Oleh : Ahmad Iqram Mohamad Nor
Apa Itu LTTE?
Kumpulan Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam, yang dikenali sebagai Tamil Tigers atau singkatan LTTE, adalah sebuah kumpulan militan pemisah yang berjuang untuk sebuah negara atau kawasan yang merdeka bagi bangsa Tamil yang menetap di Sri Lanka.
Seorang lelaki Tamil bernama Velupillai Prabhakaran telah menubuhkan pertubuhan ini pada tahun 1972 dan pada lewat tahun 1980an ianya adalah kumpulan militan Tamil yang paling dominan di Sri Lanka. Selepas beberapa kali rundingan yang menemui kegagalan, Kerajaan Sri Lanka mengisytiharkan perang terhadap kumpulan LTTE pada tahun 2006.
Kumpulan Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam, yang dikenali sebagai Tamil Tigers atau singkatan LTTE, adalah sebuah kumpulan militan pemisah yang berjuang untuk sebuah negara atau kawasan yang merdeka bagi bangsa Tamil yang menetap di Sri Lanka.
Seorang lelaki Tamil bernama Velupillai Prabhakaran telah menubuhkan pertubuhan ini pada tahun 1972 dan pada lewat tahun 1980an ianya adalah kumpulan militan Tamil yang paling dominan di Sri Lanka. Selepas beberapa kali rundingan yang menemui kegagalan, Kerajaan Sri Lanka mengisytiharkan perang terhadap kumpulan LTTE pada tahun 2006.
Pada May 2009, tentera kerajaan telah mengalahkan LTTE dan membunuh Prabhakaran. Dianggarkan lebih kurang 70,000 orang yang terbunuh dalam konflik antara LTTE dan Kerajaan Sri Lanka. [1]
Sejarah telah merakamkan bahawa LTTE telah melaksanakan beberapa pembunuhan yang mensasarkan individu yang terkenal, antaranya termasuklah pembunuhan Presiden Sri Lanka, Ranasinghe Premadasa pada tahun 1993 dan bekas Perdana Menteri India Rajiv Ghandi pada tahun 1991. LTTE terdiri dari sayap militan dan sebuah sayap politik. Sayap militan LTTE juga mempunyai sebuah pasukan tentera laut, unit tentera udara, unit perisikan, dan juga sebuah kumpulan khas pengembom berani mati. Antara banyak kes pengebom berani mati adalah dianggotai dari kalangan wanita.
Majoriti sumber kewangan LTTE berasal dari hasil sumbangan orang-orang Tamil yang menetap di luar negara; namun pada tahun 1980an, LTTE menerima bekalan dan latihan ketenteraan dari unit perisikan India. LTTE juga mendapatkan sebahagian daripada sumber kewangan mereka yang berjumlah sekitar USD $ 200 juta daripada hasil cukai dan juga peras ugut di kawasan-kawasan yang dikuasai oleh mereka di bahagian timur laut Sri Lanka.
LTTE telah dibubarkan pada tahun 2009 selepas mereka dikalahkan oleh Kerajaan Sri Lanka dan sekitar 6000 ahli LTTE telah menjalani proses rehabilitasi dan reintergrasi. Kerajaan Sri Lanka pada tahun 2011 telah mengeluarkan kenyataan bahawa masih wujudnya cawangan antarabangsa LTTE yang ingin membina semula pertubuhan tersebut.[2]
Objektif utama LTTE adalah penubuhan sebuah negeri yang merdeka yang digelar Tamil Elam, untuk bangsa Tamil di Sri Lanka, di kawasan utara dan timur Sri Lanka, yang majoriti penduduknya terdiri dari bangsa Tamil.[3]
Sejarah telah merakamkan bahawa LTTE telah melaksanakan beberapa pembunuhan yang mensasarkan individu yang terkenal, antaranya termasuklah pembunuhan Presiden Sri Lanka, Ranasinghe Premadasa pada tahun 1993 dan bekas Perdana Menteri India Rajiv Ghandi pada tahun 1991. LTTE terdiri dari sayap militan dan sebuah sayap politik. Sayap militan LTTE juga mempunyai sebuah pasukan tentera laut, unit tentera udara, unit perisikan, dan juga sebuah kumpulan khas pengembom berani mati. Antara banyak kes pengebom berani mati adalah dianggotai dari kalangan wanita.
