Dilrook Kannangara

Over 20 Tamil terrorist groups were raised by Hindustan (India) in 1970s and 1980s to advance its interests. When Sri Lanka amassed its forces and was about to exterminate their terrorist leaders in Jaffna peninsular, Hindustan invaded the island saving their mostly Hindu terrorists. India planned to do same in May 2009 to save Tamil terrorists fighting under an ancient Hindu flag. India’s new found opportunistic ally USA also readied to invade in the guise of saving ‘civilians’.

What stopped them?

There was a clear difference between July 1987 and May 2009 that prevented them from invading.

The buzzword in 2009 was ‘human shields’. LTTE took close to 300,000 Tamil people hostage and kept them as a human shield. However, due to war, shortage of ameneties and hopelessness they escaped to government controlled areas. Only a few thousand was left in the last few days. USA and India had to invade when civilians were around. Otherwise their clumsy excuse would be exposed.

Unlike July 1987, in 2009, over 250,000 Tamil civilians were in a closely guarded small area called Menik Farm. They were provided with free food, medical facilities, sanitary facilities they never had in their homes and safety. If India or USA invaded the island to save LTTE terrorists, these people’s lives would be at grave risk. Not only will the invaders attack the army triggering an army response trapping these people in a far more deadly crossfire, the emotionally charged environment would have caused clashes with the military. Clashes would have easily spread to other parts of the island killing scores, mostly those who team up with the invaders. India and USA feared for their pawns’ safety if they invaded and refrained from invading.

LTTE terrorists were enourmously useful for India and USA – the two largest states financing terrorists in Asia. LTTE does not come with the anti-American sentiment inherent to all other terrorists. In fact, LTTE terrorists tried very hard to build a close understanding with USA and India. Despite pro-Soviet India in 1980s armed and financed Tamil terrorist groups, it quickly turned to USA and the West where its refugee army of menial workers toiled to send it money to the tune of $300 million a year.

LTTE terrorists were mostly Hindus, not Muslims as most other terrorists are. Some Christians were also present. This fact created a soft power bridge with India and USA (world’s largest Hindu and Christian nations respectively). LTTE had a proven record against attacking Chinese and other ships. This is an enormous asset for both India and USA. In addition, LTTE was self-financing as it engaged in narcotics, human trafficking, prostituting Tamil girls, boys and women, extortion and Tamil Diaspora financing. LTTE had a land, sea and air wing which is a very rare combination among all terrorist groups. LTTE also mastered artillery – a rarity among terrorist groups. LTTE used mostly North Korean weapons which also helped India and the West because weapons flow traceability doesn’t lead to their countries. Western and South Indian leaders visited Tamil terrorist leaders in drones. Chris Patton’s visit to the Tamil terrorist leader is significant. He represented the separatist camp against China and agitated for Hong Kong’s resistance against unifying with China.

Interestingly, Sri Lanka bought most weapons from nations that genuinely fight against terrorists created by western elements. The key to defeating terrorism sponsors in a proxy war is to destroy their local proxies while holding their cowardly associates at risk. This was why USA hastily withdrew from South Vietnam, Somalia, Pakistan and Lebanon. It has lessons for Sri Lanka after the war.