Was life for Tamils better under LTTE?
Posted on April 14th, 2013

Shenali Waduge

Given that separation of Sri Lanka is out of the question the Tamils had 2 choices before them. To be ruled under a defacto armed LTTE or to remain under sovereign Sri Lanka ruled by a democratically elected Government that comprised representatives of all ethnic groups. The Tamils did live under the LTTE for well over 25years and the Tamil political party the Tamil National Alliance openly declared that the LTTE was the ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-sole representative of the TamilsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ not once but several times. In so doing the TNA lumped all the Tamils en masse into a terrorist group and stigmatized their own people. How irresponsible for a political party to equate Tamils with Terrorism. The Tamils now need to undo this damage by disassociating themselves from the TNA which continues a separatist agenda if Tamils do not share the separatist agenda of both LTTE and TNA. It is long overdue for the Tamils to now come out and say whether life was better under the LTTE, whether TNA was correct to say LTTE stood for all Tamils and how life is today different.

Why is separation of Sri Lanka to form a Tamil Eelaam out of the question?

That is so because when 72million out of the worldƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s 77million Tamils live in a state which has a history of attempting to secede from India on the grounds that it wishes to form a Tamil Nation and that state is named after Tamils (Tamil Nadu ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” land of the Tamils), where Tamil is the official language, where Tamil culture, traditions etc reign supreme ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” by virtue of everything being done by Tamils, for Tamils, Tamil Nadu is where Tamil Eelaam should rightfully be not in a miniscule area in Sri Lanka where none of the worldƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢s 77million could ever think of congregating.

The whole Eelaam in Sri Lanka quest was nothing but a ploy to delay the inevitable balkanizing of Tamil Nadu from India which India schemed to perfection. The only confusion came when external forces hijacked that plan to create a grander plan which ultimately led to the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. His death carried out by LTTE bore signs of a contract killing. India may well do to find out who exactly ordered the killing. The ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-newƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ state is like to comprise Tamil Nadu and North Sri Lanka which will end up nothing better than the Philippines which has been turned into an immoral state. It is a challenge for the Church and Christians to prove that the assumption that they supported the LTTE is wrong instead of simply calling those that pose the questions as racists, hate mongers and what not simply to avoid answering.

Who actually suffered under LTTE rule?

It is time we know who amongst the Tamils actually suffered. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ In terms of who actually suffered we need to divide the Tamils as:

1.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Tamils living amongst the LTTE in the Vanni (Mullaitivu, Kilinochchi)

2.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Tamils living outside of LTTE ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-territoryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in Sri Lanka

3.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Tamils living outside of LTTE ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-territoryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ overseas

The number of Tamils living in the Vanni amongst the LTTE through the 3 decades of LTTE rule are miniscule in comparison to the Tamils who live outside of LTTE ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-territoryƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ amongst Sinhalese and those now living overseas.

It is from this miniscule number that LTTE made their manpower. Some of its cadres also were taken from impoverished areas of the East too. What essentially has to be remembered is that the Tamil members that LTTE ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-recruitedƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ were kidnapped and forcibly taken from impoverished low-caste Hindu or converted Hindus whose women had to supply LTTE throughout the conflict. Did LTTE kidnap its cadres from high-caste Tamil homes in Jaffna, Colombo ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” NO. This is an area that has not been looked into but extremely important to derive at the manner LTTE selected its cadres. If there were high-castes in the LTTE they all held senior posts and were privy to the LTTE kitty which was USD300million.

Areas of Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi never even had electricity ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” children never went to school and the people had lived thinking that life was all about LTTE. Today, over 60% of these areas already enjoy electricity, schools are functioning, teachers can teach and there are students to teach.

It is these miniscule number of Tamils suffering under the LTTE that now sees a brand new life where none of the rest of the Tamils cared to speak on behalf of them ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” ever. Did the TNA ever ask the LTTE not to kidnap these children to manufacture them into killers training them in pretentious orphanages set up in the middle of the jungles to which were visited by Father Emmanuel raising questions as to why the Church would watch one of its leaders encourage children to be turned into killers.