Majoriti sumber kewangan LTTE berasal dari hasil sumbangan orang-orang Tamil yang menetap di luar negara; namun pada tahun 1980an, LTTE menerima bekalan dan latihan ketenteraan dari unit perisikan India. LTTE juga mendapatkan sebahagian daripada sumber kewangan mereka yang berjumlah sekitar USD $ 200 juta daripada hasil cukai dan juga peras ugut di kawasan-kawasan yang dikuasai oleh mereka di bahagian timur laut Sri Lanka.
LTTE telah dibubarkan pada tahun 2009 selepas mereka dikalahkan oleh Kerajaan Sri Lanka dan sekitar 6000 ahli LTTE telah menjalani proses rehabilitasi dan reintergrasi. Kerajaan Sri Lanka pada tahun 2011 telah mengeluarkan kenyataan bahawa masih wujudnya cawangan antarabangsa LTTE yang ingin membina semula pertubuhan tersebut.[2]
Objektif utama LTTE adalah penubuhan sebuah negeri yang merdeka yang digelar Tamil Elam, untuk bangsa Tamil di Sri Lanka, di kawasan utara dan timur Sri Lanka, yang majoriti penduduknya terdiri dari bangsa Tamil.[3]
Mengikut bancian yang dibuat pada tahun 2001, majoriti penduduk Sri Lanka terdiri dari bangsa Sinhalese, yakni 82% dari keseluruhan penduduk Sri Lanka; purata penduduk bangsa Tamil di Sri Lanka adalah 9.4%, manakala penduduk Moors (keturunan Muslim) di Sri Lanka pula mengambil purata 7.9% dari keseluruhan penduduk Sri Lanka.[4]
Setelah Sri Lanka merdeka dari pemerintahan British pada tahun 1948, majoriti penduduk Sinhalese telah mengamalkan diskriminasi terhadap penduduk Tamil, kerana penduduk Tamil sebelum ini telah diutamakan oleh pihak penjajah British.[5]
Prabhakan, ketua bagi kumpulan itu, menegaskan bahawa perjuangan untuk LTTE adalah permintaan daripada orang-orang Tamil; Walaupun ideologi pemisah menguasai pertubuhan LTTE, Prabhakan menyatakan pada satu sidang media pada tahun 2002 bahawa LTTE menginginkan autonomi dan kebenaran untuk masyarakat Tamil memerintah komuniti mereka sendiri, dan objektif mereka ini tidak semestinya memerlukan mereka merdeka dari Sri Lanka untuk menubuhkan negara sendiri.[6]
Hierarki pertubuhan LTTE telah disusun di bawah pimpinan pengasasnya, Prabhakaran.
Prabhakan, ketua bagi kumpulan itu, menegaskan bahawa perjuangan untuk LTTE adalah permintaan daripada orang-orang Tamil; Walaupun ideologi pemisah menguasai pertubuhan LTTE, Prabhakan menyatakan pada satu sidang media pada tahun 2002 bahawa LTTE menginginkan autonomi dan kebenaran untuk masyarakat Tamil memerintah komuniti mereka sendiri, dan objektif mereka ini tidak semestinya memerlukan mereka merdeka dari Sri Lanka untuk menubuhkan negara sendiri.[6]
Hierarki pertubuhan LTTE telah disusun di bawah pimpinan pengasasnya, Prabhakaran.
Kumpulan LTTE mempunyai tentera dan pasukan laut dan udara, tapi mereka lebih terkenal dengan aktiviti pengeboman berani mati yang dijalankan oleh sebuah pasukan bersenjata yang digelar Black Tigers.
Kumpulan Black Tigers ini mahir taktik serangan dari darat dan juga laut, dan mereka juga tahu cara perang gerila dan terlibat dalam pengeboman dan kes pembunuhan. Mereka juga merupakan pertubuhan pertama yang menggunakan taktik pengeboman bunuh diri secara besar-besaran.Begitu banyak senarai serangan dan kematian melibatkan militan LTTE.[7]
Oleh demikian itu, Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu telah menyenaraikan mereka sebagai kumpulan pengganas dan selaras itu, ia diharamkan di Malaysia dan diikuti 32 negara lain.
