The End Game for LTTE?

Cultural simulation and ethnic cleansing has always been the root cause of all major conflicts in the past. The two and half decade long tussle between the Lankan army and the LTTE is no different on this count. Thanks to the recent developments the battle has now culminated to a boiling point, leaving LTTE with a very small chunk of territory under its jurisdiction and the civilians who are caught in the crossfire to appalling difficulties. When Jaffna which has hitherto been considered to be an impregnable fortress of the beleaguered outfit is all set to fall; the muddled political situation in the emerald isle is raising some disturbing questions.

The situation in the island nation is a bewildering maze of aimless confusion for the present government and the international community. There is no doubt that LTTE will fight with bestial ferocity to protect their ever shrinking territory and last bastions, resulting in high human casualties from both sides. Even more worrying is the plight of the civilians who are used by the LTTE as human shields and by the army as cover for their forward movement.


The homicidal mania entertained by both LTTE and the Lankan army will have a devastating effect on the social fabric of the nation leaving little space for future reconciliation. It will be an egregious mistake if the concerned parties don’t pay any heed to the anguished entreaties for a ceasefire by the international community and go ahead with the disastrous termination of each other.

It is now clear that the LTTE has lost a considerable amount of ground and is badly cornered. They desperately need a breather and are trying to broker a peace deal through their Indian well wishers in Tamil Nadu. The regional parties in Tamil Nadu wasted no time in seizing the opportunity and are on the roads demanding action from the Indian government. Honestly these politicians are not at all concerned about the potential human catastrophe but are worried only about their vote banks. But the situation brings forth a plethora of nagging questions.

As a regional power and an aspiring global power, should India once again engage in the turbulent politics of the emerald isle? Is it possible to bring the warring camps to the negotiation table and strike a peace accord? Will the congress government succumb to coalitional pressure and urge the Lankans a ceasefire?

The fall and consequent retribution of LTTE is almost certain but it also creates a political vacuum. Will there be a force to champion the Tamil cause in Lanka either by violent or peaceful means? How effectively can the Lankan government carry out the reconstruction of the captured territory? Will the Tamils which constitute a sizeable chunk of the nation’s population ever be back to the main stream of Sri Lankan life? Will they ever be adequately represented in the government and treated equally in the society. Can the international community leave the ethnic minority into bleak loneliness and subsequent extinction? Well, only time will tell.