RISE AND FALL OF WORLD'S DEADLIEST TERRORIST GROUP -TAMIL TIGERS
Book Details
Author(s)Don Wijewardana
ISBN / ASINB004SI430I
ISBN-13978B004SI4303
Sales Rank1,107,501
MarketplaceUnited States 🇺🇸
Description
In May 2009 Sri Lankan armed forces defeated the Tamil Tiger terrorist group - LTTE that had been ravaging the country for over 30 years. FBI described the LTTE as the “world’s deadliest terrorist group, worse than HAMAS.â€
The terrorists were demanding the establishment of a separate homeland or Eelam for Tamils combining the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka. The claimed area comprised one third of the county and two thirds of the coastline. With Tamils amounting to only 12 per cent of the population, half of whom were living in the south among the Sinhalese, the government saw no justification in the demand.
But the government was in a weak position. Supported by legal and illegal contributions of expatriate Tamils the LTTE had an annual income, which the Jane’s Defence Weekly estimated at $300 million. This allowed it to acquire sophisticated arms and communication equipment. The terrorist group was also nurtured initially by the Indian government and later by Norway. With all that help the terrorists emerged from being a ragtag gang of street fighters into a sophisticated militia by 2005. It also had a well-trained group of suicide bombers who killed thousands of civilians each year. That included one ruling President of Sri Lanka, a Prime Minister of India as well as an innumerable number of politicians, armed force personnel and human rights activists. It was so powerful several western governments advised Sri Lankan leadership not to even attempt to defeat the terrorist group and to negotiate a deal.
The government continually on back foot, held six rounds of peace talks to settle the dispute. The LTTE used the lull during such peace times to rest, recruit and rearm in preparation for the final war to carve out the separate state. By 2005 it was ready to launch Eelam War IV expected to result in forming the independent Tamil Homeland.
It was timed for the election of a new President, Mahinda Rajapaksa. LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran saw Rajapaksa, who did not come with a high profile, as the ideal opponent during the war. So in August 2006 LTTE very confidently launched the final war by cutting off water supply from the Mavil Aru tank to 30,000 farmers down stream. But Prabhakaran had not realised that Rajapaksa was a master tactician. When western governments pressured him by not meeting contractual obligations to supply arms Rajapaksa found alternative suppliers. When the west cut all foreign aid he leaned on a host of newly emerging leaders such as China who provided resources without attaching conditions. Eventually Rajapaksa defeated the LTTE by decimating the leadership. This was the first time in at least half a century that a country had completely eliminated a terrorist group.
Sri Lanka’s experience offers valuable lessons for the dozens of countries that are still embroiled in terrorist wars. Fighting a modern war involves confronting the enemy not only on the ground but also on several other fronts such as the press. Modern social network media has made it impossible to limit a war the battlefront.
This book is the first of its kind to document the growth of the terrorist group, how it rose from a street gang to a fully-fledged modern militia including the use of a new weapon – suicide bombers with great effect to subdue elected governments. The book also examines the severe odds faced by President Rajapaksa and his powerful strategy to beat terrorism. It is valuable material for governments, analysts, researchers and tacticians planning action on terrorists. It is also written for the general reader.
The terrorists were demanding the establishment of a separate homeland or Eelam for Tamils combining the Northern and Eastern Provinces of Sri Lanka. The claimed area comprised one third of the county and two thirds of the coastline. With Tamils amounting to only 12 per cent of the population, half of whom were living in the south among the Sinhalese, the government saw no justification in the demand.
But the government was in a weak position. Supported by legal and illegal contributions of expatriate Tamils the LTTE had an annual income, which the Jane’s Defence Weekly estimated at $300 million. This allowed it to acquire sophisticated arms and communication equipment. The terrorist group was also nurtured initially by the Indian government and later by Norway. With all that help the terrorists emerged from being a ragtag gang of street fighters into a sophisticated militia by 2005. It also had a well-trained group of suicide bombers who killed thousands of civilians each year. That included one ruling President of Sri Lanka, a Prime Minister of India as well as an innumerable number of politicians, armed force personnel and human rights activists. It was so powerful several western governments advised Sri Lankan leadership not to even attempt to defeat the terrorist group and to negotiate a deal.
The government continually on back foot, held six rounds of peace talks to settle the dispute. The LTTE used the lull during such peace times to rest, recruit and rearm in preparation for the final war to carve out the separate state. By 2005 it was ready to launch Eelam War IV expected to result in forming the independent Tamil Homeland.
It was timed for the election of a new President, Mahinda Rajapaksa. LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran saw Rajapaksa, who did not come with a high profile, as the ideal opponent during the war. So in August 2006 LTTE very confidently launched the final war by cutting off water supply from the Mavil Aru tank to 30,000 farmers down stream. But Prabhakaran had not realised that Rajapaksa was a master tactician. When western governments pressured him by not meeting contractual obligations to supply arms Rajapaksa found alternative suppliers. When the west cut all foreign aid he leaned on a host of newly emerging leaders such as China who provided resources without attaching conditions. Eventually Rajapaksa defeated the LTTE by decimating the leadership. This was the first time in at least half a century that a country had completely eliminated a terrorist group.
Sri Lanka’s experience offers valuable lessons for the dozens of countries that are still embroiled in terrorist wars. Fighting a modern war involves confronting the enemy not only on the ground but also on several other fronts such as the press. Modern social network media has made it impossible to limit a war the battlefront.
This book is the first of its kind to document the growth of the terrorist group, how it rose from a street gang to a fully-fledged modern militia including the use of a new weapon – suicide bombers with great effect to subdue elected governments. The book also examines the severe odds faced by President Rajapaksa and his powerful strategy to beat terrorism. It is valuable material for governments, analysts, researchers and tacticians planning action on terrorists. It is also written for the general reader.
