The real Tamil Eelam as experienced by Tamils in LTTE areas

Pro-LTTE websites are running the LTTE's desperate propaganda campaign to the maximum. The most recent and blatant of lies was the so-called killing of 120 SLA and driving them back to a place some Tiger sites identified as 'Malayalapuram'. We received many emails and comments asking us about this so-called fight that took place west of Kilinochchi. These reports are completely false.

SLA lost 23 soldiers in the fight to capture a bund at Thirumurikandi. 12 bodies fell into the hands of the Tigers. 56 soldiers were injured. This was the most recent 'victory' the LTTE had scored in recent times. Despite this, they lost the bund and Thirumurikandi to the 57.

But the LTTE propaganda went into high gear. But the facts cannot be concealed for too long with lies. If 120 soldiers were killed the LTTE should have captured 30-40 bodies given the nature of the bund and terrain like in Muhamalai 2007-08. But they had pictures of only 10-12 soldiers.

LTTE even claimed reinforcements were brought from the East when in fact SLA platoons are being re-deployed to the East from other areas. In fact an entire Squadron of Commandos were sent to Trincomalee recently to counter LTTE insurgents and guerrillas.

A team of crack Commandos from this squadron recently attacked an LTTE hideout in the Kanjikudiaaru Jungle killing 5 LTTE cadres and injuring another 7. This hideout was 600m away from the STF camp in Kanjikudiaaru. The STF leadership had nothing to say about the incident as their incompetence was exposed yet again.

Meanwhile large numbers of civilians hiding inside jungles between LTTE areas and SLA forward operating areas has slowed the pace of the ongoing operations. 33 civilians, mostly youth, were discovered and returned to government areas today from northwest of Oddusudan.

The LTTE does not have enough manpower to search these jungles. The SLA too is encountering them in their operations. This has slowed their pace down and in mahy cases, limited the use of heavy firepower.

The youth who were discovered today were malnourished and had very bad bruises on their skin and also body odors from living inside the jungle for weeks. There, inside the Muthiyankaddu jungle for example, 500-600 civilians, mostly Tamil youth, are in hiding from the LTTE.

These civilians have escaped their homes and have fled from LTTE round-up operations to push them into IDP camps. These camps are now the LTTE's sole means of abducting and forcible recruiting men, women and children into its fighting units as SLA attacks claim the lives of 20-30 cadres a day from the organization.

As youths escape these settlements and camps, the Tigers have now started recruiting men and women in their forties. This is the state of Tamil Eelam today.