Tamil Tigers

[Anton]

So I was reading something about the nature of suicide terrorism and the book mentioned the Tamil Tigers that are supposedly Marxist ( the aim of mentioning them was really to debunk the myth that all suicide terrorists = Islamic).
However, the book was written by some Amerikan government dog and I'll be damned if I believe anything he says at face value.
So my question is, exactly how Marxist/socialist the Tigers are what do you think of their goals and tactics?

[Zero]

Suicide bombing isn't exactly very effective if you aren't blinded by a cult like religious persuasion, and the only Marxist theologists in any "real" sense were the Sandinista, and I doubt they endorsed suicide bombing.

[Anton]

what i am really wondering about is your views on these guys.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamil_tigers
"The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam"


Suicide bombers

The LTTE has frequently used suicide bombers as a tactic. They pioneered the use of concealed suicide bomb vests, which are now used by many other organisations worldwide. The tactic of deploying suicide bombers was used to assassinate Rajiv Gandhi, who was killed in 1991 using a prototype suicide vest, and Ranasinghe Premadasa, assassinated in 1993.[34][35]

they seem to have some good goals, like women's rights and countering racism against their people.
At the same time from what I have read they seem to be quite racist themselves. Also there are reports on them forcibly recruiting children. It's amazingly hard to find non-partisan information on them though.
I remember reading somewhere about how they used to be Marxist at their beginning and just disintegrated into ethnic violence. Anybody knows more?

[Vargha Poralli]

The wikipedia article about the LTTE is totally useless as it has been mostly vandalized both by Sinhalese and LTTE supporters repeatedly. As a Tamil living in India i am somewhat more knowledgeable in the srilankan affairs.

The official history of the Ethnic Trouble is generally portrayed by indian and international mass media starts with the violence and subsequent formation of LTTE in 1983.But in reality it has begun right from 1948 the day britgh colonialism has ended in that island.

The Tamil people who form majority in Tamilnadu state of India and The Northern and eastern regions of sri lanka were separated to two different nations. Even though a sepearte nation was demanded by the people in India it didn't materialize due to federal structure of Indian govt and some greater concessions made by the central Indian government and it was completely forgotten when more autonomy to the states were granted in India.

In srilanka though the structure of the govt was somewhat unitary . a siongle plurality wud help to form the govt . The politicians of srilanka exploited the situation of inducing racial/lingual/religious hatred against the minority tamils among the sinhalese majority to harvest their votes. It worked greatly for them and most of the rights were rejected to Tamils by the sinhalese politicians. The govt of srilanka's oppression of tamils is no less than Nazi Oprerssion of Jews and Slavs.

At first the Tamils fought for their rights in Non-Violent(Ahimsa) way for about 20 years but they were suppressed with brutal force by the sinhalese government. During the late 70's and early 80's many Tamils aboanded ahimsa and took up arms . Many groups were formed one among them was LTTE . the situation escalated in 1983 when a mass violence was carried out by Sinhalese racists which forced the Tamils to totally renounce either Non_Violence or their homes in Srilanka . Many went on to become refgees in India and the ethnic conflict has claimed some 60000 lives on both sides till day.

All most all the tamil groups iclaimed to be belive in Marxist-Leninist idealogy . all most all of them were eliminated either by RAW(Indian Intelegence agency) or srilankan army or by LTTE themselves. Any how since no one is there to represent the tamil community for now most of the Tamils both in INdia and Srilanka reluctantly support LTTE.


At the same time from what I have read they seem to be quite racist themselves. Also there are reports on them forcibly recruiting children. It's amazingly hard to find non-partisan information on them though.

They were not primarily racist. I dont know how to put it but their racism is mostly a reaction to sinhalese racism.

They don't recruit the children to their army . That is the most ugly lie made by Srilankan press and their Indian supporters. Mostly the children voluntarily go to join in their army most probably to revenge the srilankan soldiers after they have witnessed the horrible crimes made by the Srilankan army on their family which they should not have encouraged . The goons in srilankan army make it an excuse to bomb out Schools and other places.


I remember reading somewhere about how they used to be Marxist at their beginning and just disintegrated into ethnic violence. Anybody knows more?

as mentioned above they were Marxist-Leninist in line with soviet union. Since it has fell they has renounced Marxism-Leninsm.

[Anton]

thanks, that was really helpful

[Janus]

The Tamils definitely have some Marxist and Maoist influence yet they are not an explicit Marxist org.

[subcal]

Originally posted by [email protected] 14, 2006 03:55 am
Suicide bombing isn't exactly very effective if you aren't blinded by a cult like religious persuasion, and the only Marxist theologists in any "real" sense were the Sandinista, and I doubt they endorsed suicide bombing.
I remember reading a comic on suicide bombing once, it was something along the lines of an instructor saying to his troops "Suicide bombing is the most effective means, it guarentees atleast one dead per act"

hahaha

[OneBrickOneVoice]

Originally posted by [email protected] 14, 2006 03:55 am
Suicide bombing isn't exactly very effective if you aren't blinded by a cult like religious persuasion, and the only Marxist theologists in any "real" sense were the Sandinista, and I doubt they endorsed suicide bombing.
The Sandinistas weren't really religious marxists. At first they were stongly opposed by the church, then, the church took a more moderate stance and several ministers took up arms for the sandinista cause, but by the end of the Sandinista rule, they again opposed them.

Now the Sandinistas are back as Social Democrats, and have taken a very pro-church position on things like abortion.

