Disillusioned students rebel in Ceylon

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32589, 24 April 1971, Page 23

Disillusioned students rebel in Ceylon

(By GERALD RAT ZIN, N.Z.P.A.-Reuter correspondent)

COLOMBO.

Disillusioned students, a few months ago ardent supporters of Ceylon’s Left-wing Government, are now leading an insurrection that has stretched the 30,000strong security forces of the island State. Reliable estimates say that the insurgents, whose real support in the countryside is not clear, outnumber the security forces two or even three to one in some areas. The Government has been forced to seek military aid from India and Britain. "Hie rebels are said to be disillusioned over the slow pace of Mrs Sirimavo Bandaranaike’s Government in carrying out reforms since coming to power in a landslide election victory last May. .The insurgent movement is led by the People’s Libera-

tion Front (Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna), based on students unable to find jobs in the midst of Ceylon’s high unemployment. They are commonly known as the “Che Guevarists” after the Argentine-born Communist leader who died leading an insurrection in Bolivia and became a hero of all Leftwing revolutionaries. A year ago

A year ago they were supporting Mrs Bandaranaike’s successful effort to unseat the Right-wing United National Party. Mrs Bandaranaike, widow of a Prime Minister, became the world’s first woman head of Government when she led her Sri Lanka Freedom Party to victory in 1960. She was defeated five years later. Last year, back in office, she reinforced her Left-wing image by including a Communist and three Trotskyites in a coalition Cabinet.

Her platform included bank nationalisation, agrarian reform and pledges to end unemployment and the domination of a small elite in the luxuriant Indian Ocean island of 12,500,000 people. Ceyon covers 25,000 square miles of fertile paddy fields, tropical jungles and tea producing hill country. Almost a year later many of the Government’s promises are still unfulfilled and restlessness has burst into an open, armed uprising. After an attack on the American embassy, the Gov-

eminent declared a state of emergency on March 16 and assumed wide security powers to put down the trouble. Three weeks later, there were a series of attacks on police stations throughout the country. In swift reaction, the Armed Forces were ordered to stamp out the liberation front, which was immediately banned. Insurgents bombed The meagre Air Force of a dozen planes and a few helicopters were used to bomb insurgents barricading a bridge north of Colombo. The ideological motives of the Che Guevarists are obscure. One theory is that they are Maoists with Chinese morale, if not material backing. It arises because its leader, Rohana Wijewera, under arrest in the northern town of Jaffna since las» month, was allegedly expelled from Moscow’s Lu murnba University for proChinese leanings. Members of the Cabinet are believed divided in opin ion on the motivation of the insurgents. Communists, in eluding the Housing Minister (Mr Peter Keuneman) believe that Right-wing forces are supporting the rebels. Mrs Bandaranaike alleged in a speech to the nation that “big money, diabolical minds and criminal organis ers” were behind the upris ing. North Korea One source said that security forces had proof of the involvement of North Korea-—which was also recently blamed for the activities of an underground group in Mexico—possibly acting as a front for either Moscow or Peking. The Government has said nothing direct beyond charging that the rebellious youths had been indoctrinated.

Apart from weapons they have captured from local police, the insurgents are said to be armed with other sophisticated arms not norm ally available in Ceylon. Independent observers say that it seems hardly in Soviet interests to cause trouble with a Government which has severed ties with Israel, set up relations with North Korea and given a heroine’s welcome last year to Mrs Nguyen Van Binh, foreign minister of South Vietnam’s Communist-led National Liberation Front. ■ Buddhist ideal

Whatever their political leanings, the Che Guevarists make no secret of their determination to overthrow the Govemqient, kill its leaders and establish a new society based on Buddhist ideals. Since the. trouble burst into full-scale insurrection on April 6, about 200 insurgents have been killed and hundreds arrested. Government casualties are unknown and censorship is in force, with papers printing

only what is disclosed in communiques at daily briefings at the Information Ministry. The island was under curfew for more than 36 hours at one stretch last week. The curfew has since been relaxed but is still in force from 4 p.m. till 6 a.m. One incongruous aspect of the situation is that the Ceylon Radio interrupts its pop music programmes at intervals with the grim warning that anyone seen on the streets without a permit is likely to be shot AU but one member of the board of the Ceylon Broadcasting Corporation has been dismissed. No official reason has been given. On April 2 the corporation's commercial service broadcast obituary notices in several towns, saying that a cremation would take place at a certain time. It was generally assumed this was a signal for the insurgents to strike. Observers reckon that about 800,000 people are without jobs, including about 18,000 students, in a country with a high literacy rate and the expectation of a rising standard of living. Economy in trouble But the economy has been staggering, partly because of reliance on tea, coconut, and rubber exports whose prices have not risen as much as imported industrial goods and food. Some sources also blame poor planning and over optimistic development schemes. With the stringent curfew, the economy is further stifled. Despite a threat of up to five years in prison for raising food prices, costs are

going up as trouble in the countryside causes acute distribution problems. At present, Mrs Bandaranaike and most of her ministers are staying in “Temple Trees,” the closely-guarded Prime Minister’s residence on the edge of the capital. The Armed Forces, mostly equipped with British weapons, have been unexpectedly stretched by the trouble, leading the normally non-aligned Mrs Bandaranaike to turn for assistance to Britain and India.

India confirms that it has sent some aid, believed to include helicopters, and its warships have been seen off Colombo Harbour.

Britain has also sent small arms and ammunition from Singapore. It is also reported to be arranging the sale of American-built helicopters to Ceylon. Two helicopters buzz ovei Colombo at intervals and armed soldiers sweep through a capital rife with rumours of imminent rebel attack. But, as in troubled East Pakistan to the north, weather may take a hand in the conflict. For monsoon rains are due, in three weks and if the insurgency is not put down by then, the Army may And movement difficult in steamy jungle areas where the rebellion is strongest.

The Government says that it has everything under control. Observers note that the Army has never previously fought a war and now may be raced b ya long-drawn out guerrilla-style campaign a Government statement says that the insurgents are avoiding direct engagements with the military.

This article which touches on the supply of foreign arms to Ceylon, was written before the announce-

ments of the Russian MiG base and the Australian arms deal.)