We All Live In A... Homemade Submarine?
A homemade sub carrying 3 tons of cocaine narthward was seized off the coast of Costa Rica last week. What does this have to do with Sri Lanka, you may ask? One report states that a Sri Lankan was among those arrested.
While not directly related to this report, some of my sources indicate that the LTTE supports its paramilitary activities by smuggling drugs into the U.S.— primarily through the U.S. border with Canada. (A border fence with Mexico isn't going to help.)
Interestingly, the LTTE also reportedly has a history with homemade submarines as well— it was reported back in April 2000 that the Thai government had discovered and seized an LTTE submarine in Phuket.
While no information is currently being reported about the Sri lankan in custody, it is interesting (and wildly speculative) to connect the dots.
It's also a reminder, following revelations about the Sri Lankan government last week, that neither side in the Sri Lanka civil war holds the high moral ground.
While not directly related to this report, some of my sources indicate that the LTTE supports its paramilitary activities by smuggling drugs into the U.S.— primarily through the U.S. border with Canada. (A border fence with Mexico isn't going to help.)
Interestingly, the LTTE also reportedly has a history with homemade submarines as well— it was reported back in April 2000 that the Thai government had discovered and seized an LTTE submarine in Phuket.
While no information is currently being reported about the Sri lankan in custody, it is interesting (and wildly speculative) to connect the dots.
It's also a reminder, following revelations about the Sri Lankan government last week, that neither side in the Sri Lanka civil war holds the high moral ground.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)has been for a long time dealing in opium related narcotic business since they are very active in the golden triangle. Their main market was Europe. But the LTTE some years back unsuccessfully negotiated with some drug cartels in Bogota Colombia to obtain and sell cocaine in exchange for supply arms, ammunition(especially C4 plastics)and training in guerilla warfare for the cartel gunmen. At that time a Bogota newspaper and Washington Post reported the discussions failed. New intelligence is necessary to see whether the matter was re-negotiated.
There was lot of ha-ho by Allan Rock, a former sympathiser of the LTTE in Canada's Liberal Party , now working for the corrupt UN,that the Sri Lanka government was helping a breakaway group of the LTTE to recruit Tamil children as child soldiers. But as a politician of the Liberal Party that was supporting the Tamil Tigers he was passively supporting the terrorist group to keep one of the largest number of armies of child soldiers in the world.
In a recent sting operation the LTTE tried to pay a bribe of one million dollars to US State Dept. officers. I do not know how much they are prepared to pay for UN officers. If they could cut off aid to the Sri Lankan government on a false charge like this it is virtually as good as winning the war and form a break away Fascist country called Eelam. How much is it worth to them , I do not know.
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As to the allegations of child soldier recruitment, these have been discounted by at least one Sinhala expatriate group as baseless because of Mr. Rock's alleged connections with the LTTE. I have no foundation on which to comment on this alleged connection.
However, a reliable source in Sri Lanka has independently confirmed that the nominally pro-government Karuna Faction has in fact been recruiting child soldiers, with at least tacit complicity from the Army.
Incidentally, some Sinhalese expatriates believe that the Canadian government has been actively in league with the LTTE. A couple of years ago, following a kathina ceremony in Los Angeles, I actually heard a group of Sinhala expatriates demand that the U.S. invade Canada! While I do not take this as representative of Sinhala expatriates as a whole, or of discourse among the educated Sinhalese community, unfortunately such extreme and frivolous positions are voiced loudly. Not only do they undermine serious dialog by those seeking an end to the conflict, but they also cast doubt on the accuracy of other anti-LTTE claims.
Let me be clear: I abhor the LTTE's tactics and its undemocratic structure. But there is plenty of blame to go around. Both LTTE and GoSL have violated human rights. But GoSL is bound by a constitution, and thus must be held to a higher standard-- else it too would become just another terrorist organization.
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What a load of rubbish.I dont believe for a second the Tigers are involved in the drugs trade.They are allot smarter than that.You have know idea.I have been living in Tamil Tiger Ellam for a few years they are good honest people.Even the Tigers themselves are just trying to protect their families after years of persecution.The sri lankan government have one of the worst human rights records and have still not been brought to justice for there genocide.There are still mass graves in jaffna which have still not been uncovered.Why?
Also unicef have condemned the Sri lankan MOD for not only using child Soldiers but for snatching them from there homes in there sleep.I have many Sinhala friends who live in Colombo they want to protest against the war but tell me if they even try to protest they will end up dead in there sleep.
I am not saying that I believe in the Tamil Tigers tactics as I believe there is no solution in taking life.But there is no solution to the conflict through war.We must stop the war in Sri lanka.Its the Innocent people that get caught up in this.
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People on both sides justify their position by pointing at the abhorrent behavior of the other side. The fact is, most Sinhalese and Tamil people are decent and long for peace. And the fact is, both LTTE and GoSL have committed atrocities. Neither promotes participatory democracy. That doesn't make either side right-- it makes both sides wrong, and the majority who are decent Sri Lankans are caught in the middle.
As to allegations of drug trafficking, I've received reports that in one U.S. city, several levels of law enforcement have been investigating a drug ring that includes at least one LTTE associate. Ironic, since at home the LTTE promotes morality with an iron fist.
I hope this reader noticed that in my blog I have been at least as critical of GoSL as I have of LTTE. After all, GoSL is sworn to uphold a constitution. That gives them an obligation to aspire to a higher level of conduct than the LTTE-- an obligation it has on many occasions failed to meet.
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alway we have to support people who struggle for their basic needs. Sri Lankan tamils are being forced to a situation of war to need by sri lankan racial government. please help people to win their need.
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The war has made a few people rich while the vast majority of Sri Lanka, Tamil and Sinhala, remains at subsistence level. One has only to the villages of Hambantota, Matara, parts of Kalutara, or the slums of Colombo to see that many Sinhalese as well as Tamils live in abject poverty, while leaders on both sides (and their cronies) eat well and make frequent trips to Singapore.
At present GOSL is the major block to peace, but it has not always been so. At various times GOSL, LTTE, or both have actively opposed a just peace. Why? Leaders like power, and any sort of democratic settlement will require both sets of leadership to cede power to the Sri Lankan people. Many leaders (but not all) say they are willing to do this, but when it comes time to follow through, few leaders have the courage and unselfishness to give up the power they have gained through force of arms.
I support a just and fair settlement that will devolve power not just to the LTTE, but to the people themselves throughout the country. At the very least, this would mean devolution to the level of the nine provinces, perhaps further. Each province would administer its own affairs with its own budget, and address its unique geographical needs.
I do not support a settlement in which the power, current held by one set of elites, is merely shared with another set of elites. For the situation of the average Sri Lankan (Sinhala, Tamil, or Muslim) to change, power must be devolved beyond the level of small, elite groups.
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The way I see thing here, this is a serious drug smuggling action. Of course all the informations available leave place to multiple speculation. Even if they got them incarcerated I don't think those prisoners will talk... there is too much at stake.
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