LTTE losing support of Tamil expats – Strategy
colombo: The LTTE is losing the support of expatriate Sri Lankan
Tamils, the respected military website Strategy Page said yesterday.
It said: “Even in India, where the Tamils originally came from, more
and more LTTE operatives are being hunted down and arrested. In the last
two years, India has arrested 55 LTTE operatives.
In the last week, key members of a gunrunning operation were
arrested. In Europe, there are now public demonstrations against the
LTTE, something that would have been impossible a few years ago, because
LTTE enforcers were present to punish those Tamils who were
“unpatriotic.”
The casualties have been low this year (a few hundred dead and
wounded a week), but consistently in favor of the Army (about ten LTTE
dead for each Government one). Every week, the LTTE loses ground.
Three years ago, the LTTE controlled over fifteen percent of Sri
Lanka, now they have only about six percent (4,000 square kilometers).
The Tamil population in this area numbers about 200,000 (a little over
one percent of the national population).
The government continues to allow food and other supplies to pass
into LTTE controlled territory, as it always has, and the LTTE tries to
force civilians to move with them when the army advances into LTTE
territory.
The Sri Lankan government has become angry as it uncovers more
evidence that NGO (non-governmental organizations, like the Red Cross)
resources (vehicles, communications, food, fuel) are being used by the
LTTE for combat operations.
As more LTTE territory is retaken, more examples of this NGO aid
(usually involuntary) to the LTTE is being discovered. The NGOs handle
moving food and other aid into LTTE territory, and distributing it.
LTTE prisoners tell of increasingly desperate efforts to recruit
fighters and obtain weapons and ammunition. Shortages of everything are
hampering the ability of the LTTE to defend their territory and
population. |