Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups
Encyclopedia
Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups rose to prominence in the 1970s to fight the state of Sri Lanka
in order to create an independent Tamil Eelam
in the north of Sri Lanka. They rose in response to the perception amongst minority Sri Lankan Tamils that the state was preferring the majority Sinhalese
for educational opportunities and government jobs. By the end of 1987, the militants had fought not only the Sri Lankan security forces but also the Indian Peace Keeping Force
. They also fought among each other briefly, with the main Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE) rebel group dominating the others. The militants represented intergenerational tensions, as well as the caste
and ideological differences. Except for the LTTE, many of the remaining organizations have morphed into minor political parties within the Tamil National Alliance
, or as standalone political parties. Some also function as paramilitary groups within the Sri Lankan military.
) formed many militant organizations.
The most important contributor to the strength of the militant groups was the Black July
pogrom which was perceived have been an organized event in which over 3000 Sri Lankan Tamil civilians are slaughtered by Sinhalese mobs, prompting many youth to prefer the armed path of resistance.
The movement also reflected caste differences and rivalries. The membership of the largest and most important rebel group, for example, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE), was generally drawn from the Karaiyar
or fisherman caste, while individuals belonging to the elite Vellala
caste were found in considerable numbers in a rival group, the People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE).
and were allegedly involved in acts that were characterized as terrorism
against civilians. They also fought among each other briefly, with main Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE) rebel group dominating the others.
Most started as student organizations. The notable one were Tamil Students League (TSL) or Tamil Manavar Peravai founded in 1970 by Ponnuthurai Satyaseelan. Another one was Tamil Youth League or Tamil Ilaignar Peravai founded in 1973 that was progenitor of many militant groups. Finally General Union of Eelam Students (GUES) founded in London, UK whose members founded Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students
which in turn split into Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
that gave birth to current political party and sometime paramilitary organization Eelam People's Democratic Party
.
Major groups
Prior to 1987 the major groups included the India
n trained and equipped Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization
, eventually militarily beaten by the LTTE, but politically part of pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance
party, as well as a former rival and splinter group from LTTE, the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam, currently a minor standalone political party with many of its cadres working as paramilitaries, although the PLOTE leadership denies this. Amongst the many leftists groups the major one was the pro-India
n and Marxist Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front, militarily defeated by the LTTE but a faction of which is part of the TNA and others working with the Sri Lankan government as paramilitaries.. The Eelam People's Democratic Party is a pro-government group and a political party accused of being a paramilitary. A faction of the Eelam Revolutionary Organisers (EROS) is part of LTTE. Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTe) is the only remaining armed Tamil nationalist
group.
Other groups
There were over 30 other minor groups of which some are notable such as National Liberation Front of Tamil Eelam (NLFTE), which according to Taraki Sivaram
, was a small but influential Maoist group based largely in Jaffna
, which People's Liberation Army (PLA) in reality the military wing of wing of EPRLF, Led by EPDP founder and leader Douglas Devananda
. Important achievement of the PLA was the 1984 kidnapping of American couple Stanley and Mary Allen from Columbus, Ohio
, in Jaffna.Another minor but notable group was Tamil Eelam Army
(TEA) of Panagoda Maheswaran
involved in the attack against a Air Lanka flight in Madras, India. Tamil Eelam Liberation Army (TELA) founded in 1982 by Oberoi Thevan; a splinter group of TELO. After the assassination
of Thevan in 1983 by the LTTE, TELA was absorbed by PLOTE.
Militant fronts
There are also number of militia groups such as Upsurging People's Force
, Ellalan Padai, and Ravanan Padai considered by some to be groups allied to the LTTE.
was elected chief minister of the east in the eastern province elections held in 2008 by the government after the liberation of the east from the LTTE.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
in order to create an independent Tamil Eelam
Tamil Eelam
Tamil Eelam , is the name given by certain Tamils in Sri Lanka and the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora to the independent state which they aspire to create in the north and east of Sri Lanka. Tamil Eelam has no official status or recognition by any other state or authority...
in the north of Sri Lanka. They rose in response to the perception amongst minority Sri Lankan Tamils that the state was preferring the majority Sinhalese
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
for educational opportunities and government jobs. By the end of 1987, the militants had fought not only the Sri Lankan security forces but also the Indian Peace Keeping Force
Indian Peace Keeping Force
Indian Peace Keeping Force was the Indian military contingent performing a peacekeeping operation in Sri Lanka between 1987 and 1990...
