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Tamil Tigers face tough choices in wake of tsunami
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16 February 2005
Tamil Tigers face tough choices in wake of tsunami
By Dr Chris Smith
The tsunami that hit Sri Lanka on 26 December 2004 occurred during a period of political gridlock in Colombo. Moreover, the peace process between the government and the LTTE appeared to be fraying at the edges.
Sri Lanka now faces a massive task of political, social and humanitarian reconstruction, during which it will need to avoid a return to civil war on the one hand and resist becoming entirely reliant on the largesse of the international community on the other.
The peace process
The peace process that followed the signing of the ceasefire agreement began reasonably well, despite mounting evidence of ad hoc ceasefire violations and perceived contempt for the spirit of the process. The LTTE began by renouncing its claim to Eelam, a separate homeland, which prompted misguided optimism in Colombo, especially, that a status quo ante would be the eventual outcome. Yet this was never likely to be the case. For the LTTE this was the beginning of a new chapter in the history of the conflict and the eventual goal was confederation and, therefore, Eelam by default.
Moreover, as the peace process progressed it became clear that the LTTE had no intention of dismantling the procurement network that it had built up over the previous two decades. The Sri Lankan security forces had succeeded in cutting road links to the north of the island, so the LTTE had been forced to import the majority of its war materiel from abroad - although successes in the field had also led to the capture of weapons from the Sri Lankan armed forces, including long-range artillery.
The tsunami
Initially, there was hope that the tsunami would compel the two sides to set aside their differences and work in tandem to bring relief to those affected, a sentiment echoed by President Kumaratunga in an address to the nation shortly after the tsunami struck.
This was followed by stories of Sinhalese aid convoys delivering supplies to LTTE-controlled areas and co-operation between the government and the LTTE to speed up the delivery of essential supplies through their respective checkpoints.
Unfortunately, that was the extent of the tsunami-engendered peace dividend. Underlying the President's message to the nation was a clear challenge to the LTTE. The nation had experienced a tragedy of immense proportions, which the government would seek to address with the assistance of the international community. Thus, if the LTTE required aid from the international community, it would be at the discretion of the government, which would itself run all relief operations.
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