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TheSriLankanConflict
Author:JayshreeBajoria
Updated:May18,2009
Thispublicationisnowarchived.

Introduction
HistoricalContext
TakingControlfromtheLTTE
HumanitarianConcerns
FundingandSupportfortheLTTE
India'sRoleintheConflict
Washington'sRole
TheFutureoftheConflict

Introduction
TheconflictbetweentheSriLankangovernmentandtheLiberationTigersofTamilEelam
(LTTE)haslastednearlythreedecadesandisoneofthelongestrunningcivilwarsinAsia.More
commonlyknownastheTamilTigers,theLTTEwantsanindependentstatefortheisland'sTamil
minority.Followingafierce,yearlongmilitaryoffensive,theSriLankangovernmentclaimedinMay
2009thatithaddefeatedtheseparatistgroup(NYT)andkilleditsleaderVellupillai
Prabhakaran.Butthegroupmaycontinuetolaunchguerillatypeattacksonthecountry.Fora
lastingpeace,expertssaythegovernmentwillneedtofindapoliticalsolutiontotheethnicconflict
betweenthemajoritySinhaleseandtheminorityTamilsthathasplaguedthecountrysinceits
independence.TheEuropeanUnionandCanadahavejoinedtheUnitedStates,India,andAustralia
inlabelingtheLTTEaterroristorganization,whichhasmadeitmoredifficultforthegrouptoget
financingfromabroad.Thecivilwarhaskillednearlyseventythousand,andwatchdoggroupshave
accusedboththeLTTEandtheSriLankanmilitaryofhumanrightsviolations,includingabduction,
extortion,andtheuseofchildsoldiers.

HistoricalContext

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HistoricalContext
SriLankahasbeenmiredinethnicconflictsincethecountry,formerlyknownasCeylon,became
independentfromBritishrulein1948.A2001governmentcensus(PDF)saysSriLanka'smain
ethnicpopulationsaretheSinhalese(82percent),Tamil(9.4percent),andSriLankaMoor(7.9
percent).Intheyearsfollowingindependence,theSinhalese,whoresentedBritishfavoritismtoward
Tamilsduringthecolonialperiod,disenfranchisedTamilmigrantplantationworkersfromIndiaand
madeSinhalatheofficiallanguage.In1972,theSinhalesechangedthecountry'snamefromCeylon
andmadeBuddhismthenation'sprimaryreligion.Asethnictensiongrew,in1976,theLTTEwas
formedundertheleadershipofVelupillaiPrabhakaran,anditbegantocampaignforaTamil
homelandinnorthernandeasternSriLanka,wheremostoftheisland'sTamilsreside.In1983,the
LTTEambushedanarmyconvoy,killingthirteensoldiersandtriggeringriotsinwhich2,500Tamils
died.
India,whichhasitsownTamilpopulationinthesouth,deployedapeacekeepingforcein1987that
leftthreeyearslateramidstescalatingviolence.Duringtheensuingconflict,theLTTEemergedasa
fearsometerroristorganization,famedforsuicidebombings,recruitmentofchildsoldiers,andthe
abilitytochallengeSriLankanforcesfromtheJaffnaPeninsulainthenorthdownthroughthe
easternsideoftheisland.TheU.S.StateDepartmentplacedtheLTTEonitsterrorlistin1997.In
2002,NorwaybrokeredaceasefireagreementbetweentheLTTEandtheSriLankangovernment.
Peacetalksbrokedownthefollowingyear,butexpertspositthefragiletruceheldinlargepart
becauseofdevastationrelatedtothe2004tsunami,whichcausedthirtythousanddeathsonthe
island.
InAugust2005,theassassinationofSriLanka'sforeignminister,LakshmanKadirgamar,reignited
theconflict.Forthenexttwoyears,boththegovernmentandrebelsrepeatedlyviolatedtheceasefire
agreement.InJanuary2008,acabinetspokesmansaiditwas"uselesstalkingtothem[the
LTTE]now"(AP),andtheSriLankangovernmentformallywithdrewfromthetruce,prompting
Nordicmonitorstopulloutofthecountry.Sincetheendoftheceasefire,theSriLankanmilitaryhas
beentryingtorootouttheLTTE,andinMay2009,thegovernmentclaimedthatithaddefeatedthe
rebelsandliberatedthecountry.

TakingControlfromtheLTTE

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InNovember2005nationalelections,candidateRanilWickremasingheofthegoverningUnited
NationalParty(UNP)lostnarrowlytoantiLTTEhardlinerMahindaRajapaksa.Rajapaksaalliedhis
SriLankaFreedomParty(SLFP)withtwostaunchlyantiLTTEpoliticalparties:theradicalMarxist
JanathaVimukthiPeramuna(JVP,People'sLiberationFront)andthenationalistJathikaHela
Urumaya(JHU,NationalHeritageParty)controlledbyBuddhistmonks.Muslimparliamentarians
havealsosidedwiththisallianceagainstthemilitants.
In2006,thegovernmentlaunchedamilitarycampaigntorootouttheLTTE,andbyJuly2007,it
hadseizedcontrolofthecountry'seast.Thegoverningcoalitionforgedapartnershipwiththepro
governmentsplinteroftheLTTE,TamilMakkalViduthalaiPulikal(TMVP),andinstalledtheleader
ofthatpartyaschiefministerofthenewlycreatedEasternProvincialCouncilafterMay2008
elections.Expertssaythisapproachwouldlikelybeusedinthenorthifthegovernmentsucceedsin
defeatingtheLTTE.However,rightsgroupsallegetheTMVPcommitshumanrightsabuseswith
impunitybecauseofsupportfromthecentralgovernment.TheSriLankangovernmentdeniesthese
allegations(BBC),sayingtheyareintendedtodiscredititanditsallies.

HumanitarianConcerns
WatchdoggroupshaveaccusedboththeSriLankanmilitaryandtheLTTEofengaginginwidespread
humanrightsabuses,includingabduction,conscription,andtheuseofchildsoldiers.InAugust
2007,HumanRightsWatchreleasedareportthatcataloguesallegedabusesonbothsidesofthe
conflict.AmnestyInternationalmadesimilaraccusationsinits2008reportonthestateofthe
world'shumanrights.
Increasedfightinginthecountry'snorthinearly2009leftmorethan250,000displacedboththe
LTTEandthegovernmentwereaccusedofplacingciviliansatrisk.Thelastfewmonthsoffighting
betweenthegovernmentandthemilitantsresultedinhugeciviliancasualtiesandcensurefromthe
internationalcommunity.EuropeanUnionforeignministerscalledforanindependentinquiryinto
allegedwarcrimes(BBC)bybothTamilTigerrebelsandSriLanka'sgovernment.Watchdog
groupsalsoaccusedbothsidesofviolatinginternationallawsofwar.InApril2009,HumanRights
Watchreportedwhilerebelswerepreventingciviliansfromleavingthelasttinystripoflandwhere
theywerefightingthegovernmentforces,thegovernmentforcesrepeatedlyandindiscriminately
shelledthearea.UNsatelliteimagessuggestedthegovernmentshelled"nofirezone"
(Guardian)wheremorethan50,000peopleweretrapped.
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Bothsideshavealsoincreasinglytargetedthemedia.Thegovernmenthascrackeddownonall
independentTamilnewssourcesanddeniesaccesstoconflictzonesforjournalists,accordingtoa
2008reportfrommediawatchdogReporterswithoutBorders.Threejournalistshavebeenkilled
since2008.TheLTTEtoleratesnodissentintheareasitcontrols,whileintherestofthecountry
reportersandeditorscriticalofthegovernment'swaragainsttheTigersarelabeled"traitors"and
"terrorists,"notesaJanuary2009reportbytheInternationalPressInstitute."Ahostileenvironment
ofintolerancebythetoppoliticalleadershiphascreatedacultureofimpunityandindifference"for
theattacksonthemedia,itsays.

FundingandSupportfortheLTTE
ApproximatelyonequarteroftheglobalTamilpopulationlivesoutsideofSriLanka.Mostofthe
diasporaresidesinCanada,theUnitedKingdom,andIndia.WhilesomeoftheTamilswholive
overseassupportLTTEefforts,theLTTEoftenusesintimidationtosecuremostofitsfundsfrom
abroad.LTTEtacticsincludetellingexpatriatestocontributefundstoprotectthesafetyoffamily
membersbackinSriLanka,aswellaskidnappingaffluentTamilsinSriLankaforransomssecured
overseas.MembersoftheTamilcommunityabroadsaythecultureoffearthatsurroundssuchtactics
isenoughtocoercethemtofundtheLTTE.TheU.S.StateDepartmentsaystheLTTEhasalsoused
charitablegroups,liketheTamilsRehabilitationOrganization,asafrontforfundraising.Theseforms
offundinghavemadetheLTTEoneofthewealthiestmilitantorganizationsintheworld.Ina
January2008report(PDF),theCongressionalResearchServicesaidtheLTTEcontinuestoraise
anestimated$200millionto$300millionperyeardespiterecentdeclinesinoverseasfinancing.

India'sRoleintheConflict
Duringthe1970s,India'sexternalintelligenceagency,theResearchandAnalysisWing(RAW)
helpedtotrainandarmtheLTTE,butafterthegroup'sterroristactivitiesgrewinthe1980s
includingitsallianceswithseparatistgroupsinthesouthernIndianstateofTamilNaduRAW
withdrewthissupport.In1987,IndiamadeapactwiththeSriLankangovernmenttosend
peacekeepingtroopstotheisland.TheIndianforceswereunabletoendtheconflictandinstead
beganfightingwiththeLTTE.IndiawasforcedtowithdrawbySriLankanPresidentRanasinghe
Premadasain1990.RajivGandhi,primeministerofIndiaatthetimeofthepeacekeepingforce
deployment,waskilledbyanLTTEsuicidebomberin1991.Premadasametasimilarfatein1993.

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IndiahasbeenwaryofgettinginvolvedinSriLankasincethen,buttradebetweenthetwocountries
hasbeenontherise.Bilateraltradeincreasedfrom$658millionin2000to$3.2billionin2008,and
Indiaremainsoneofthecountry'sleadingforeigninvestors.SriLankaisalsointalkstoforma
partnership(Bloomberg)withIndia'sNationalStockExchange,whichmayincludeofferingIndia
astakeinSriLanka'sbourse.TheAsianDevelopmentBankin2008saidtheriseinviolencehadnot
yethadanimpactongrowth(PDF),whichhasbeendrivenbystrongdomesticdemandanda
robustprivatesector.Butitsaystheescalatingconflictcouldhampereconomicgrowth.TheUnited
NationsDevelopmentProgram's2008statisticsshowSriLankaranks104outof179countrieson
theHumanDevelopmentIndex,whichmeasureseducation,standardofliving,andlifeexpectancy.
IndiaremainsconcernedabouttheconditionsoftheTamilminorityinSriLanka,asitstirsprotests
andtensionsamongitsownTamilpopulationinthesouth.InFebruary2009,India'sforeignminister
expressedconcernoverthesafetyofciviliansinSriLankaandsaidtheonlywayforwardwouldbethe
devolutionofpowerfromthecentertotheprovinces.Underthe1987accordwithIndia,whichwas
followedbythethirteenthamendmenttotheSriLankanconstitution,Colomboagreedtodevolve
someauthoritytotheprovincesandmakeTamilanofficiallanguageofthestate.Butnogovernment
hasfullyimplementedtheprovisions,sayexperts.

