LTTE

"While nothing is easier than to denounce the evildoer, nothing is more difficult than to understand him" -- Mikhailovich Dostovsky

The tiny island nation of Sri Lanka has been plagued by terrorism for the past 25 years. Citing irreparable differences with the majority ethnic group, the armed militant group the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelaam (LTTE) is demanding 35 percent of the country's landmass and over 75 percent of its surrounding sea for a separate Tamil state. Constituting only 6.5 percent of the country's population, over half of the country's Tamils currently live amongst th majority Sinhalese.

India should not help the Tigers from escaping from the hands of the Sri Lankan military. If the Tamils have to get equal rights along with the Sinhalese, if the Tamils need a federal set up, then it means that the Tigers have to be totally silenced. India should not interfere in this situation. India can only insist that the Sri Lankan Government deal with their Tamils fairly.

A well respected Hindu astrologer from Karnataka, India, Mr. A. K. P. Theventhra Rajh predicts that between November 8 and 15, 2008 is a very critical period for Velupillai Prabhakaran, the leader of the Tamil Tigers, the terrorist group fighting to carve out a separate state for the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka. Speaking to some local media people, Mr. Theventhra Rajh has reportedly told that Prabhakaran is seriously ill due to stress caused by the constant fear for his life. Prabhakaran, who is also a chronic diabetic, requires regular insulin shots, which has been disrupted owing to constant change of hideout due to aerial bombing by the SL forces.

The recent battlefield success of the Sri Lankan Security Forces has dramatically changed the ground realities and dynamics of the Sri Lankan conflict. The Tamil Tigers have been dislodged from areas they dominated militarily for many years in the North and East of the island. According to latest reports over the weekend (4-5 October) the Security Forces are less than 04 km south of Kilinochchi, which is considered by the Tamil Tigers as the de-facto capital. The fall of Kilinochchi will have symbolic value to the Sri Lankan government. However, in terms of strategic value the Paranthan junction 5km north of Kilinochchi will be the jewel in the crown. The fall of Paranthan junction will cut supply routes to Tamil Tiger defence localities in Pooneryn, Elephant Pass and Muhamalai. Bhanu is well regarded within the organization as the artillery expert who inflicted the highest number of casualties among the Security Forces over the years.

For more than three decades, the LTTE has been trying to weaken the democratically elected Government in Sri Lanka, primarily using an intelligently crafted terror campaigns and adroit propaganda campaigns, intermittingly switching into political negotiations, however, without any firm commitment, to achieve its goal of carving of a separate state for the Tamils in the North of Sri Lanka.