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US Navy keeping watch on Lanka

Josy Joseph in New Delhi

Despite America's public stand that it would not interfere in Sri Lankan affairs, Indian intelligence agencies have reported movements of some American ships and at least one US aircraft in and around the island nation.

At least one long-range maritime aircraft of the United States Navy was detected flying over the Jaffna region on Friday. Sources said it "was probably on a reconnaissance mission".

About 28,000 soldiers of Sri Lanka are fighting what appears to be a losing battle against around 3,000 cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam who are trying to recapture Jaffna.

The American aircraft was a P3C Orion, which probably took off from Diego Garcia, the Indian Ocean island where American forces have a task force, sources said.

America moved an element of its naval task force from the Gulf towards the Southern Arabian Sea early this week. The movement of the warships from the Gulf Task Force is believed to be an apparent show of solidarity with the beleaguered Sri Lankan troops. The general direction of the ships was towards Colombo.

The ships, which Indian Navy sources said are in international waters, started moving sometime late on Wednesday. "They can move around in international waters. They don't need to inform us," said a senior naval officer.

Analysts indicate that the American ship movements and the reconnaissance by the Orion are part of "pronouncing American support to the Lankan government, a sort of warning to the LTTE". But a senior army officer said that there is no "indication that America will interfere militarily in the Lankan crisis".

The Indian Navy has also been carrying out manoeuvres in the Indian Ocean. Though authorities in New Delhi have been dubbing these manoeuvres 'routine', they are being seen as a attempt to send a warning to the LTTE that the Indian authorities too, in principle, stand behind the Lankan government.

According to sources, ships from the Southern Naval Command based at Cochin have begun moving to the country's southern tip. Sources said the move is part of the preparations to launch an evacuation operation, if necessary. The ships are "battle-ready", though the navy will commit itself only to humanitarian assistance.

The Eastern Fleet based at Visakhapatnam too is battle-ready.

In case an evacuation operation has to be undertaken, the navy will use its six landing craft, which can carry around 500 persons without weapons. Besides, it will requisition merchant vessels.

"If both sides observe a ceasefire, we can complete the evacuation in a matter of days," the senior naval official said.

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