1962 – Letter from N. Q. Dias (Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Defence and External Affairs) to S. J. V. Chelvanayakam MP

One of Sri Lanka’s greatest strategist is N Q Dias the Permanent Secretary of Defense & External Affairs

He renamed “Operation Monty” set up in 1952 into a Task Force Anti- Illicit Immigration in 1963 to stop illegal immigration of Indian Tamils.

TFAII is headquartered in Palaly with units deployed from Mollikulam to Kokilai.

Army camps were set up in Silavathurai, Thalladi, Talaimannar, Pooneryn, Velvittiturai, Madagala, Thondamannar, Mullaitivu & Kokilai.

Smaller detachments with 5-10 soldiers were also set up. TFAII functioned from 1963 to 1981.

NQ had arranged for special phone link from the TFAII to Neville Jayaweera GA Jaffna, direct as he thought that the normal telephone lines were being tapped at the Jaffna end.

Tamil Separatist Movement under Chelvanayagam, complained on 22 July 1962 that a  fishing boat had been stopped by the navy at Kayts  and atrocities committed.  Fishermen had been  ill treated,  fishing nets damaged, banians torn.

The following is NQ’s reply on 22.8.1962. He said the  navy   had  checked the boat  for possible illegal activity. The fishermen were not ill treated, no banians were torn. The fishing nets were intact on board.   The crew  made no allegations of atrocities,  assault or tearing banians in their complaint to the authorities later on, either.