The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE, Tamil, English), also known as the Tamil Tigers, is an anti-government armed group of Tamil people in Sri Lanka. "Suicide bombing" is the most commonly used violent means of LTTE. Many world dignitaries were killed in the attack. In addition, the "Tigers" also launched terrorist attacks on Sri Lanka's domestic buildings, commercial centers, military facilities and even Buddhist holy places, which were unanimously condemned by the international community. 199811October, LTTE tried to blow up the famous Buddha's tooth temple in Kandy, the ancient capital, so the Sri Lankan government declared LTTE an illegal organization. India, the United States, Britain, Canada and the European Union have successively identified it as a terrorist organization and listed it in the list of terrorist organizations.
Organizational establishment background
The establishment of the Tigers of Tamil Eelam is the result of the intensification of ethnic conflicts in Sri Lanka. Its ethnic contradictions began during the British colonial rule. In Sri Lanka, a multi-ethnic country, the Sinhalese people who believe in Buddhism account for about 74% of the national population. Most of them live in the coastal areas of the west and southwest with the most concentrated population and relatively developed economy, as well as in the central mountainous areas, and occupy a dominant position in politics. Tamils who believe in Hinduism account for about 65,438+08% of the national population, mainly concentrated in Jaffna Peninsula and the eastern coastal areas. A considerable part of them were workers recruited by British plantation owners from southern India in the middle of 65,438+09 century. Many of them have no Sri Lankan nationality so far, and their political and social status is relatively low. Historically, the two nations lived in harmony and resisted foreign aggression. Since the invasion of European colonialists in 16 th century, especially during the 50 years of British colonial rule before independence in 1948, the British colonialists pursued the strategy of divide and rule in Sri Lanka, which caused deep resentment between the two communities.
Organization establishment process
1948 After Sri Lanka's independence, the politically disadvantaged Tamils were dissatisfied with the Sinhalese-led government's policies in language, employment, education, religion, etc., and the conflicts between the two ethnic groups intensified day by day, resulting in many bloody conflicts. In the early 1970s, Tamils formally put forward the idea of establishing an independent "Ilam State". 65,438+0,976,65,438+08 Tamil political parties formed the United Liberation Front, demanding autonomy in the eastern and northern regions where Tamils live in concentrated communities. Some militants later split to form the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, with Jaffna Peninsula in northern Sri Lanka as its base camp and prabhakaran as its supreme leader.
Organizational system and main features
LTTE is strict with its members. They are not allowed to smoke and drink, and they are not allowed to get married privately. Usually, women can get married after 24 years old, and men can get married after 28 years old. LTTE has more than 5,000 members, about half of whom are women. They join the guerrillas without pay, and they rely entirely on their own beliefs. Hei Hu Death Squad is the main part of LTTE, which specializes in intelligence gathering and special operations. All the members of the LTTE, even the upper members of the LTTE, hung a container containing cyanide around their necks. They knew that they would be tortured if they were arrested, so they would rather die than expose the secrets of the organization. In order not to be captured alive, every LTTE member carries cyanide capsules for suicide, which is the main feature that distinguishes this organization from other organizations in the world.
Purpose of the organization
LTTE resorted to violent means to try to establish an independent Tamil state in the east and north of Sri Lanka. They opposed the Sri Lanka-India peace agreement and demanded that India withdraw its troops. Its main equipment includes main battle tanks, armored transport vehicles, long-range artillery, air defense missiles and patrol gunboats. Since its establishment, violence has almost become its only anti-government means. 1In July 1983, members of the LTTE killed 13 government soldiers in Jaffna Peninsula, and then the Sinhalese retaliated against the Tamils in Colombo, the capital, causing large-scale riots. The civil war between the government forces and the LTTE immediately triggered the 19 period, in which more than 60,000 people died and180,000 people were displaced, laying the foundation of the country.
The prospects for peace are bleak.
In September 2002, the government held peace talks with LTTE. With the active mediation of the international community, especially Norway, LTTE and the Sri Lankan government signed a permanent ceasefire agreement in Stockholm in February 2002, and the Sri Lankan government lifted the ban on LTTE on September 4 of that year, making it a legal organization. In September of the same year, from 16 to 18, the Sri Lankan government and LTTE held the historic first peace talks at Seautois Naval Base in Chonburi, southeast Thailand. In the past six years, although the two sides have held eight rounds of direct negotiations, there have been constant armed conflicts between them, and the ceasefire agreement is in name only. On June 2, 2008, the Sri Lankan government announced its withdrawal from the ceasefire agreement signed with LTTE, and then informed the Norwegian government of this decision. According to the regulations, the ceasefire agreement officially expired on June+10/0/6, 65438. At the same time, the agreement signed by the Sri Lankan government and the Norwegian government on the establishment of the "Sri Lanka Ceasefire Agreement Monitoring Committee" was also terminated on June 65438+1October 65438+June 6. 65438+ 10/0, LTTE issued a statement, indicating that it was ready to implement all the terms of the ceasefire agreement. The Sri Lankan government stated that it will continue to carry out military strikes against LTTE.