Nota kaki:______________________
[1] Bajoria, Jayshree. “The Sri Lankan Conflict.” Council on Foreign Relations. 18 May 2009. Web. Accessed 22 July 2013.
[2] ^ “LTTE international network still active: Lanka PM.” The Economic Times. 9 April 2011. Web. Accessed 22 July 2013. <articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-04-09/news/29400675_1_d-m-jayaratne-ltte-internationalnetwork>
[3] ^ “Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.” South Asia Terrorism Portal. Web. Accessed 22 July 2013. <https://ift.tt/1lWSlSb>
[4] ^ Bajoria, Jayshree. “The Sri Lankan Conflict.” Council on Foreign Relations. 18 May 2009. Web. Accessed 22 July 2013. <https://ift.tt/1psh7ZQ>
[5] Ibid
[6] ^ “Press Conference at Killinochi.” Eelam News. 10 April 2002. Web. Accessed 22 July 2013. <https://ift.tt/30uv2np>
[7] Senarai serangan LTTE:
1. May 3, 1986: Bomb planted on Sri Lankan Air flight carrying British, French, and Japanese tourists, at the Colombo airport set to fly to the Maldives. (14-16 killed, 23-39 wounded).
2. April 21, 1987: Car bomb explodes at a bus station in Colombo, killing civilians. (113-150 killed, 200 wounded).
3. June 2, 1987: Aranthalawa massacre of Buddhist monks on a bus in Eastern Sri Lanka. (33 killed).
4. July 5, 1987: A soldier drove an explosive-filled truck into a Sri Lankan Army camp in Nelliady, northern Jaffna, followed by a ground attack by a group of LTTE soldiers. (40 killed (GTD: 20 dead, 27 wounded)).
5. October 10, 1988: Massacre in Mahakongaskada Village of civilians. (44-45 killed, 17 wounded ).
6. June 11, 1990: Massacre of Police Officers in Kalmunai in eastern Sri Lanka. (144 killed (GTD); most other sources claim over 600).
7. August 3, 1990: Kattankudy mosque massacre; LTTE highly suspected but has not yet claimed official responsibility (112-150 killed).
8. May 21, 1991: Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India, and 14-18 others by a female suicide bomber, in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. The LTTE did not officially claim responsibility. (15-19 killed).
9. October 16, 1992: Motorcycle-based suicide attack in Colombo killed Chief Sri Lankan Navy Commander Vice Admiral Fernando and four other Navy personnel. (5 killed ).
10. May 1, 1993: Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa is killed by a suicide bomber along with 23 others during a May Day rally in Colombo. (24 killed).
11. October 24, 1994: Female suicide bomber assassinates Gamini Dissanyake, Leader of the Opposition and United National Party candidate for the Presidential Elections, during a Colombo elections rally, (59 dead).
12. October 20, 1995: Explosion in Orugodawatte crude oil company by a suicide unit of four, killing 23 soldiers and two civilians. Fourteen storage tanks were destroyed, causing $61 million in damage. (25 killed, 32 injured ).
13. October 22, 1995: Attack in Thamanagama fishing village and three other Eastern Sri Lankan villages. (50-66 killed).
14. November 24, 1995: Two female suicide bombers attack the Sri Lankan army headquarters in Colombo. (16 killed, 52 wounded).
15. December 23, 1995: Army ambush in Batticaloa district that killed 32 Sri Lankan troops, and a government-reported 60 rebels. (92-93 killed, 34 wounded).
16. January 31, 1996: A suicide bomber detonates an explosives-loaded truck at the Central Bank in Colombo. (91 dead, 1400 injured).
17. July 18, 1996: LTTE took control of a Sri Lankan army camp in the northeastern town of Mullaitivu. (1200 soldiers killed (BBC and Guardian)/150+ troops and 34 rebels killed (Reuters)).
18. July 24, 1996: Explosive attack on a commuter train near Colombo. (60-61 killed, 391-600 wounded).
19. September 30, 1998: Major LTTE offensive on Sri Lankan Army at key city Kilinochchi, former LTTE base, near the Sri Lankan army's major Elephant Pass base, killing over 600-900 (varied estimates) Sri Lankan soldiers. (900 killed (varied estimates)).
