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| Afghanistan/South Asia |
| LTTE honors its suicide bombers |
| 2005-07-05 |
| Offering jasmine flowers and coconuts to Hindu gods, supporters of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels paid homage to their fallen suicide bombers on Tuesday to mark the 18th anniversary of their first attack. In the village of Sithanddhi in the eastern district of Batticaloa -- where the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) control pockets of jungle -- rebel cadres paraded images of 264 "Black Tigers" who have blown themselves up during the island's two-decade civil war. Rebel anthems blared from loudspeakers in this government-controlled area as residents hung garlands around photographs of the bombers, some pictured in trademark black shirt, trousers and cap and others in green and black-striped fatigues. "These suicide bombers gave their lives to protect us," said Tamil housewife Maheshwaree Kanagan. "During the war we were always scared. Now we are happy. Our children protect us," the 49-year-old added. She refused to say whether her own children were among the Tigers, whose fight for a separate state for minority ethnic Tamils has put them alongside Osama bin Laden's al Qaeda network on a U.S. list of banned terrorist groups. The Tigers have staged mock battles in their strongholds in the north and east in past years as a tribute to the Black Tigers, who are regarded as pioneers in suicide bombing and whose attacks on the capital Colombo have been devastating. "On July 5th, 1987, our first Black Tiger gave his life," said Ilanthiraiyan, who is now head of the Tigers' political wing in Batticaloa after his predecessor was shot dead this year. "On that very day a new tradition in our warfare began," he added. "People worship the Black Tigers. They crack coconuts and place flowers and rice. It is a Tamil tradition." But there was no sign of any serving Black Tigers, who rebel sources say traditionally have a last supper with reclusive leader Velupillai Prabhakaran on the eve of their attacks and who paraded in the north with belts of explosives and black hoods two years ago. Soldiers and police looked on as cadres on motorcycles rode ahead of trucks decked out with photographs. Tiger cadres can move freely in government controlled areas for funerals, politics and home leave, under the ceasefire agreement. "I don't think these activities fall into any of those categories," said Military spokesman Brig. Daya Ratnayake. "They must be doing it in the context of doing politics." "But we have always been tolerating these things," he added. "We are used to it. Our soldiers won't get excited about it." In the town of Nelliady on the Jaffna peninsular in Sri Lanka's far north, the scene was similar as Tigers prepared for a political rally with poetry reading and songs. Nelliady was the site of the Black Tigers' first suicide bombing, when a rebel named Capt. Miller rammed a truck packed with explosives into an army camp, killing around 50 soldiers. The area is now under government control. This year's commemoration comes less than two weeks after the Tigers and the government agreed to a landmark pact to share $3.0 billion in tsunami aid -- a deal the rebels have said could help jumpstart peace talks that stalled in 2003. But any lasting peace deal is still likely some way off. The Tigers last week threatened to breach the ceasefire and carry arms while traveling in government-controlled areas because of attacks against their cadres, which the government blames on feuding between mainstream rebels and a renegade faction. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |