LTTE's 'supremacy' in East challenged

War and Peace : The Defence Diary by Ranga Jayasuriya

Ethnic relations in the East have always been thorny. If the ethnic composition in almost equal numbers in the province is the cause for conflict, it has been further reinforced by the Tigers' campaign for supremacy in this ethnically mixed province.

Though, at its initial stage, the LTTE, has tried its best to portray its cause as one of the Tamil speaking people, in an effort to lure the Muslims into its fold, it was never a success.

Most part of the ethnic conflict, the Tigers used stick and carrot strategy in order to win the support of the Eastern Muslim, but most of the time in vain.

The rhetoric of the solidarity of Tamil speaking people and perceived discrimination against racial minorities by the Sinhala majority were the slogans in the campaign to win the support of the Muslims. But, threat and intimidation have also been part and parcel of the LTTE's strategy.

A string of killings of Muslims in the East as well as forced eviction of Muslims from their paddy lands were contentious issues in the Muslim-LTTE relations in the East. These were in addition to the massive eviction of nearly 100,000 Muslims from Jaffna and Mannar within a short notice in the early 1990s.

Understandably, ground realities sometimes forced the Muslims to seek peace with the LTTE, but with the ceasefire agreement, the Eastern Muslims began to assert a new degree of independence. In this context, the recent announcement by the LTTE for Mutur Tamils to either side with them or leave the area is not a cause for surprise.

Indeed, LTTE - Muslim relations saw a series of setbacks during the ceasefire. In the absence of a declared war, the local Muslims began to assert a new degree of independence with a reinforced sense of security. The new assertiveness of the Eastern Muslims, understandably collided with the strategy of the LTTE to take control of the East.

The local leaders of the LTTE and Muslim community leaders have regularly held meetings, but, as the LTTE later came to realise the Muslims were no longer prepared to play second fiddle in the East.

The Muslims on their part did not want to side with the LTTE either as implications of such a collusion would be more or less suicidal as evident in the war ruins of the North.

The recent announcement of the LTTE comes in the backdrop of a series of events which severed relations between the LTTE and the Muslims in the East.

Earlier, the LTTE political big man in Trincomalee, Elilan declined to meet the Muslim community leaders in Mutur. Elilan's justification was that Muslim leaders are concerned only about the interests of the Muslim community.

Elilan accused Muslims of not condemning arial attacks on LTTE controlled Sampur in the aftermath of the assassination attempt on the Army Commander, Gen Sarath Fonseka.

Elilan was further infuriated that the Muslims kept mum at the security forces announcement that four civilians were killed in an LTTE mortar attack on the Mutur jetty, indeed, it was a bomb dropped by a Kafir fighter jet that mistakenly hit the civilians in the jetty.

The Tigers' main concern, however, was loosing control in the East, which was worsened by the new assertiveness of the Muslims.

The LTTE has charged that Jihadi groups operate in Muslim areas of the East. Though no verifiable information was available, this has been a serious concern for the LTTE, which is hell bent on the supremacy in the East. Needless to say that for the LTTE, supremacy comes with the barrel of the gun.

The LTTE's grip in the East has also been threatened by recent clashes between the Muslims and the Tamils. It is a known secret that armed Tamil gangs which set themselves against the Muslims are armed by the LTTE.

Further compounding an already complicated issue, the LTTE, in the past several months levelled allegations that Muslims, at least certain sections of them, supported the rebels loyal to the renegade LTTE Eastern Commander Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna.

The culmination of these events was the LTTE decree demanding Muslims to vacate Mutur. But, visiting the East last week, I could see Muslims were not prepared to heed the Tiger dictates any longer. Despite the failure to build relations with the Tamils, the security forces, for their part have established a rapport with Muslims. Most Muslims claim that they remain in this volatile region, relying on the security forces. The Navy and Army have stepped up security in Mutur.

The LTTE complains of fishermen being harassed by the Navy and the restrictions of fishing in the sea. The story of Mutur fishermen is of intimidation by the LTTE. The sea Tigers could shoot, if the fishermen come closer to the shore of the LTTE held areas, fishermen complained.

As for the recent announcement to vacate Mutur, the Tiger political leadership has told the local Muslim community leaders that they had no hand in the warning and that a force called "Maravan" had issued the announcement. The local Muslims are aware that "Maravan" is only a front group of the LTTE carrying out their dictates.

The security in the East is also a cause for concern. The Navy took journalists on a sea tour in the inner and outer harbour of Trincomalee.

Travelling in two Navy water jets, journalists could see surprisingly a little sea Tiger activity. As the Naval craft closes the LTTE held part of Mutur, a sea Tiger bunker could be seen. There had been a bunker in the same place and the sea Tigers had set up a bigger bunker in its place.

However, one Naval officer said the bunker is empty and that it is more or less a dummy to mislead the Navy.

However, according to the Naval sources, the Tigers have brought to the vicinity two heavy guns, believed to be a 12.5 mm Multi Purpose Machine GUN (MPMG) which has an effective firing range of 1000 meters.

The arial bombardment on Sampur which came in the immediate aftermath of the suicide attempt on the life of Gen Fonseka has severely hampered sea Tiger activities. Recent attacks on several LTTE bunkers in Upparu and Mutur, believed to be carried out by the renegade rebels of Karuna have further restrained the sea Tigers.

It is of paramount importance to keep the sea Tigers away from the vicinity of the Trinco harbour, which is the lifeline of the security forces in the Jaffna peninsula.

There is still a sea Tiger presence in the foul point, but no sea Tiger activity could be seen. More about the Navy last week 68 commissioned officers passed out The commissioning parade of the 37th Intake Midshipmen, 40th Intake Midshipmen, 20th Intake KDA Midshipmen and Service Entry Officers were held at the Naval and Maritime Academy, Trincomalee.

These young men joined the naval forces, at a time when the performance of the Sri Lanka Navy remain to be exemplary, most recently being the valiant and dedication displayed in the seas off Point Pedro to save 710 security forces personnel aboard the Navy passenger ferry Pearl Cruiser.

The nation awaits the new officers to build on a tradition of sacrifices and commitment of their predecessors and seniors in this need of the hour.