The "Long War" in Miniature
The Strategy Page looks at the Sri Lankan campaign against the Tamil Tigers.
July 13, 2007: In response to the lost of their eastern territory, which was about half the area controlled by the rebels, the LTTE said it would now concentrate attacks on economic targets, using its terrorist skills to cripple the national economy. There has been an increase in terrorist type attacks in the north, and the LTTE is apparently trying to goad the army and police into attacking the Tamil population around the capital and elsewhere on the island, to make these Tamils more willing to support LTTE terrorist operations. This shift to an emphasis on terrorist operations indicates that the LTTE is unsure of its ability to hang on in the north.
The LTTE must be one of the toughest, most determined insurgencies in the world. Until recently, they led the world in suicide bombings. They had innovative tactics which involved the use of mini-airstrikes against Sri Lankan airforce bases. They had makeshift naval forces. If the Sri Lankan government has actually managed to gain the upper hand on the LTTE the process is worth studying.
The conflict has many characteristics of a civil war. In 2002, the "international community" started a peace process, but hostilities resumed in 2005 and the fighting continues to this day. Since then the Sri Lankan government has won a string of victories, though the end of the war is by no means certain nor even in sight.
posted by wretchardthecat at 7/14/2007 06:00:00 PM
4 Comments:
It is really sad news, more than two decades there is no sign of amicable solution or peace in Srilanka. Its not possible to give "Thani Ellam"(seperate coutry for Tamilians), but at the same time Lankan government should treat Tamilians as citizen of the country...
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It is amazing as to what more the Tamil people require from the Sri Lanka government to affirm their citizen rights.
Consider the following::
1. Since the 1950s Tamil has been one of three official languages in the country, along with the majority language Sinhala and English. All government business in the Tamil speaking areas is carried out in the Tamil language.
2. Government records, including court proceedings, are made available in Tamil.
3. The State owned radio and TV networks have since their inceptions have had programming in Tamil.
4. Tamil is available as a medium of instruction in the schools.
5. Many government employees such as doctors are required to show some proficiency in Tamil for career advancement purposes.
6. Tamils have held the following high State Offices among many others over the years even while the terror war was ongoing..
(a) Judges of the Supreme Court and Appellate Court.
(b) Attorney General.
(c) Foreign Minister and other Cabinet Minister rank
(d) Service Chiefs - Army & Navy Commander
(e) Ambassadors to many Western capitals
No other so called discriminated ethnic minority anywhere in the world can claim to have such privileges while supposedly being sidelined and marginalized.
It is a pity that those championing the Tamil cause don't happen to mention that over 75% of the Tamil people live in the South and the West of the country among the people who are supposedly discriminating against them and not with their brethren fighting for their "freedom" in the North and the East.
It has worked so well in Anbar, Iraq that they are templating the Amnesty program in the West Bank:
RAMALLAH, West Bank (Associated Press) -- Scores of Fatah militants in the West Bank have signed a pledge renouncing attacks against Israel in return for an Israeli promise to stop pursuing them, a Palestinian security official said Sunday.
The deal would grant amnesty to 178 Fatah gunmen who will join the official Palestinian security forces, and Israel will remove them from its lists of wanted militants, the official said. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to divulge details of the agreement.
Fire it up for the Tamil insurgents, as well.
Full Amnesty and a new lease on life, all is forgiven.
The Tamils have foreign assistance, mostly Indian emigres, is my understanding. Which is why they have both been able to hang for as long as they have (an untouchable rear with nearly unlimited finances and logistics) AND why they have been unwilling to compromise.
The people running the terrorist-war by the Tamils want a separate state, that would eventually conquer the Sinhalese and rule them as a minority. Perhaps along the lines of a kinder-gentler Hutu over the Tutsi.
Which is why neither side can compromise. The Sinhalese know/suspect that any deal would simply be a truce until they are conquered and ruled as slaves/serfs. The Tamils can't compromise because the ones running things in India would order their deaths and continue the fighting to "victory."
The only way to end the fighting is for one side to decisively defeat the other. That would mean killing about 60% or more of the men 14-55 among the Tamils (to account for the support back in India) or about 40% of the Sinhalese men of that age group.
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