Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups
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Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups rose to prominence in the 1970s to fight the state of Sri Lanka to create an independent Tamil Eelam. They rose in response to perception amongst minority Sri Lankan Tamils that the state was preferring the majority Sinhalese for education opportunities and government jobs. By the end of 1987, they had fought not only the Sri Lankan security forces but also the Indian Peace Keeping Force. They also fought among each other with equal if not greater brutality with each other with main Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebel group decimating most of the others. They represented intergenerational tensions as well as caste and ideological differences. Except the LTTE many of the remaining organizations have morphed into minor political parties within the Tamil National Alliance or as standalone political parties. Some also function as paramilitary groups within the Sri Lankan military.
| Background |
| Sri Lanka • History of Sri Lanka |
| Origins of the Civil War |
| Origins of the Civil War Black July • Riots and pogroms Human rights • Allegations of state terror Tamil militant groups |
| LTTE |
| LTTE • Attacks • Expulsion of Muslims from Jaffna |
| Current major figures |
| Mahinda Rajapaksa Velupillai Prabhakaran Karuna Amman Gotabaya Rajapaksa Sarath Fonseka |
| Indian Involvement |
| Operation Poomalai Indo-Sri Lanka Accord Indian Peace Keeping Force Rajiv Gandhi • RAW |
| See also |
| Military of Sri Lanka TMVP • EPDP Notable assassinations • Child soldiers |
Contents |
[edit] Origins
Since 1948 when Sri Lanka became independent, successive governments have adopted policies that had the effect of net preference to the majority Sinhalese at the expense of the minority Sri Lankan Tamils. The governments adopted these policies in order to assist the Sinhalese community in such areas as education and public employment. But these policies severely curtailed the middle class Tamil youth, who found it more difficult during the 1970s and 1980s to enter a university or secure employment. These individuals belonging to this younger generation, often referred to by other Tamils as "the boys" (Potiyal in Tamil language) formed many militant organizations.[1]
[edit] Social conditions
- See also: 1971 JVP Insurrection (Sri Lanka)
The militant groups also represented not only a revolt against the Sinhalese-dominated status quo but also an expression of intergenerational tensions in a highly traditional society where obedience to parental authority was expected. Militant youth criticized their elders for indecisiveness at a time when they felt the existence of their ethnic community clearly was in danger.[1]
The most important contributor to the strength of the militant groups was the Black July pogrom which was perceived have been an organized event in which over 1000 Sri Lankan Tamil civilians are slaughtered prompting many youth to prefer the armed path of resistance.[1]
The movement also reflected caste differences and rivalries. The membership of the largest and most important rebel group, for example, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), was generally drawn from the Karaiyar or fisherman caste, while individuals belonging to the elite Vellala caste were found in considerable numbers in a rival group, the People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE).[1][2]
[edit] Role in the conflict
By the end of 1987, they had fought not only the Sri Lankan security forces but also the Indian Peace Keeping Force and were allegedly involved in acts that were characterized as terrorism against civilians. They also fought among each other with equal if not greater brutality with main Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebel group decimating most of the others.[1]
[edit] Groups
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- Student organizations
Most started as student organizations. The notable one were Tamil Students League (TSL) or Tamil Manavar Peravai founded in 1970 by Ponnuthurai Satyaseelan. Another one was Tamil Youth League or Tamil Ilaignar Peravai founded in 1973 that was progenitor of many militant groups. Finally General Union of Eelam Students (GUES) founded in London, UK whose members founded Eelam Revolutionary Organization of Students which in turn split into Eelam Peoples Revolutionary Liberation Front that gave birth to current political party and sometime paramilitary organization Eelam peoples Democratic Party.
- Major groups
Prior to 1987 the major groups were Indian trained and equipped Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization, eventually militarily decimated by the LTTE but politically part of pro LTTE Tamil National Alliance party. Former rival and a splinter group from LTTE, the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam currently a minor standalone political party many of its cadres work as paramilitary operatives,[3][4][5][6] although PLOTE leadership denies this. Amongst the many leftists groups the major one was pro Indian and Marxist Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front militarily defeated by the LTTE but a faction of which is part of the TNA and others work with the Sri Lankan government as paramilitary operatives.[7]. Eelam People's Democratic Party a Pro-government group and a political party accused of being a paramilitary.[8] Eelam Revolutionary Organisers (EROS) a faction of which is part of LTTE. Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTe) is the only remaining armed Tamil nationalist group.
- Other groups
There were over 30 other minor groups of which some are notable such as National Liberation Front of Tamil Eelam (NLFTE), which according to Taraki Sivaram, was a small but influential Maoist group based largely in Jaffna, which
"drove down the road to perdition by splitting hairs over the question of whether it should first build an armed wing or a mass political movement".
People's Liberation Army (PLA) in reality the military wing of wing of EPRLF, Led by EPDP founder and leader Douglas Devananda. Important achievement of the PLA was the 1984 kidnapping of American couple Stanley and Mary Allen from Columbus, Ohio, in Jaffna.Another minor but notable group was Tamil Eelam Army (TEA) of Panagoda Maheswaran involved in the attack against a Air Lanka flight in Madras, India. Tamil Eelam Liberation Army (TELA) founded in 1982 by Oberoi Thevan; a splinter group of TELO. After the assassination of Thevan in 1983 by the LTTE, TELA was absorbed by PLOTE.
- Militant fronts
There are also number of front groups such as Upsurging People's Force, Ellalan Padai, and Ravanan Padai all considered to be a fronts of LTTE.[9]
[edit] Paramilitary activism
Due to the internecine conflicts as well as due to internal conflicts within militant organizations many members of militant groups have cooperated with the Sri Lankan government and have worked as paramilitary members. They play an important role in military operations against the LTTE as well as in counter insurgency operations.[10][11][7][6]TamilEela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal a splinter group from the LTTE works as a paramilitary and its leader Karuna Amman is incacerated in London, UK.[12][13]
[edit] Notes
- ^ a b c d e Ross, Sri Lanka: A Country Study, p.#
- ^ Marschall, Wolfgang (2003). Social Change Among Sri Lankan Tamil Refugees in Switzerland. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
- ^ PLOTE responsible for disappearances (html). Sri Lanka Monitor. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
- ^ Tamil leader killed in Lanka explosion (html). Nirupama Subramanian. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
- ^ Sri Lanka: Government must investigate paramilitary group violations (html). Amnesty International. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
- ^ a b Rotberg, Creating Peace in Sri Lanka, p.61
- ^ a b Security and Human Rights Situation, Entry and Exit Procedures and Personal Documentation - Report on joint fact-finding mission to Sri Lanka - DANISH IMMIGRATION SERVICE COPENHAGEN, DENMARK (html). Danish Immigration Service. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
- ^ Sri Lanka: Amnesty International condemns killings of civilians (html). Amnesty International. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
- ^ Background Information on Terrorist Groups (html). US State Government. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
- ^ Parties stick to their guns (html). BBC. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
- ^ Kotakadeniya against disarming paramilitaries (html). Chinthaka Fernando. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
- ^ Country Reports on Human Rights Practices - 2005 (Sri Lanka) (html). US State Government. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
- ^ The Eastern Factor in the Sri Lankan Ethnic Conflict (html). M. Mayilvaganan. Retrieved on 2007-12-22.
[edit] References
- Ross, Russell (1988). Sri Lanka: A Country Study. USA: U.S. Library of Congress.[1]
- Rotberg, Robert (1999). Creating Peace In Sri Lanka. USA: BROOKINGS INSTITUTE, 218. ISBN 0815775784.
