“There’s no pomp and ceremony by the LTTE for the youth who die in battle’’. This observation made by the University Teachers for Human Rights - Jaffna (UTHR-Jaffna) signals the emergence of yet another decisive ‘phase’ in the protracted Eelam war.
Today, the 42-year-old Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is battling to preserve his exalted position as the liberator of Tamils. Considering the present state of affairs, Prabhakaran’s do-or-die struggle to salvage the LTTE has paled the more famous Eelam war. For once, Prabhakaran’s detractors can claim that ‘Heroes’ week’ has lost its gloss. This year’s ‘Heroes’ week’ was a far cry from the traditional celebrations. Still a consolation for Prabhakaran is the Tamil youth aren’t running into the ranks of the security forces. They are running away from an ugly war which has inflicted brutal scars in their lives.
The side which will eventually take the upper-hand in this new phase of the Eelam war is the side which can win over the civilians.
As the ‘Heroes week’ came and went the govt. seems to be ahead on points. The security forces have penetrated deep into Tiger territory creating chaos in the structure of the LTTE. The fact that the civilians are distancing themselves from the LTTE is a victory for the govt. The end however, is far from near.
In the absence of the LTTE’s long-established recruitment centres, the military arm of the LTTE has weakened quite a lot. A good number of its ‘hardcore’ cadres has been killed, and a want of quality manpower has sent jitters through the LTTE hierarchy.
Almost as a desperate move, the LTTE has set up recruitment centres in every village still under its control - but the results are far from encouraging. Recruitment is no more the subtle art perfected by the LTTE when young men were wooed almost at will. Recruitment bosses have in fact, run out of patience. Psychological Coercion, harassment of teenage boys, threats, abuse and if nothing works, abductions have created a new fear - psychosis among parents and children. Caught perilously in this fear-trap are the teenagers who are forcibly taken into the LTTE military wing.
According to a report by the UTHR in Jaffna many of the Tiger cadres killed in the recent Kilinochchi battle were youth between the ages of 13 and 16. The youth who are dodging the LTTE trap are fleeing aimlessly. And sadly, away from the army as well.
The LTTE knows that as long as victimization of civilians continues and elements among soldiers go on creating fear among people, it would enjoy some civilian support - perhaps more than the army.
The security forces must realise that the majority of the civilians, do not willingly support the LTTE any more. A well-behaved army, supported by responsible air attacks and a genuine desire by the govt. to restore civil administration in Jaffna are means by which the govt. can score its biggest victory in the Eelam war.
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