20. July 29, 1999: Neelan Thiruchelvam, a moderate Tamil MP member of TULF and involved in the government-backed peace process, was killed in a suicide attack in Colombo. (3 killed, 5 injured).
21. September 18, 1999: Attack on three villages in Sri Lanka's Eastern Province in an apparent retaliation for Sri Lankan army attacks on Tamil civilians early that week. (50 killed).
22. December 18, 1999: Assasination attempt on Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga, who was injured in two bombings while campaigning for a second term during election rallies in Colombo. (15-34 killed).
23. April 23, 2000: Tigers take control of key Sri Lankan Army base in Jaffna, Elephant Pass, which they had been fighting to seek control since the Army takeover of the former LTTE stronghold in the Jaffna peninsula in 1995. ( 79 soldiers killed, 400+ injured, and 150 LTTE members injured).
24. June 7, 2000: Senior Sri Lankan Industry Minister CV Gooneratne assassinated in Colombo by a suicide bomber. (20-21 killed).
25. July 7, 2004: First suicide bombing in three years. LTTE female soldier in an apparent attempt to assassinate high-profile Hindu Affairs Minister Douglas Devananda, a voracious LTTE critic. (5 killed, 9 injured).
26. October 25, 2005: Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, a key player in the peace process and close aide of President Chandrika Kumaratunga, was assassinated at his home in a suicide attack in Colombo. (1 killed).
27. April 9, 2006: Over 100 killed during a 2 week period, the most intensified fighting since the 2002 truce. (100+ killed).
28. June 15, 2006: Evidence suggests that the LTTE was responsible for a bus bombing in Aduradhapura district. (64 killed, 84 wounded).
29. October 16, 2006: Suicide bombing attack on Sri Lankan naval convoy buses in northeast region of Dambulla, one of the deadliest since 2002 peace. (95 killed).
30. May 9, 2009: Attack on civilians in Mullaitivu, Northern Province, Sri Lanka. (9 killed, 19 wounded ).
R&D MRM
Oleh demikian itu, Pertubuhan Bangsa-bangsa Bersatu telah menyenaraikan mereka sebagai kumpulan pengganas dan selaras itu, ia diharamkan di Malaysia dan diikuti 32 negara lain.
Nota kaki:______________________
[1] Bajoria, Jayshree. “The Sri Lankan Conflict.” Council on Foreign Relations. 18 May 2009. Web. Accessed 22 July 2013.
[2] ^ “LTTE international network still active: Lanka PM.” The Economic Times. 9 April 2011. Web. Accessed 22 July 2013. <articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-04-09/news/29400675_1_d-m-jayaratne-ltte-internationalnetwork>
[3] ^ “Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.” South Asia Terrorism Portal. Web. Accessed 22 July 2013. <https://ift.tt/1lWSlSb>
[4] ^ Bajoria, Jayshree. “The Sri Lankan Conflict.” Council on Foreign Relations. 18 May 2009. Web. Accessed 22 July 2013. <https://ift.tt/1psh7ZQ>
[5] Ibid
[6] ^ “Press Conference at Killinochi.” Eelam News. 10 April 2002. Web. Accessed 22 July 2013. <https://ift.tt/30uv2np>
[7] Senarai serangan LTTE:
1. May 3, 1986: Bomb planted on Sri Lankan Air flight carrying British, French, and Japanese tourists, at the Colombo airport set to fly to the Maldives. (14-16 killed, 23-39 wounded).
2. April 21, 1987: Car bomb explodes at a bus station in Colombo, killing civilians. (113-150 killed, 200 wounded).
3. June 2, 1987: Aranthalawa massacre of Buddhist monks on a bus in Eastern Sri Lanka. (33 killed).
4. July 5, 1987: A soldier drove an explosive-filled truck into a Sri Lankan Army camp in Nelliady, northern Jaffna, followed by a ground attack by a group of LTTE soldiers. (40 killed (GTD: 20 dead, 27 wounded)).
5. October 10, 1988: Massacre in Mahakongaskada Village of civilians. (44-45 killed, 17 wounded ).
6. June 11, 1990: Massacre of Police Officers in Kalmunai in eastern Sri Lanka. (144 killed (GTD); most other sources claim over 600).
