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News Image 9124 - Importance of Sri Lanka`s A9 highway
Monday, 30 October 2006 - 11:34 PM SL Time - Some news pictures are worth a million words
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Importance of Sri Lanka`s A9 highway
Alpha 9, better known as A9, is described in military terms as the `Main Supply Route` to the troubled Jaffna peninsula.
But even in civil terms, it is the main link and the shortest link between the Sinhala-speaking South Sri Lanka and the heartland of the Tamils, the Jaffna peninsula.
The road passes through a vast area called Wanni, controlled by the LTTE. It touches the LTTE`s political headquarters at Kilinochchi.
The road has two highly guarded entry/exit points - at Omanthai, just north of Vavuniya at the southern end, and at Muhamalai, just south of Chavakacheri at the northern end.
The LTTE took over the Wanni area between Jaffna and Vavuniya after the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) left in 1990, and used it as a refuge when Jaffna fell to the Sri Lankan army in 1995.
During the ding dong battle over the Wanni and the road, between 1994 and 2002, the A9 remained closed.
But with the beginning of the peace process in February 2002, the road was opened.
The LTTE agreed to open it because it was unofficially allowed to collect taxes, road tolls and customs durties from the users of the highway.
Estimates vary, but the Ministry of Defense says that collections range between SLRs 200 million and SLRs 300 million ($2.8 million) per month.
However, the recent series of military operations, which began in late April, escalated to a point in August when the LTTE made a bold bid to crash into Jaffna through Muhalamai.
The bid failed miserably, and the government used it as an excuse to close the A9 at the northern end.
With Jaffna thus cut off, traffic ceased, and the LTTE`s revenue touched rock bottom. Banned in the European Union and under FBI pressure in the US, the LTTE was chocking financially. The need to get the road became critical.
The government knew that the LTTE`s shoe was pinching. It said that it would use only the sea route to send essential supplies to the 600,000 people of Jaffna.
The LTTE refused to assure safe passage, but the government was undeterred, though the supplies sent by ship were never adequate.
The fact that only a fourth of the requirement of the civilians of Jaffna was being met, and that the people were on the verge of starvation, helped the LTTE build a strong case against the government on humanitarian grounds.
But despite diplomatic pressure from Norway and the West, the Rajapaksa government decided to stick to its position that an open A9 would only help fill the war chest of the LTTE and pose a major threat to the government`s position in Jaffna.
- PK Balachandran : hindustantimes.com
- Submitted By Member: ShanA
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sansare
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 30 Oct 2006 17:43:27 GMT Report for Abuse
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The Road to Heven or Hell!
Thanks Mr. Brown,..very attractive photo. |
AnuD
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 30 Oct 2006 18:44:45 GMT Report for Abuse
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I can not believe that A-9 got similar attention at Geneva - II as Karuna - paramilitary got attention at Geneva - I.
GOSL should abandon A - 9 and must build a second road to Jaffna via Mannar. by that way, Manthota can be developed as a second port city for local shipping trsaffic. that road also will connect to Jaffna both via sea and land.
If LTTE ie really concerned about Jaffna peoples' food, they should rebuild the Railway track that tamils destroyed. |
tamilcanuck
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30 Oct 2006 19:00:41 GMT Report for Abuse
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GOSL should abandon A - 9 and must build a second road to Jaffna via Mannar.
Gem of the day so far. This Guy always cracks me up. the thought process that goes into bringing these kind of novel ideas to the peasants should be highly appreciated.
let me play along
wont the LTTE capture that too!! damn it you guys will build another right.!! |
Revy
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30 Oct 2006 19:06:16 GMT Report for Abuse
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GOSL should abandon A - 9 and must build a second road to Jaffna via Mannar. by that way, Manthota can be developed as a second port city for local shipping trsaffic. that road also will connect to Jaffna both via sea and land.
AnuD doesn't you mothership have any maps of Sri Lanka? No matter where the road starts its still going to go through LTTE territory and unless you build a bridge from K point it will still need to go through the Muhamalai area, either way it is still TAMIL land.
Edited By - Revy - 30 Oct 2006 19:06:32 GMT |
Thambi
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30 Oct 2006 19:35:57 GMT Report for Abuse
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Looks better than BIA runway ! well done , so next attack on BIA , the international flights , no need to worry for emergency landing , they could use the A-9 , so please get pre approved .
Edited By - Thambi - 30 Oct 2006 19:38:00 GMT |
MaKaSo
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30 Oct 2006 19:47:34 GMT Report for Abuse
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Thambi
next time before you board Sri Lankan air ask the pilot to slow down the plane on A9. so that you can jump to the A9 instead of coming to BIA.
:):) |
eskimo06
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 30 Oct 2006 19:49:58 GMT Report for Abuse
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Raves:
LTTE should have put great effort maintaining this road.
Even though the road contributed to the LTTE finances. A9 was repaired with Asian Development Bank (ADB) support. |
Thambi
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30 Oct 2006 20:15:12 GMT Report for Abuse
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next time before you board Sri Lankan air ask the pilot to slow down the plane on A9.
if the A-9 closed , the next option to access it through AIR , it si not necessary to be Sri Lankan AIRLINE but could be better equipped Eelam Air Line . |
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30 Oct 2006 20:36:44 GMT