. They also fought among each other briefly, with the main Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
(LTTE) rebel group dominating the others. The militants represented intergenerational tensions, as well as the caste
Caste system in Sri Lanka
The Caste system in Sri Lanka is a division of society into strata, differing somewhat from the classic Varnas of North India but is similar in nature to the Jāti system found in South India...
and ideological differences. Except for the LTTE, many of the remaining organizations have morphed into minor political parties within the Tamil National Alliance
Tamil National Alliance
The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups...
, or as standalone political parties. Some also function as paramilitary groups within the Sri Lankan military.
Origins
Since 1948 when Sri Lanka became independent, successive governments have adopted policies that had the effect of net preference to the majority Sinhalese at the expense of the minority Sri Lankan Tamils. The governments adopted these policies in order to assist the Sinhalese community in such areas as education and public employment. But these policies severely curtailed the middle class Tamil youth, who found it more difficult during the 1970s and 1980s to enter a university or secure employment. These individuals belonging to this younger generation, often referred to by other Tamils as "the boys" (Potiyal in Tamil languageTamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
) formed many militant organizations.
Social conditions
The militant groups also represented not only a revolt against the Sinhalese-dominated status quo but also an expression of intergenerational tensions in a highly traditional society where obedience to parental authority was expected. Militant youth criticized their elders for indecisiveness at a time when they felt the existence of their ethnic community clearly was in danger.The most important contributor to the strength of the militant groups was the Black July
Black July
Black July is the commonly used name for the anti-Tamil pogrom and attacks carried out by mobs in Sri Lanka which began on July 23, 1983. The riots occurred following a deadly ambush by a Tamil militant organization known as Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam which killed 13 Sri Lanka Army soldiers...
pogrom which was perceived have been an organized event in which over 3000 Sri Lankan Tamil civilians are slaughtered by Sinhalese mobs, prompting many youth to prefer the armed path of resistance.
The movement also reflected caste differences and rivalries. The membership of the largest and most important rebel group, for example, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
(LTTE), was generally drawn from the Karaiyar
Karaiyar
Karaiyar, also known as Karayar, Karaiar or Kurukulam, is traditionally both a seafaring and warrior caste found in the Tamil Nadu state of India, coastal areas of Sri Lanka, and globally among the Tamil diaspora.-Origins:...
or fisherman caste, while individuals belonging to the elite Vellala
Vellalar (Sri Lankan Tamil)
Vellalar amongst Sri Lankan Tamils are a dominant group of formerly agricultural landlord related caste from Sri Lanka that is found amongst all walks of life and around the world as part of the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora.- Origins :...
caste were found in considerable numbers in a rival group, the People's Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE).
Role in the conflict
By the end of 1987, they had fought not only the Sri Lankan security forces but also the Indian Peace Keeping ForceIndian Peace Keeping Force
Indian Peace Keeping Force was the Indian military contingent performing a peacekeeping operation in Sri Lanka between 1987 and 1990...
and were allegedly involved in acts that were characterized as terrorism
Terrorism
Terrorism is the systematic use of terror, especially as a means of coercion. In the international community, however, terrorism has no universally agreed, legally binding, criminal law definition...
against civilians. They also fought among each other briefly, with main Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
(LTTE) rebel group dominating the others.
Groups
Student organizationsMost started as student organizations. The notable one were Tamil Students League (TSL) or Tamil Manavar Peravai founded in 1970 by Ponnuthurai Satyaseelan. Another one was Tamil Youth League or Tamil Ilaignar Peravai founded in 1973 that was progenitor of many militant groups. Finally General Union of Eelam Students (GUES) founded in London, UK whose members founded Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students
Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students
The Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students , also known as the Eelam Revolutionary Organisers, is a former Tamil militant group in Sri Lanka. Most of the EROS membership was absorbed into the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in 1990. The rump, which continues to use the EROS name, has...
which in turn split into Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front
The Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front is a Sri Lankan political party and a former militant separatist group.-Militant separatists:The EPRLF was formed in 1980 by K...
that gave birth to current political party and sometime paramilitary organization Eelam People's Democratic Party
Eelam People's Democratic Party
The Eelam People's Democratic Party is a political party and a pro-government paramilitary organization in Sri Lanka. It is led by its founder Douglas Devananda.-Background:...
.
Major groups
Prior to 1987 the major groups included the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n trained and equipped Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization
Telo
Telo is one of the 77 woredas in the Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoples' Region of Ethiopia. This woreda has its origins in the province Chetta of the former Kingdom of Kaffa. A triangle-shaped sub-unit of the Keficho Shekicho Zone, Telo is bordered on the west by Decha, at the northwest...
