SRI LANKA: Darkness At Noon As Militants Ignite Oil Installations

By Kunda Dixit Reprint | | Print |

Kunda Dixit

COLOMBO, Oct 20 1995 (IPS) - A black, billowing pall of smoke hung over this capital city blocking out the sun as the fire set off by suspected rebel Tamil Tiger militants in two key oil storage facilities early Friday continued to rage well into noon.

Three huge tanks were blown up in Kolonnawa, one of Sri Lanka’s largest oil storage facilities situated some three kilometres from Colombo, and the nearby Orugoduwatta crude oil complex was set ablaze after eight gunmen in the guise of soldiers managed to enter the facilities at around 2am (local time) Friday.

Sounds of gunbattle could be heard from the area surrounding the complex as the gunmen shot dead the security guards on duty and set off a series of explosives first in Kolonnawa and then a kilometre away in Orugoduwatta. The Sapugasganda Oil Refinery that supplies the storage facilities, however, remained safe.

The body of one of the intruders was discovered at the complex and another, strapped with explosives, a little distance away. The others managed to escape in an army-type vehicle after gunning down 20 Sri Lankan commandos.

The British Broadcasting Corporation’s Colombo correspondent George Arney was hit by shrapnel in the exchange of fire and is being treated for face and neck injuries. He is stated to be out of danger.

Thousands of people living near the two facilities are fleeing their homes even as repeated government announcements over radio and television are saying that the fire has been contained and exhorting people to pay no heed to rumours about the spread of noxious fumes.

The censorship imposed on reporting of all defence matters late in September has led to the blacking out of all broadcasts and telecasts on the incident by foreign agencies.

Deputy Defence Minister Anuruddha Ratwatte told state radio that only rebel Tamil Tiger militants waging a 12-year war for an independent homeland in the northeast had the capacity to launch such an attack.

While analysts said the attack had come to deflect pressure from the militants who have been suffering heavy losses ever since the government launched a massive offensive in their northern stronghold, Jaffna earlier this month, Ratwatte said the offensive would continue.

Transport planes can be heard flying in and out of the capital every hour, taking supplies to the north and bringing back the wounded.

The government has imposed an indefinite curfew in Colombo and the surrounding areas. Schools and businesses are closed and there is no traffic on the roads.

The government banned the sale of petrol and diesel soon after the fire. The supply of aviation fuel to foreign airlines has also been stopped.

Firefighting operations are still on and officials say neighbouring India has been approached for assistance to douse the flames as local fire services are not equipped to fight conflagrations of this nature.

Shortly after she was informed of the fire, President Chandrika Kumaratunga left for the golden jubilee celebrations of the United Nations. Analysts said her departure at such a crucial juncture would not go down well with the people.

At least 53,000 tonnes of fuel out of the total storage capacity of 250,000 tonnes at Kolonnawa have been set ablaze and at Orugodawatte complex, two of the four tanks, each with the capacity to store 50,000 tonnes of fuel are on fire.

The fires are likely to be a serious setback to the nation’s economy from which it will take at least five to six months to recover.

Officials estimate the loss of fuel as a result of the fires will cost the country at least 10 million dollars. Another 15 million dollars has been lost due to the damage to the facilities.

With the Tigers demonstrating their capacity to strike at will at vital installations in the south, analysts say it would be premature to gloat over the advances made by the security forces in Tiger strongholds in the north.

“Even though government troops have an upper hand in the battle at Jaffna, the Tigers can not be dismissed lightly as they have amply demonstrated their capability to bring Colombo to a grinding halt,” says one of them.

The tourism industry, one of Sri Lanka’s major export earners, is also likely to be hit by the oil blasts with visitors chary of coming in where militants demonstrate their capacity to strike with deadly accuracy.

SRI LANKA: Darkness At Noon As Militants Ignite Oil Installations

By Kunda Dixit Reprint | | Print |

Kunda Dixit

COLOMBO, Oct 20 1995 (IPS) - A black, billowing pall of smoke hung over this capital city blocking out the sun as the fire set off by suspected rebel Tamil Tiger militants in two key oil storage facilities early Friday continued to rage well into noon.
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