7. August 3, 1990: Kattankudy mosque massacre; LTTE highly suspected but has not yet claimed official responsibility (112-150 killed).
8. May 21, 1991: Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India, and 14-18 others by a female suicide bomber, in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. The LTTE did not officially claim responsibility. (15-19 killed).
9. October 16, 1992: Motorcycle-based suicide attack in Colombo killed Chief Sri Lankan Navy Commander Vice Admiral Fernando and four other Navy personnel. (5 killed ).
10. May 1, 1993: Sri Lankan President Ranasinghe Premadasa is killed by a suicide bomber along with 23 others during a May Day rally in Colombo. (24 killed).
11. October 24, 1994: Female suicide bomber assassinates Gamini Dissanyake, Leader of the Opposition and United National Party candidate for the Presidential Elections, during a Colombo elections rally, (59 dead).
12. October 20, 1995: Explosion in Orugodawatte crude oil company by a suicide unit of four, killing 23 soldiers and two civilians. Fourteen storage tanks were destroyed, causing $61 million in damage. (25 killed, 32 injured ).
13. October 22, 1995: Attack in Thamanagama fishing village and three other Eastern Sri Lankan villages. (50-66 killed).
14. November 24, 1995: Two female suicide bombers attack the Sri Lankan army headquarters in Colombo. (16 killed, 52 wounded).
15. December 23, 1995: Army ambush in Batticaloa district that killed 32 Sri Lankan troops, and a government-reported 60 rebels. (92-93 killed, 34 wounded).
16. January 31, 1996: A suicide bomber detonates an explosives-loaded truck at the Central Bank in Colombo. (91 dead, 1400 injured).
17. July 18, 1996: LTTE took control of a Sri Lankan army camp in the northeastern town of Mullaitivu. (1200 soldiers killed (BBC and Guardian)/150+ troops and 34 rebels killed (Reuters)).
18. July 24, 1996: Explosive attack on a commuter train near Colombo. (60-61 killed, 391-600 wounded).
19. September 30, 1998: Major LTTE offensive on Sri Lankan Army at key city Kilinochchi, former LTTE base, near the Sri Lankan army's major Elephant Pass base, killing over 600-900 (varied estimates) Sri Lankan soldiers. (900 killed (varied estimates)).
20. July 29, 1999: Neelan Thiruchelvam, a moderate Tamil MP member of TULF and involved in the government-backed peace process, was killed in a suicide attack in Colombo. (3 killed, 5 injured).
21. September 18, 1999: Attack on three villages in Sri Lanka's Eastern Province in an apparent retaliation for Sri Lankan army attacks on Tamil civilians early that week. (50 killed).
22. December 18, 1999: Assasination attempt on Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga, who was injured in two bombings while campaigning for a second term during election rallies in Colombo. (15-34 killed).
23. April 23, 2000: Tigers take control of key Sri Lankan Army base in Jaffna, Elephant Pass, which they had been fighting to seek control since the Army takeover of the former LTTE stronghold in the Jaffna peninsula in 1995. ( 79 soldiers killed, 400+ injured, and 150 LTTE members injured).
24. June 7, 2000: Senior Sri Lankan Industry Minister CV Gooneratne assassinated in Colombo by a suicide bomber. (20-21 killed).
25. July 7, 2004: First suicide bombing in three years. LTTE female soldier in an apparent attempt to assassinate high-profile Hindu Affairs Minister Douglas Devananda, a voracious LTTE critic. (5 killed, 9 injured).
26. October 25, 2005: Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, a key player in the peace process and close aide of President Chandrika Kumaratunga, was assassinated at his home in a suicide attack in Colombo. (1 killed).
27. April 9, 2006: Over 100 killed during a 2 week period, the most intensified fighting since the 2002 truce. (100+ killed).
28. June 15, 2006: Evidence suggests that the LTTE was responsible for a bus bombing in Aduradhapura district. (64 killed, 84 wounded).
29. October 16, 2006: Suicide bombing attack on Sri Lankan naval convoy buses in northeast region of Dambulla, one of the deadliest since 2002 peace. (95 killed).
30. May 9, 2009: Attack on civilians in Mullaitivu, Northern Province, Sri Lanka. (9 killed, 19 wounded ).
R&D MRM