, eventually militarily beaten by the LTTE, but politically part of pro-LTTE Tamil National Alliance
Tamil National Alliance
The Tamil National Alliance is a powerful minority Sri Lankan Tamil political alliance in Sri Lanka. It was formed as an amalgamation of moderate Tamil parties as well as number of former rebel groups...
party, as well as a former rival and splinter group from LTTE, the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam, currently a minor standalone political party with many of its cadres working as paramilitaries, although the PLOTE leadership denies this. Amongst the many leftists groups the major one was the pro-India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n and Marxist Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front, militarily defeated by the LTTE but a faction of which is part of the TNA and others working with the Sri Lankan government as paramilitaries.. The Eelam People's Democratic Party is a pro-government group and a political party accused of being a paramilitary. A faction of the Eelam Revolutionary Organisers (EROS) is part of LTTE. Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTe) is the only remaining armed Tamil nationalist
Tamil nationalism
Tamil nationalism in India is an aspiration by some Tamils to establish, at minimum, self determination or at maximum secession from India to establish an Independent Tamil State of which would consist of today's Tamil nadu, Puducherry and Tamil Eelam of Sri Lanka...
group.
Other groups
There were over 30 other minor groups of which some are notable such as National Liberation Front of Tamil Eelam (NLFTE), which according to Taraki Sivaram
Taraki Sivaram
Taraki Sivaram or Dharmeratnam Sivaram was a popular Tamil journalist of Sri Lanka. He was kidnapped by four men in a white van on April 28, 2005, in front of the Bambalapitya police station. His body was found the next day in the district of Himbulala, near the Parliament of Sri Lanka...
, was a small but influential Maoist group based largely in Jaffna
Jaffna
Jaffna is the capital city of the Northern Province, Sri Lanka. It is the administrative headquarters of the Jaffna district located on a peninsula of the same name. Jaffna is approximately six miles away from Kandarodai which served as a famous emporium in the Jaffna peninsula from classical...
, which People's Liberation Army (PLA) in reality the military wing of wing of EPRLF, Led by EPDP founder and leader Douglas Devananda
Douglas Devananda
Kathiravelu Nithyananda Douglas Devananda, commonly known as Douglas Devananda, is a Sri Lankan Tamil politician, Cabinet Minister and leader of the Eelam People's Democratic Party. Originally a Sri Lanka Tamil militant who fought against the Sri Lankan government for an independent Tamil Eelam, he...
. Important achievement of the PLA was the 1984 kidnapping of American couple Stanley and Mary Allen from Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
, in Jaffna.Another minor but notable group was Tamil Eelam Army
Tamil Eelam Army
The Tamil Eelam Army is a defunct Tamil separatist group in Sri Lanka. It was founded by Panagoda Maheswaran. It was implicated in a bomb attack against a Sri Lankan airlines at Madras airport in India. It was disbanded after that incident.-See also:...
(TEA) of Panagoda Maheswaran
Panagoda Maheswaran
Panagoda Maheswaran is a Sri Lankan Tamil militant who founded and led the Tamil Eelam Army. He studied chemical engineering from the University of London and was an expert in explosives. His name Panagoda came as he was jailed in Panagoda Cantonment in the outskirts of Colombo, whence he made an...
involved in the attack against a Air Lanka flight in Madras, India. Tamil Eelam Liberation Army (TELA) founded in 1982 by Oberoi Thevan; a splinter group of TELO. After the assassination
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
of Thevan in 1983 by the LTTE, TELA was absorbed by PLOTE.
Militant fronts
There are also number of militia groups such as Upsurging People's Force
Upsurging People's Force
The Upsurging People's Force is a militant group in Sri Lanka. The group was unknown until February 2006, when it claimed responsibility for a series of attacks on Sri Lankan army and navy cadre in the north and east of Sri Lanka in December 2005 and January 2006...
, Ellalan Padai, and Ravanan Padai considered by some to be groups allied to the LTTE.
Paramilitary activism
Due to the internecine conflicts as well as due to internal conflicts within militant organizations many members of militant groups have cooperated with the Sri Lankan government and have worked as paramilitary members. They played an important role in military operations against the LTTE as well as in counter insurgency operations.Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal a splinter group from the LTTE works with the government. Its former leader Karuna Amman was incacerated in London, UK. The current leader Sivanesathurai ChandrakanthanSivanesathurai Chandrakanthan
Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan , is the current Chief Minister of the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. He is also the leader of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal , a political party in Sri Lanka...
was elected chief minister of the east in the eastern province elections held in 2008 by the government after the liberation of the east from the LTTE.