One year after the Tigers were silenced, the victorious Mahinda Rajapakse is stronger than ever. But as the Tamil Diaspora nurtures the dream of a Tamil Eelam, N. Asokan finds that only a meaningful political solution can bring permanent peace
The Fourth Eelam War in Sri Lanka finally came to an end on May 17, 2009, with the LTTE international relations head, K.P. alias Selvarajha Padmanathan, announcing that “The LTTE have decided to silence the guns.” Over 25,000 Tamils died in the final three months of the Fourth Eelam War which started in 2006. LTTE had waged armed struggle against marginalisation of minority Tamils in the island nation for almost three decades. From a position of controlling over 15000 square kilometer, they were pushed to 2 square kilometer at the end of the War, with scores of Tamil civilians moving along with them. The end of LTTE came when its supremo Veluppilai Prabhakaran’s body was identified from the Nandhikadal lagoon. Selevaraja Padmanathan, who was trying to revive the struggle with support from the Tamil Diaspora, was also arrested in Malaysia and brought to Colombo. As the first anniversary of the end of the war passes, the island nation has witnessed a series of important events in the last one year. In the political front, riding over the euphoria of triumph, Mahinda Rajapakse secured a massive victory in the presidential elections, he arrested war hero-turned political opponent Sarath Fonseka. Rajapakse’s party also secured a massive victory in the parliamentary elections. Rajapakse and his brothers have brilliantly strengthened their individual positions in no time.
But what has happened to the Tamils battered by the war? As the war progressed, LTTE was continuously on the run in the northern areas. It had already withdrawn from the east as their renegade ‘Col Karuna’ teamed up with Colombo. As a strategic move, it took three lakh Tamils along with it when it withdrew from its operational headquarters at Kilinochi. For three months, all these men, women and children were continuously on the run. These civilians became sitting ducks for the Lankan forces’ heavy artillery and planes. Everyday, scores of people died. When it was all but obvious that the LTTE would be defeated, they escaped the clutches of the Tigers and came to the side of the Lankan army. The strategy of the Tigers had been to get international involvement to force a ceasefire and simultaneously trying to bring about a possible turnaround in the fate of the war. It did not follow the script. Even the emotions whipped up in the state of Tamil Nadu in the run-up to the parliamentary elections did not yield the desired results. The octogenerian leader, M. Karunanidhi, addressed Tamil sentiments by taking part in a three-hour fast.
The Fourth Eelam War in Sri Lanka finally came to an end on May 17, 2009, with the LTTE international relations head, K.P. alias Selvarajha Padmanathan, announcing that “The LTTE have decided to silence the guns.” Over 25,000 Tamils died in the final three months of the Fourth Eelam War which started in 2006. LTTE had waged armed struggle against marginalisation of minority Tamils in the island nation for almost three decades. From a position of controlling over 15000 square kilometer, they were pushed to 2 square kilometer at the end of the War, with scores of Tamil civilians moving along with them. The end of LTTE came when its supremo Veluppilai Prabhakaran’s body was identified from the Nandhikadal lagoon. Selevaraja Padmanathan, who was trying to revive the struggle with support from the Tamil Diaspora, was also arrested in Malaysia and brought to Colombo. As the first anniversary of the end of the war passes, the island nation has witnessed a series of important events in the last one year. In the political front, riding over the euphoria of triumph, Mahinda Rajapakse secured a massive victory in the presidential elections, he arrested war hero-turned political opponent Sarath Fonseka. Rajapakse’s party also secured a massive victory in the parliamentary elections. Rajapakse and his brothers have brilliantly strengthened their individual positions in no time.
But what has happened to the Tamils battered by the war? As the war progressed, LTTE was continuously on the run in the northern areas. It had already withdrawn from the east as their renegade ‘Col Karuna’ teamed up with Colombo. As a strategic move, it took three lakh Tamils along with it when it withdrew from its operational headquarters at Kilinochi. For three months, all these men, women and children were continuously on the run. These civilians became sitting ducks for the Lankan forces’ heavy artillery and planes. Everyday, scores of people died. When it was all but obvious that the LTTE would be defeated, they escaped the clutches of the Tigers and came to the side of the Lankan army. The strategy of the Tigers had been to get international involvement to force a ceasefire and simultaneously trying to bring about a possible turnaround in the fate of the war. It did not follow the script. Even the emotions whipped up in the state of Tamil Nadu in the run-up to the parliamentary elections did not yield the desired results. The octogenerian leader, M. Karunanidhi, addressed Tamil sentiments by taking part in a three-hour fast.
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