Sri Lanka: Shut up about MIG-27, its hurting troops' moral

Monday, 27 August 2007

According to the Sri Lankan government's official weekly, the Sunday Observer, those who are persisting on investigating the MIG-27 affair are colliding with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to hurt the moral of Sri Lankan soldiers. The MIG-27 affair revolves around the purchase of five MIG-27 bomber jets from Ukraine, via London based Belmarsh Holdings, even though the deal was supposed to be a government-to-government one.

The opposition parities have pointed out that the bomber jets purchased in 2006 were almost a million US dollars more expensive than those bought in 2001.

According to the government the 2001 purchases were capable of flying 840 hours while the 2006 purchases even though six years older, can fly 855 hours.

Opposition parties allege malpractice highlighting the involvement of 'MR 10%' Basil Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa is the purchases.

Meanwhile, unable to counter opposition allegations with rational reasoning, the government claims that those who are 'going on about the MIG27s are paid by the LTTE'.

It says that the MIG-27 affair is an LTTE conspiracy that is being carried out by some political elements to hurt the moral of the Sri Lankan soldiers.

According to the Sunday Observer, the whole MIG27 affair should be buried to ensure that the soldiers on the frontline are not distracted.

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