Patriotic People's Armed Troops

The Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord was signed in Colombo on 29 July 1987, between Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lankan President J. R. Jayewardene. The accord was expected to resolve the Sri Lankan Civil War by enabling the Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Sri Lanka. It brought the Provincial Councils Act of 1987. Under the terms of the agreement, Colombo agreed to give limited autonomy to the provinces, Indian Army unit, Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) was deployed to militarily protect the accord.[1]

The PPAt along with the DJV were frontal organizations of the JVP. Between 1987–1989 JVP carried out attacks on civilians and raids against Sri Lanka Armed Forces (SLAF) military installments.[3]

The PPAt was operating as a military arm of the JVP; it raided the Sri Lankan Army camp in Pallekele, John Kotelawela Defense Academy, and the SLAF Katunayake Sri Lanka Air Force base.[4] Similarly, multiple other military arms affiliated to the JVP carried out attacks under the orders of the Joint Command of the PPAt.[5] On April 29, 1988, the Joint Command ordered the attack on the Pannala Air Force base. Over 500 weapons and 50,000 rounds of ammunition were taken.[6]

The Joint Command, Patriotic People's Armed Troops issued death threats calling government troops (SLA, SLAiF, SLN) desert their ranks and to join the PPAt.[7]

A communique revealed that the Joint Command had ordered its armed troops to eliminate individuals who refuse to collaborate. It said that they would not just be dealt as traitors but also enemies of the country by the PPAt.[8] As a result of these, the government forces faced and increased amount of desertions from its members.