The Hindu : International : '132 LTTE cadres killed during ceasefire'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 23, 2004

International

International

'132 LTTE cadres killed during ceasefire'

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO, NOV. 22. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on Sunday started its annual `Heroes Week' commemoration in memory of its cadres who died in battles and bombing missions since Sri Lanka's separatist war started in 1982.

According to the latest statistics,17,780 LTTE cadres, including 263 Black Tigers were killed during the past 22 years, according to a report in the Tamil newspaper, Sudar Oli.

Despite a ceasefire since February 2002, 132 LTTE cadres (including 22 Black Tigers) were reported killed during the past two years.

According to the LTTE's latest figures, of the 17,780 cadres killed, 6,533 cadres and 140 Black Tigers were from Jaffna; 4,582 (49) were from Batticaloa-Amparai; 2,535 (25) were from the Vanni; 1,489 (17) from Trincomalee; 1,300 (11) from Mullaittivu; 1,042 (15) from Mannar and 299 (six) from Mannar.

Operation Jayasikuru

The LTTE also said 2,146 cadres were killed in the Operation Jayasikuru battles launched by the Sri Lankan military to open a main supply route through the rebel-held northern districts to the Jaffna peninsula in the late 1990s. The LTTE held its ground during the battles and went on to secure vital towns, including its present political headquarters — Kilinochchi — during the Jayasikuru battles, which saw a change in their strategy to conventional warfare.

The LTTE said 1,336 cadres were declared killed in fighting during its Unceasing Waves 3 operation to overrun Sri Lanka's most fortified military garrison, Elephant Pass, which was the key entry point to the Jaffna peninsula in April 2000.

The Elephant Pass operation and some crucial Jayasikuru battles were led by its then military commander for Batticaloa-Amparai, V. Muralitharan (Col. Karuna), whobroke away from the LTTE this March and subsequently launched a new political party.

According to military observers, in addition to the sinking of an LTTE ship last year, the casualties during the two-year ceasefire could be largely attributed to internecine battles after the March revolt by Col. Karuna. A month after the revolt, the LTTE launched an operation in the eastern Batticaloa district to "get rid" of Col. Karuna. The former military commander, however, disbanded his fighters and left for an undisclosed destination. Since then a number of LTTE cadres, including senior functionaries, were killed in internecine battles, reportedly by supporters of Col. Karuna.

Black Tiger attacks

The Black Tigers — the most trained among the LTTE cadres — shot into the spotlight with the assassination of the former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, in 1991.Since then, the LTTE suicide bombers have killed the former Sri Lankan President, Ranasinghe Premadasa, the constitutional expert and Tamil MP, Neelan Tiruchelvam, and a Sri Lankan Cabinet Minister, C.V. Gooneratne, among others. In addition, they form the first line of attack in major operations on military camps.

The Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, survived a Black Tiger attack but lost an eye when a suicide bomber struck in 1999. Ms. Kumaratunga was saved by an armoured car, which was parked between her and the suicide bomber.

An attempt on the Sri Lankan Cabinet Minster and LTTE critic, Douglas Devananda, was foiled in July this year. The suicide bomber was apprehended and taken to a police station where she blew herself up killing four others.

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