Media bytes – LTTE activity in Tamil Nadu

By Col R Hariharan

Here are the answers given to questions from the media on May 8, 2009.

(May 09, Chennai, Sri Lanka Guardian) The STRATFOR, the US strategic security organisation, has assessed that the support in Tamil Nadu for the LTTE means they can exploit the international border to their advantage. Logistic-wise and infrastructure-wise India is best place for them. It said, I quote “The Tigers use India in much the same way that the Taliban and al Qaeda use Pakistan. The Tigers' logistical and training infrastructure in India is especially important during times (like the present) when the Sri Lankan government is hammering them.” It says the LTTE is more dangerous than al Qaeda. What are your comments?

For a long time India knows that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is a very dangerous terrorist group. It is for this reason that it has been repeatedly banned for over a decade and a half whenever the issue came up for review. So it is nothing new. However, there are some disturbing indications; three things have taken place all over the world that indicates possible LTTE moves.

The Tamil Diaspora was originally agitating for ceasefire to save the civilians trapped in the no war zone. However, lately this agitation has been taken over by the LTTE. Now these protests are sporting LTTE flags [suitably modified to avoid confronting local laws], displaying Prabhakaran’s pictures and shouting slogans like ‘Prabhakaran is our leader’.This is an important indication. After their take over, the agitations have turned violent directed particularly against the embassies and high commission offices of Sri Lanka, India and China in UK and France. These are not stray incidents; LTTE organises these protests.

Secondly, there had been agitation against army [building up] in India. [On May 5, 2009, a large group of pro-LTTE Tamil political activists blocked a convoy of Indian army trucks near Coimbatore because they believed the trucks were carrying supplies destined for the Sri Lankan military]. A lot of disinformation is being spread about Indian army’s involvement in Sri Lanka. Fake CDs [to support such allegations] are being circulated. For some mysterious reason Government of India has not refuted these allegations. Nobody knows why it is so.

Thirdly, all political parties in India, including the ruling coalition, are soft pedalling the LTTE related issues [apparently not wanting to take on the issue during the election time]. So a lot of things are required to be done in India because the LTTE has large reserve overseas assets in many countries. All these assets will be activated now. Such assets exist in India also. So the danger is very much there. Government of India is well aware of this. Our intelligence agencies are perhaps the best equipped in the world to know what is happening in the LTTE. But the question is what action the Government of India has taken on such information? It remains a mystery because the government is very reluctant to share such information with the public.

But will the LTTE be able to use India as Taliban is using Pakistan?

I don’t know whether Taliban is using Pakistan because Taliban was in fact created by Pakistan. But one thing we all know. The LTTE is the most dangerous organisation – according to an FBI assessment in 2006 it is more dangerous than Hamas, the Palestine insurgent group and better than the Fatah and the PLO. The LTTE had demonstrated its land, sea and air capability. It has the technical capability manufacture its own ammunition, and know how to import arms and. The LTTE had its own merchant ships. It has extensive business assets; in fact according to a Canadian report the LTTE income was estimated at $ 300 million one year from its assets! A lot of inputs on their overseas activity is available But what collective action [to curb this activity] countries are taking is not clear. In any case, the type of collective action they are taking against the Al Qaeda and Taliban is not there [against the LTTE].

Do you think the LTTE will regroup now? Can it do so in India?

It will be very difficult for the LTTE to easily regroup. It has suffered a military defeat, a grievous blow? In any case, [just because it is defeated] why should it give up now? It still has its assets and capabilities. So it will definitely regroup and try to rise up. But it is not going to be an easy task because it has been mauled very badly.

But will they use India for regrouping?

It will not be easy for LTTE to regroup in India although it has the largest Tamil population than any other country. But India also has perhaps the largest active anti-LTTE Tamil population. [Moreover, it is a banned organisation in India. Support to LTTE to regroup is likely to be unacceptable not only to anti-LTTE Tamil population but also to other states and the major political parties.] So it will not be an easy task for them to do it here.

-Sri Lanka Guardian