Deriving at exact numbers is cumbersome in view of no proper census taking place in the areas that LTTE controlled for over 2 decades. It must also be pointed out that LTTE, humanitarian organizations having close links to LTTE including religious groups gave false figures of civilian populations in view of the GOSL sending food and essential supplies to the North which was a crafty means of hijacking these essentials to be used amongst LTTE. Figures are confused in the likelihood of ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-illegalsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ coming from Tamil Nadu and now posing as Sri Lankan Tamils. These Indian ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-illegalsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ need to first be identified. Then there is the visible numbers of Tamils making their way Southwards to live amongst the Sinhalese whilst others made use of the opportunity to cry discrimination and see asylum overseas. Therefore, with Tamils being 12% of the population of a 20m total populace ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” Tamils can at most be 2.4million only. The estate Tamils numbering 5% are never part of any discussions proposed by TNA or the LTTE therefore they should not be included into the statistical figure simply to make Tamil representation 18%. As things stand with Tamils now living legally and illegally overseas the 12% has come down to bordering 10% if not less. The Sri Lankan Foreign missions should be asked to do a statistical figure on the legal numbers of Tamils living overseas whilst help should be sought from host nations to find out the illegal ballpark figure too.

Therefore, what needs to be clearly articulated is that the Tamils living amongst the LTTE were the real sufferers. All the other Tamils shared the same fears that the Sinhalese faced since it was the Sinhalese civilians who became the targets with every bomb and suicide attempt made. Yet, the Tamils living in Colombo and suburbs went about their employment, children attended schools and did everything that they would normally do alongside the rest of the communities but obviously sharing the same fears. There was nothing exclusive that they feared different to what the other communities feared.

The Tamils overseas however whether they were openly pro-LTTE or not had to make monthly payments to the LTTE kitty and they had to also participate in demonstrations and other events that LTTE front organizations organized. With time this arrangement bore much monetary benefit giving many positions in these front organizations, opportunities to travel overseas, rise in financial situation and moreover a chance to move around with VIPs and dictate terms to even Sri Lankan politicians. For most Tamils whether they like to admit or not there were some reasons to thank the LTTE while a handful of others were open enough to admit to LTTE atrocities but at great risk to their lives. The handful of moderates that did openly denounce the LTTE were all silenced and understandably that made any others warned into silence.

But it is a good time for us to know some hard truths. When we speak on behalf of the Tamils against the LTTE and find fault with the TNA for openly being their mouthpiece ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” we would like to know whether we are wrong to find fault? When we find fault with the LTTE for threatening intimidating Tamils and denying them progress socially through several decades ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” were we wrong to conclude so? We would frankly like to know whether our opinion of the LTTE and the TNA is the same as the Tamils or whether we are wrong to assume that the LTTE was a terrorist outfit and the TNA nothing but its mouthpiece and now taking over from where LTTE failed?

Somehow somewhere something is not right because after the victory over the LTTE as citizens of Sri Lanka we expected the Tamil community to also join us in the victory over terrorism and given the fact that the LTTE had been denying Tamils a host of human rights as well as violating Tamil human rights, we thought the rest of the Tamils living amongst the Sinhalese and those overseas would be happy that LTTE was no more and press for actions to be taken against the TNA since they were the only survivors of the separatism that linked to LTTE ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢¢”š¬…” we would like to know where our assumptions have been proved wrong by the Tamils themselves.

Genuine reconciliation cannot take place until these loopholes and gaps are given genuine and honest answers.

8 Responses to “Was life for Tamils better under LTTE?”

  1. Ratanapala Says:

    Life was hell under the LTTE. But they are used to live in hell as their history is not too distant – having come only during recent historical times from the liberally and openly defecating land of India.

    The world is asking for reconciliation. It should first come from the Tamils to the Sinhalese, for all the atrocities committed on the South over a period of 30 years and for the unrealistic, demeaning demands they have been making since 1920s on Sinhale’, which later became Ceylon and Sri Lanka. Sinhalese have done nothing to seek reconciliation from them. They had their education, jobs and also all the perks. Even a 10 year boy who was in a asylum seeker boat in Australia was speaking fluent English. Where did that education come from, unless it is what they learn in schools in Sri Lanka or from their educated parents?

    Of course as we have been throughout history, we will offer our hands in friendship and in a spirit of accepting reconciliation. The calamity is that always we have to be careful not to get ourselves bitten – as Racist Tamils are rabid dogs who even bite the hand that feed them.

    It is the Racist Tamils who are responsible for disharmony between ethnicities by demanding unreasonable demands such as 50:50. This is their mentality and until such times they come down to earth and live in the golden land of Sri Lanka they will wander in the wilderness – some in their minds, others boot licking in diaspora!

  2. Lorenzo Says:

    Only about 300,000 Tamils lived under the LTTE from 1995 to 2009.

    Only they suffered badly. Out of a Tamil population of 3,000,000, that is peanuts. Only 10%. Other Tamils BENEFITTED from their suffering.

    That is why OTHER Tamils love the LTTE still.

  3. Ananda-USA Says:

    Lorenzo said

    “Only about 300,000 Tamils lived under the LTTE from 1995 to 2009.

    Only they suffered badly. Out of a Tamil population of 3,000,000, that is peanuts. Only 10%. Other Tamils BENEFITTED from their suffering.

    That is why OTHER Tamils love the LTTE still.”

    PERFECT Analysis … Could not AGREE more!

  4. Lorenzo Says:

    Some benefits OTHER Tamils had thanks to LTTE.

    1,000,000 Tamilians went to Canada, UK, Australia as refugees thanks to LTTE violence. They are FILTHY RICH compared to the 300,000 human shield Tamilians. Their millions of relatives in SL are also grateful to the LTTE for their RICH relatives who send them money.

    LTTE carried out 100+ BOMB BLASTS in Colombo targeting SINHALESE ONLY. Tamilian swarms invaded Colombo at the same time. Colombo became TAMIL MAJORITY thanks to LTTE. Life is VERY EASY in Colombo compared to dry, salty, rusty dusty, thirsty Jaffna.

    LTTE violence created NEW INDUSTRY for mostly Tamilians. Peace industry, NGO industry was born. BILLIONS of rupees come to them every year from NGOs.

    LTTE violence was used as an EXCUSE for Endia to invade SL and put in place 13 amendment. The ONLY way to Tamil Elam. NO LTTE, NO 13 amendment!!

    This is why MOST Tamilians of SL origin and in SL support the LTTE today.

  5. crobe Says:

    The only way the high caste Tamils can control the low caste Tamils is by creating a separate state. They continue to pull the strings of the low caste Tamils all the while living in Colombo and in Foreign countries. The low caste Tamils are totally denied all opportunities of education and advancement by these high caste Tamils.
    It is only the TNA and the foreign Tamils who promote separatism. This is solely for their own financial benefit. By crying about bogus injustices, they continue to get foreign money to fatten their pockets. Also, the TNA has nothing to offer the Tamil people other than the “Sinhalaya Gonibilla” theory. If the TNA has any self respect, they would stop accepting tax payer afforded benefits and live in their electorate only.
    The biggest obstacle to reconciliation is the TNA. Does anyone hear a peep from the TNA in regards to the woes of our fishermen and the illegal poaching by the Indian fishermen? The answer is NO.
    Until 2007, when the LTTE was getting their rear kicked, the Tamils especially the LTTE and the high caste Tamils never considered Indian Tamils as their “brothers”. They always looked down upon the Indian Tamils and the SL Tamils of Indian origin in the Central Province. They only became “brothers” for their convenience.
    Before anything, the TNA should agitate to improve the life of the SL Tamils living in Indian refugee camps which are nothing more than open air prisons. Those people there live unde woeful sub human conditions conditions. They have to regularly register with the police and live in an eternal curfew imposed by the TN government. They also have no educational or job opportunities because they have been “branded”.
    These TNA politicians keep promoting everything Indian. Do we have any Tamils trying to run to Tamil Nadu to get away from SL? The answer is NO. Life in SL for Tamils is 100 times better than Tamil Nadu.

  6. Lorenzo Says:

    “It is only the TNA and the foreign Tamils who promote separatism.”

    Disagree with the word “ONLY”. Agree with the rest.

    TNA is the LARGEST gathering of Tamils in SL.
    In addition the GONASONS (MOST POPULAR Tamil leaders in Colombo and Kandy) also promote separatism.
    Jeyalath Jeyawardana also promotes separatism to get Gampaha Tamil votes.
    Run-nil also promotes separatism to get MORE votes from Colombo.
    TULF also promotes separatism.
    ACTC also promotes separatism.
    Even EPDP supports separatism. (ALL UPFA MPs from Jaffna are from EPDP).
    UNP-Jaffna by Maheswarans (dead husband and wife) also promote separatism.

    High caste Tamils are 80% of the Ceylon Tamil society and MOST of them support LTTE and separatism.

  7. Lorenzo Says:

    Tamil separatism is NOT a single party movement. It is a MANY PARTY movement of TNA, TULF, ACTC and parts of UNP, UPFA, EPDP, etc. supporting it to different levels.

    This way Tamil separatists have managed to WIN ALL LEVELS of ELAMISM THROUGHOUT the country. (Not just the hardcores).

  8. Fran Diaz Says:

    The ltte taught Tamil children to spy and report on their own parents and families. How can such behavior ever lead to happiness ?
    Those kids trained by the ltte to kill other human beings may suffer all their life ….

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