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| Sri Lanka |
| The Tsunami and the Tamil Tigers |
| 2005-01-10 |
| Edited for Length Sri Lanka has suffered the most human fatalities (30,000 plus) and infrastructure and other property damage after Indonesia in the catastrophic Tsunami disaster of December, 26, 2004[...] Independent reports from the Northern and Eastern Provinces indicate that the military infrastructure of the Government as well as the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) has also been seriously damaged by the Tsunami, with the LTTE, which had a stronger and a wider presence than the Government, suffering a much greater damage. It stands to reason that the LTTE's military infrastructure in the North as well as the East must have suffered considerably since the most devastating impact of the Tsunami in Sri Lanka was reportedly in the Tamil areas. However, it has been difficult to quantify the losses suffered by the LTTE and to assess its impact on the LTTE's capability for resuming the insurgency and keeping it sustained. In the absence of reliable information, it is also difficult to estimate what effect the devastation has had on the LTTE's following amongst the people, particularly in the Eastern Province where its hold had been showing signs of weakening since March, 2004. While the LTTE has been more efficient than the Government in documenting the losses suffered by the Tamil civilians and in sharing the information with the international community, it has been playing down the losses suffered by its military infrastructure and giving figures which do not seem to be correct. On the other hand, the Sinhalese media, suspectedly fed disinformation by the military intelligence, has been reporting what appears to be highly exaggerated figures of the losses allegedly suffered by the LTTE. A website of the LTTE has quoted Soosai as stating as follows on the losses suffered by the LTTE: "In Mullaitivu three of our fighters perished. Major Dharmendra, a fighter who was assigned to provide support to him (Soosai) and a civilian fighter we call "Petrol Iyah," died in the calamity. In Vattuvagal and Chaalai we didn't suffer any losses to personnel. In Vadamaradchy east we lost three fighters manning the forward defence lines. An LTTE woman cadre who had come to Vadamaradchy East on leave died in the flooding. Loss of lives of our cadres was limited to those I have mentioned. We suffered some additional property damage. In Trincomalee and in Batticaloa two observation posts were washed away. The losses are not that significant." However, non-Tamil and non-LTTE sources have been giving differing estimates of the LTTE cadres killed, varying between 1,200 and 5,000. According to them, large quantities of arms, ammunition and explosives stockpiled by the Tigers have been destroyed. Tiger camps at Nagar Kovil in Jaffna, Mahalnadu, Welvetithurai, Thandamanarau, Malati, Mathagal, Mankarni and Sea Tiger camps at Mullaitivu, Nayaru, Chmmaale, Championpaththu and Chalai have been completely destroyed. Four Tiger radar centers positioned along the Mullaitivu coastal belt have been damaged beyond repair. About 200 boats belonging to the Sea Tigers as well as 1,500 boats belonging to fishermen, who are sympathetic to the LTTE, have also been badly damaged. Mystery surrounds the fate of Prabakaran, the leader of the LTTE. While a statement on the disaster attributed to him was disseminated by the LTTE on December 29, 2004, he has neither been seen nor heard since December 26, 2004. Whatever be the ultimate truth, one thing appears very likely, if not certain. Its military-cum-terrorist machine has been badly damaged by the Tsunami. Similarly, its tax-collection machinery and its usual sources of funds have been damaged. Some of the statements of the LTTE leaders show that they are on the defensive. Even while criticising the Government, they are avoiding unnecessary rhetoric. The Tsunami has been a traumatic shock for the LTTE and its surviving leadership, but there is no evidence so far to indicate demoralisation in the ranks of its survivors or a weakening of their motivation. |
| Posted by:Paul Moloney |
| #2 I've been scanning the Internet for satellite imagery of the tsunami-damaged areas for the last ten days or so. There is NO imagery available anywhere of the east coast of Sri Lanka. There's imagery of Galle, on the southwest coast, and of Kautara, about 60mi south of Columbo, but NOTHING of the east coast. There are a bunch of "before" shots and some "projections" of damage, but no imagery. Makes you wonder why, doesn't it? |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2005-01-10 7:43:25 PM |
| #1 The infidels will have to learn to create "smart" tsunamis like "smart" bombs--I'm sure some think the tsunami was a Western plot anyway. |
| Posted by: John Q. Citizen 2005-01-10 9:21:32 AM |