation to the reader.

In the same vein, Palsokar admits his own occasional errors.

Referring to B G Deshmukh’s ‘A Cabinet Secretary Looks Back’, where the then Army Chief General K Sundarji has been quoted as saying that the Indian Army will finish LTTE in 10 days, Palsokar says, “What did neutralise mean? Did it mean LTTE’s capability was not to be entirely destroyed, but only partially so? Were we to go in for Bangladesh-type surrender by LTTE? If we were to ‘finish’ LTTE, we should have used all the strength and firepower at our disposal. Much of the confusion of the task of IPKF stemmed from lack of a clear objective. We went into this adventure with eyes wide open, and the fact that LTTE may have confronted us militarily did not come as a surprise. Yet, two weeks stretched into months...two years.”

Palsokar does not forget to name those who fought bravely and lost their lives. This without excusing those in the higher formations who put the soldier in the situation without basic equipment like bulletproof jackets or AK-47 rifles, which even the LTTE had. Palsokar says, “How did we arrive at the figure of 50,000 troops?” Just one ‘arrangement’ - reinforcing all infantry battalions under his brigade with an additional rifle company- narrated by Palsokar is enough to show lack of planning by the higher formations.

“The book is not a complaint. I am putting down facts for everyone to judge. My Brigade and IPKF as a whole did not receive the credit. I have written this book to put on record the heroic work of the 7 Infantry Brigade. What I did is on record. 25 years later, shouldn’t anyone above me, political or military, answer as to why the IPKF is not considered to have succeeded,” said Palsokar. (Source: Indian Express)

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  Comments - 38

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  • lioncat Friday, 30 November 2012 02:59 PM

    Educated tamils with a lot og money abroad and poor children sent to fight for the Eelam? Why not get the educated rich tamils to fight as well?

    Gama Rala Friday, 30 November 2012 09:06 AM

    Palsokar, fortunately we have a different breed of elite commandos in Sri Lanka , way different to the type who handled mumbai terror attack & bombing

    Eric Friday, 30 November 2012 09:23 AM

    Mark my words.,..
    Sri Lankans will not allow the LTTE to raise their ugly head ever again!

    sena Friday, 30 November 2012 10:01 AM

    Can you tolerate an army camp in your own neighborhood? with them checking identities and every thing else you own? in your own house, at their will, unannounced and any time in the day or night , If so your argument may have merit.

    honkat lara Friday, 30 November 2012 10:14 AM

    WHY SRI LANKANS ARE AN EXCEPTIONAL BREED...?

    jacoob Friday, 30 November 2012 11:08 AM

    then more Hauge to come. Singapore may also shut the door .. even china may show the back .. LOL

    jacoob Friday, 30 November 2012 11:10 AM

    of course , but that will be on another name .. did you see those youths ??

    Rodrigo Friday, 30 November 2012 11:46 AM

    Lick the boots of Chinese

    lasantha Friday, 30 November 2012 11:50 AM

    GOTA will finish the new comers as they appear

    lasantha Friday, 30 November 2012 11:51 AM

    Gota knows what to do with the new LTTE

    hashsh Friday, 30 November 2012 08:16 AM

    So you want army to withdraw from NE but then how can army withdraw when things like that happen in Jaffna.

    What is the connection between army and new jobs?

    xlntgson Friday, 30 November 2012 03:26 PM

    Quasi federal or special status or more autonomy or proportional representation may do some sort of redress on the lessons learnt. Not the triumphant rhetoric. Is China's backyard peaceful? See Tibet.

    xlntgson Friday, 30 November 2012 03:31 PM

    New Brew Brewing?

    Prasad Friday, 30 November 2012 07:27 PM

    Very true..

    Saliya Wickremasuriy Saturday, 01 December 2012 01:27 AM

    With no further anti or pro-Palsokar comments, we all have to accept that he has talked about a still prevalent ground situation.

    nicky karunarathna Saturday, 01 December 2012 03:24 AM

    There will be a Sri Lankan Army to look after them better now with true Sri Lankan patriotic Tamil women joined the Army recentlyas they are mothers and sisters of children who been killed by LTTE or prevented by LTTE getting their education. So don't worry.

    Mohan Saturday, 01 December 2012 03:25 AM

    Pretty soon the tigers will rise up again and all the students will join them,India may lenda a hand to them again .to bring down mahinda & brothers even US might help the LTTE.

    nkulanthaivelu Saturday, 01 December 2012 04:56 AM

    AN honest statement.

    Alisten-Australia Friday, 30 November 2012 06:07 AM

    I rember , Indian Army almost finshed all LTTE that time but they later grow up to the level to have a big war. IPKF did civilians and rape woman but later they only look at tigers not innocent civilians , but unforunatively SL Army is like enemy forces. The way it going , new tigers will come up sooner than expected. Mind you now all the educated tamils are together with lot of money and influence.Not like 10 years ago , they relied on India, but Idia cant help just to support like what happen at UNHR.

    Dilip Friday, 30 November 2012 03:18 AM

    Sir do you want to kill more Tamils ?, support or shut-up !

    DUWI Friday, 30 November 2012 03:51 AM

    US, Robert Blake, please take note before making pronouncements to reduce military presence in North.

    agadobirdie Friday, 30 November 2012 12:00 AM

    yes of course via DM Android App

    Shan Friday, 30 November 2012 04:00 AM

    A day dream

    SAM_SPARROW Friday, 30 November 2012 03:59 AM

    As if India didn't supply weapons to SL forces. Come on be real.

    Punchi Putha Friday, 30 November 2012 04:17 AM

    This might happen if the current trend continues

    hello Friday, 30 November 2012 05:40 AM

    Yes, now jafna Tamils are third of our population after the war. just start another one will see ,what would be the outcome.

    Fayad Friday, 30 November 2012 05:46 AM

    That's want India wants
    India trained & harbored LTTE
    India wants become Asian USA
    Don't forget the Mumbai terrorist Attack
    Every action has reaction.

    albert Friday, 30 November 2012 06:03 AM

    please i would like a copy

    Lobo Friday, 30 November 2012 03:02 AM

    With India's support again?

    Mani Friday, 30 November 2012 06:21 AM

    If so, there will be another MR, Gota, SF, Roshan and Karannagoda to eradicate LTTE replacements.

    gamini Friday, 30 November 2012 06:35 AM

    shut up you indian

    Eagle Friday, 30 November 2012 07:14 AM

    Comment Coming from an Army who failed to defeat LTTE in SL and Army who took 3 days to clear out 4 terrorists from Taj hotel with their elite commandos it only to 1 hour to clear terrorists from lakehouse building if you can recall a similar incident so don't worry much about comments from bunch of high ego no walk the talk idiots.

    justwondering Friday, 30 November 2012 07:24 AM

    Its not 1/3, it 1/10, go and kill them too. If this country continue this path, we can see some 'sinhala' ltte very soon.

    DeSelva Friday, 30 November 2012 07:34 AM

    going by what happened at the Jaffna University and generally in the NE, future LTTE leaders are already in the making?

    Only way to crush the dream of Eelam is to treat Tamils as equal.

    Withdraw army from NE and invest in the N create jobs etc

    mayhp Friday, 30 November 2012 07:57 AM

    Dear Sir, I think your country is now having problems of your own. Please sought them and then comment on our negativity. Thank you

    kane Friday, 30 November 2012 08:09 AM

    It is only his opinion. He doesn't know the ground reality in Sri Lanka. Why bother?

    hashsh Friday, 30 November 2012 08:15 AM

    Replacement of all new LTTE cadre will also be killed!

    End!!!!


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