[redxroses]

I can't really see an end to the fighting, lets face it, the LTTE will never be able to completely gain control of all the areas they want, they will never be accepted by the rest of the world.
The number of Tamils in Sri Lanka is slowly declining. I think when my dad was born it was about 25% now its something like 12 due mainly to so many leaving and effects of the war.
America is supplying the Sri Lankan government with bombs, and i don't exactly know the science of it but it goes sometihng like: the bombs have depleted uranium in them which has led to there being about one person in every 2 Tamil families (about 10 people) having cancer, which is way above average. A pattern that is emerging from all the places that America have bombed or supplied bombs to.
Anyway, just because the LTTE are branded terrorists, by America (and then obviously everywhere else) doesn't necessarily mean that they are. Most attacks are aimed at the SL army, not at civilians, and this is nothing more than war. It is an advantage for the US to have an alliance with Sri Lanka.

bleh. theres my jumbled up thoughts on it

[Q]

Terrorism and Marxism don't go very well together. Trotsky already wrote a nice piece about it in 1911 (http://www.marxists.de/theory/whatis/terror2.htm).

[Vargha Poralli]

Originally posted by Q-[email protected] 02, 2007 01:50 am
Terrorism and Marxism don't go very well together. Trotsky already wrote a nice piece about it in 1911 (http://www.marxists.de/theory/whatis/terror2.htm).
1) they are not Marxists

2) They took up arms only after all nonviolent methods have failed miserably.

What redxroses says is Unfortunately True. Since unlike Nazis every body supports Srilanka so this democide has gone unnoticed.

[Q]

Originally posted by g.ram+January 02, 2007 04:32 am--> (g.ram @ January 02, 2007 04:32 am)
Q-[email protected] 02, 2007 01:50 am
Terrorism and Marxism don't go very well together. Trotsky already wrote a nice piece about it in 1911 (http://www.marxists.de/theory/whatis/terror2.htm).
1) they are not Marxists

2) They took up arms only after all nonviolent methods have failed miserably.

What redxroses says is Unfortunately True. Since unlike Nazis every body supports Srilanka so this democide has gone unnoticed. [/b]
I was referring to the topicstarter, where bourgeoisie writers seem to define the Tamil fighters as Marxists.

[redxroses]

Originally posted by [email protected] 14, 2006 06:25 am



They don't recruit the children to their army . That is the most ugly lie made by Srilankan press and their Indian supporters. Mostly the children voluntarily go to join in their army most probably to revenge the srilankan soldiers after they have witnessed the horrible crimes made by the Srilankan army on their family which they should not have encouraged . The goons in srilankan army make it an excuse to bomb out Schools and other places.


True, but I think they do recruit a few, but not in the way that they walk into a house and force children to leave and join their army but i think they encourage it, if you ever go to their "martyr's day" memorials in london every november, its obvious that many of the soldiers who died were children but in no way was it forced.
Anyway, what i wanted to say was, it was proven by a Norwegian diplomat that the Sri Lankan government actually are aiding an anti-tiger group to recruit child soldiers. Another example of ridiculous hypocrisy on their part, considering the number of fake videos you'll find on the net of "poor tamil children who were forced to become child soldiers" telling us how bad it was whilst being recorded by the government and earning a years wage for doing so.

"I am not worried about the opinion of the Tamil people... now we cannot think of them, not about their lives or their opinion.. the more you put pressure in the north, the happier the Sinhala people will be here... Really if I starve the Tamils out, the Sinhala people will be happy." -- President J.R. Jayawardene, Daily Telegraph 11th July 1983


Oh one more thing about the Marxist influence, this was mainly the idea of Anton Balasingham, who was the main politian and negotiator for the Tigers, who died last month. I think they planned to take the ideas for economy and change it so it suited them, so they were just slightly influenced by them, and i'm sure they were influenced by the way that communists took control in outher countries and probably tried to use those methods themselves.

[The Grey Blur]

Here's an effective Marxist organisation in Sri Lanka - The United Socialist Party (http://www.socialistworld.net/eng/2006/12/08srilan.html)

When a Tamil MP was recently murdered they organised mass walk-outs and closures, as well as international actions.

http://www.socialistworld.net/eng/2006/11/17srilanka.html

[Umoja]

You guys aren't trying to portray the Tamil Tigers as 'good'? That's a joke right?

[redxroses]

why would it be a joke?

[Vargha Poralli]

Originally posted by [email protected] 11, 2007 12:29 am
You guys aren't trying to portray the Tamil Tigers as 'good'? That's a joke right?
No . They represent a minority people's violent reply to those who oppress them. Yes they are reactionaries but they would never have formed and killed some many sinhalese if the sinhalese had not fallen to the racial rhetoric of their greedy politicians.

Yes ethnic conflict is Bad. But we are not joking or trying to portray Tamil Tigers as good.But their rise and dominance in that region is due to historical necessity. And don't worry the racist Srilankan govt Democide is nearing success as the tigers are cleverly isolated by the sinhalese government and almost all tamils are dying due to government's blockade of eelam. No one is giving/going to give a shit in future too since It is a defeat to Tiger's terrorism.


Effectively saying Tigers have digged their own grave when they Murdered Rajiv Gandhi in India.

[redxroses]

yup I agree, I think in the end the richer ones will just move away (as many like my family have done already) and the rest will stay and be killed, the tigers can't hold on much longer, the government have better arms, intelligence and support

Maybe, years after they've all died, some country like the US will finally acknowledge it but it will be too late. Just like how they encouraged Saddam Hussain when he was actually doing the killing or ignored Rwanda when it was happening

The tigers will go down fighting though