Washington'sRole
WashingtonhasnotbeenamajorplayerintheSriLankancivilconflict.Accordingtothe
CongressionalResearchService,theUnitedStateshasprovidedmorethan$3.6billiontoSriLanka
sinceitsindependencein1948,mostofitintheformoffoodaid.Militaryaidwassuspendedin
December2007becauseofSriLanka'shumanrightsviolations,whicharecataloguedintheU.S.State
Department'sannualreportonhumanrightspractices.Since2008,theUnitedStateshasalso
beenworkingwiththeSriLankangovernmentthroughtheU.S.AgencyforInternational
Developmentonprogramsfocusedondemocracy,governance,humanitarianassistance,and
economicgrowth.Italsoawardedafiveyear,$12millioncontracttosupportregional
governmentinSriLanka'seasternandnorthcentralprovinces.
Itisessentialthatthegovernmentmovestogive"afairdealtotheTamilsandintegratethemmore
effectivelyinthefabricofthenation."RobertRotberg,HarvardUniversity
TheLTTEcampaignsregularlytobetakenofftheU.S.StateDepartment'sterroristlist.InAugust
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2006,federalauthoritiesarrestedandchargedeightsuspectsinNewYorkwithattemptingtobribe
U.S.officialstoremovetheLTTEfromthelist.Thesuspects,saidtohaveclosetieswithLTTEleaders
likePrabhakaran,arealsochargedwithtryingtopurchasesurfacetoairmissiles,missilelaunchers,
AK47s,andotherweaponsfortheLTTE.

TheFutureoftheConflict
Byearly2009,manyexpertssaidtheLTTE'sconventionalmilitarycapabilitieshadbeenlargely
crushed.Itis"effectivelyfinishedexceptasaguerillaoutfit"saysRobertRotbergofHarvard's
ProgramonIntrastateConflictandConflictResolution.However,hecautionstheoutfitcouldcarry
onaguerillawarforyears,dependingonthesurvivalofitsleader,Prabhakaran.Unlikethe1990s,
whenthegovernment'sclaimsthatithaddefeatedtherebelforcewerequicklyprovedwrong,the
army,amuchstrongerandlesscorruptforce,hasmanagedtodealahardblowtotheTigers.
Moreover,Rotbergadds,theLTTEhasrunoutofmoneybecauseofthesuccessfulblockingof
paymentsfromtheTamildiaspora.
Butthelargerproblemofintegratingtheisland'sminorityTamilpopulationwillremainevenifthe
LTTEisdefeated,sayexperts.Itisessentialthatthegovernmentmovestogive"afairdealtothe
Tamilsandintegratethemmoreeffectivelyinthefabricofthenation"saysRotberg.Ahilan
Kadirgamar,spokespersonfortheSriLankaDemocracyForum,anindependentgroupofactivists
workingtopromotedemocracy,saysthegovernmenthasn'tshownenoughinterestinmovingonto
thepoliticalprocess.Muchofthecountry'spoliticsinthelastthreedecadeshasrevolvedaroundthe
LTTE,withsuccessivegovernmentsattemptingtowipeoutornegotiatewiththeTigers,says
Kadirgamar.Butthegroup'sdemisewillopenuppossibilitiesforthediscussionofawholerangeof
otherissues,hewrites(Himal),"includingissuesofeconomicjustice,gender,caste,laborrights
anddemocratization."RobertTempler,AsiaprogramdirectorfortheInternationalCrisisGroup
arguesinForeignPolicythatthedreamofanindependentTamilhomelandinSriLanka
resonatespowerfullyacrosstheTamildiasporaandwillcertainlyliveonevenafterthedefeatofthe
LTTEasaconventionalmilitaryforceunlessthegovernmentworkstowardamorelastingsolution.
"ThedeathsoftensofthousandsofinnocentTamilcivilianswhiletheirfamilymemberswatchfrom
afarisarecipeforanother,possiblymoreexplosive,generationofterrorism."
CarinZissisandPreetiBhattacharjicontributedtothisBackgrounder.

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