LTTE catchy words running out of steam
WITH less than 500 Tigers remaining in their last shrinking Tiger
territory in PUTHUKUDIRIPPU, Tigers, still hopeful of a ‘miraculous
do-gooder’ to rescue them even at this belated hour, appear to be
running amok as the numbers deserting them are fast swelling, almost
every hour.
Tigers at the initial stage after demarcation of the ‘No Fire Zone’
tried hard to sell the so-called ‘genocide against Tamils’ among the
International Community (IC) and the Diaspora. It found illogical
expression through various overseas political figures, but failed to
bring desired results.
Pro-LTTE websites and ad hoc news tubs were hurriedly put into
action, and they went on pasting gruesome and heart-breaking photos of
dead Tiger siblings and youngsters, purported to be those of the
civilians and children in the ‘No Fire Zone’.
Troops in the outskirts of LTTE’s last strongholds in
Puthukudirippu |
Simultaneously, LTTE proxies, including those locals in Diyawannawa
undertook various trips down to many foreign capitals, urged LTTE
mouthpieces and mercenaries to rise up and collectively incited
respective foreign government authorities and the general public and
Tamil expatriates to resort to protest actions, including fast unto
death, self-immolations, etc.
Secondly, with the vicious motive of giving credence to the myth of
‘starvation’ among civilians, held under Tigers, they meticulously tried
to block food supplies to trapped civilians, disrupted the unloading of
the same by firing on vessels and enthusiastically began creating
whatever possible scenarios to stall the troops’ advance. All those
tricks did not augur well for terrorists.
The government on the other hand opened the A-9 and facilitated more
and more food convoys into the north. ICRC officials, well understood
took adequate stocks on chartered vessels and unloaded essentials,
needed for civilians, though a larger portion of the food undoubtedly
went to Tigers fighting a losing battle.
DELIBERATE
Thirdly, Tigers started screaming that government troops were
deliberately targeting ‘health institutes’, including ‘hospitals’. That
also did not hold water. Troops and the ICRC finally found that many
medical centers and major hospitals have been conveniently transformed
to run as LTTE administrative wings.
Terrorists claimed that there was a makeshift hospital too in
PUTHUKUDIRIPPU, but it was also disproved and found to be a hoax.
They pasted and circulated photos of injured terrorists on LTTE
mouthpieces and thereby tried to seek international sympathy for supply
of medicine stocks. That LTTE strategy also ended in smoke as the ICRC
and Health Ministry provided the needs.
Fourthly, concentrations of civilians in the LTTE-held territory and
“No Fire Zone” were projected as those who were overwhelmingly
supporting Tigers’ last battle and not prepared to desert them. That was
also short-lived. The ‘civilian factor’ within a span of several weeks
unexpectedly turned disastrous and challenging for retreating Tigers as
civilians began to escape, en masse into cleared areas at the risk of
their own precious lives.
INFLUX
To-date, the influx into cleared areas is about to exceed the 50,000
figure, with those who have been admitted to hospitals elsewhere outside
the Tiger territory. Their harrowing tales under terrorists do not mince
words and affirm to that horrible experience.
At present, pandemonium, tension and chaos prevail among trapped
civilians in the ‘No Fire Zone’, since LTTE’s tyranny still rules the
day in that limited area. So far, at least 3-4 dozens of those besieged
civilians have joined the majority and received brutal LTTE gunshot
injuries.
More significantly, this LTTE-cooked up political-diplomatic
dimension to the fate of the civilians, caught up in PUTHUKKUDIYIRUPPU
area also failed to fetch the desired outcome.
Then, came the most interesting old demand for a “cease-fire”
highlighting the plight of the suffering civilians.
The blown-up sympathy aroused Tamil sentiments elsewhere outside Sri
Lanka, but Western countries did not want to advocate it while paying
scant regard to the notion of a cease-fire, except for the observations
made by the EU.
On the contrary, LTTE eagerly anticipated a humanitarian crisis that
should turn from bad to worse, which would in turn find an oasis for
them to thrive on this psychological and political scenario for some
time.
Tigers getting killed were instead, shown across the world as
‘innocent civilians’ killed by the Army. In the middle of the “No Fire
Zone”, graveyards were dug and slain Tigers laid to rest, photos taken,
but LTTE propaganda claimed that they were civilians, butchered by Army
troops.
SYMPATHY
With the departure of their cronies, International Non-Governmental
Organizations (INGOs) and many TNA politicians, Tigers expected sympathy
and indirect moral support of the UN and ICRC, engaged in humanitarian
assistance with the concurrence of the government of Sri Lanka.
That also did not work out and it was not forthcoming any longer,
either. While trying to resist from among civilians in the ‘No Fire
Zone’ after conscripting everybody between 14-45 years as the troops
were entering build-up areas of PUTHUKUDIRIPPU, thus trying to place
both the Government and Security Forces in a dilemma both politically
and militarily. Ramming suicide vehicles and sending suicide cadres, it
was learnt that Tigers are hell bent on crippling the south, as
evidenced in Godapitiya mosque attack.
It appears that their steam for all dirty tricks is fast running out.
The catchy LTTE words and phrases, such as ‘Tamil genocide’,
‘starvation’, ‘civilian support’, ‘ceasefire’, ‘human suffering’, etc
have no validity either in the international lexicon or in the Tamil
Diaspora.
(SL Army Media Release)
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