Sunday, May 29, 2011

Army watches as Siachen dialogue resumes

[Indian and Pakistani defence secretaries are meeting today to resume the dialogue on Siachen glacier, one of the contentious border issues between the two countries. But how many of us know how the Siachen came into Indian possession? Yes, it was with the blood and sweat of our troops operating at inhospitable heights of over 21,000 feet. Will it be traded off as a 'goodwill gesture' for some dubious promises from Pakistan? For thos of us who took part in the 1965 and 1971 wars where in the end we made such trade offs, it is a troubling question. I am reproducing Ajai Shukla's blog on the story of capture of the highest post in Siachen and the grit of the soldiers who did that. It symbolises one of the greatest moments of our army. - R HARIHARAN]  


By Ajai Shukla, 30th May 11


On a moonless night in Siachen, in May 1987, Second Lieutenant Rajiv Pande’s thirteen-man patrol silently climbed towards Quaid Post, a 21,153-feet high pinnacle near the crucial Bilafond La pass that was held by 17 Pakistani soldiers. Quaid had to be captured and Pande was fixing ropes on the near-vertical, 1500-feet ice wall just below the post, to assist a larger follow-on force in making a physical assault. As the jawans fixed the ropes, gasping for breath in that oxygen-depleted altitude, the Pakistani sentries just a few hundred feet above heard them. Gunfire rang out killing nine Indian soldiers, including Pande. But the four survivors could tell their unit, 8 Jammu & Kashmir Light Infantry (8 JAK LI), that the ropes were fixed.


Capturing Quaid post was vital being the only Pakistani post that dominated key Indian positions at Bilafond La. Realising its importance, Pakistan named it after Qaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. The post, commanded by Subedar Ataullah Mohammed, was held by commandoes from the elite Special Services Group.


Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Sri Lanka: Jayalalithaa fires the first salvo



By Col. R. Hariharan
 
After staging a spectacular victory over her bête noire M Karunanidhi-led Dravida Munnetra Kazagham(DMK) in Tamil Nadu assembly elections, Ms Jayalalithaa, leader of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (AIADMK), has called upon the Indian government for action against the Sri Lanka  President Mahinda Rajapaksa for alleged war crimes and genocide of Tamils. Speaking at her very first press conference, Ms Jayalalithaa said “The President of Sri Lanka must be tried for war crimes and brought before the International Court of Law…” The AIADMK leader added, "India can no longer remain a silent spectator….If necessary, an economic blockade will have to be resorted to bring a recalcitrant Sri Lanka to heel."

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Can India do an operation like the US did in Abbottabad?

 
By Col R Hariharan

Can Indian security forces carry out a special operation like the US SEALS did in Abbottabad?

The US SEALS struck within the backyard of Pak military establishment but in 40 minutes killed the most wanted terrorist of the decade Osama bin Laden. As the TV and other media had a field day covering the operation and its aftermath, the inevitable question why can't India carryout an operation like that to catch any of the 20-odd India's most wanted terrorists hiding in Pakistan was raised.

In answering it we must be realistic; we should not even contemplate such overseas special operations unless we fulfil three basic parameters for their success: strong national leadership with decision making ability as demonstrated by President Obama, realtime intelligence about the target before, during and after the operations, and technical support system including air lift and communication for special forces. I fear at present we do not fulfil any of these three basic parameters.

Friday, May 6, 2011

Sri Lanka: Cleaning up the act

By Col R Hariharan

The report of the three-member UN  panel of experts set up to advise UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on alleged war crimes and human rights violations committed during the final stages of the Eeelam war has produced two reactions – both on expected lines.

In the report made public by the UN on April 25, the panel found many of the allegations “credible” against both the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). This has vindicated the suspicion of all those who had been accusing Sri Lanka government of committing these crimes. This section includes many liberal governments of West, INGOs, Tamil Diaspora, human rights activists both within and outside Sri Lanka and of course the rump of the LTTE still trying to revive the defunct organisation amidst Tamil Diaspora. (One will notice that I have omitted India and Tamil Nadu where attitudes are not crystallised as the issue is inexorably mired in domestic and national politics, not unlike Sri Lanka.) However, this disparate section has neither a common agenda nor a forum for collective action; it constituents widely differ on the follow up action to be taken on the report. These range from increasing diplomatic pressure to bring it up in the UN Security Council to indicting President Mahinda Rajapaksa for war crimes.     

Sri Lanka Perspectives – April 2011


By Col R Hariharan

UN advisory panel report and its fall out

The report of the three-member UN  panel of experts, set up to advise UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on allegations of war crimes and human rights abuse during the final stages of the Eeelam war, has found credible reports of war crimes committed by both the Government of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The report released by the UN on April 25, has made the following recommendations to the Secretary General:
a.    The Government of Sri Lanka should immediately commence “genuine investigations” into these and other alleged violations of international humanitarian and human rights law committed by both sides involved in the armed conflict.
b.    The Secretary- General should immediately establish an independent international mechanism, whose mandate should include: monitoring and assessing the extent to which Sri Lanka is carrying out domestic accountability process and investigations and advising the Secretary General on its findings; and conduct investigations independently into the alleged violations.