LTTE catchy words running out of steam

WITH less than 500 Tigers remaining in their last shrinking Tiger territory in Puthukudiyrippu, 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’.

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 incite 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.

Tricks

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.

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 centres 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.

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 Puthukudiyirippu 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.

Cronies

With the departure of their cronies, International Non-Governmental Organisations (INGOs) and many TNA politicians, Tigers expected sympathy and indirect moral support of the UN and ICRC. Ramming suicide vehicles and sending suicide cadres, it was learnt that Tigers were 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)