by: Chandi Sinnathurai, Tontaimannarru

Today Tamil Eelam is a Defacto state within Sri Lanka. When Tamil Eelam is recognised as a De jure state then the North-East Tamil territories would consist four-fifth of the sea coast and two-thirds of the island’s landmass.

Trincomalee (Trinco) in the North-east will be its capital (Talai Nagar) port city with its international air port.  Batticaloa to the east will be transformed as an important administrative city. Vanni could be the main administrative hub. Yarlapannam (Jaffna) in the North is designated as the Cultural Capital.

When the Eelam Tamils reclaim their home land as desired by negotiated settlement or even by military force (Its the Sinhala Regime however will have to determine the mode of conflict) the Sri Lanka Government as a result will have ‘lost’ the following important military assets:

1)    The North-eastern China-Bay air base, port and dry dock in Trinco

2)    Vavunia air-strip and a large military base

3)    Ports of Karainagar and Kankesanthurai (KKS)

4)    Palaly air base

More over the elite Tamil Eelam Naval force would have taken control of marine and off shore resources in the North East.  Currently however, Sri Lanka and India share a maritime boundary.  What would happen when there is a third State? The crucial question is what is to be done to the “power to access” the Palk Strait?

In all probability, the key control of access to the Straits between Tamil Nadu in South India and Tamil Eelam (Talai Mannar) will be in the hands of Tamils.  Sri Lanka will be required to re-negotiate her right of passage in the context of both redrawing of the map and rearrangement of sovereignty.

As we have said else where, for state formation, fortification and state building of Tamil Eelam recapturing of Trinco is a strategic necessity.  Having said that, Trinco after all is a historic and religious landmark for the Tamils.  The growing power and strength of the Tamil Tigers reveal that such a take over is not a sheer impossibility.  Sooner than later, India may need to re-negotiate with Eelam about the lucrative 99 oil wells that were leased by Sri Lanka.  Further more, among other economic and geo-political interests, trade talks will have to be had regarding the coal-based power plant and the Thermal power company in Trinco. [1]

It is no surprise that Trinco has always remained a “strategic Jewel”  in world history. During World War 2 Japanese air force bombed Trinco on 9^th April 1942. The Naval Dockyard, Frederick Air Force Base and the oil fuel Depot were attacked by air strikes.  An eye-witness report reads as follows:

“It should be recalled that all attempts made by Japanese air force to destroy the oil tanks at China Bay failed and none of the bombs fell on to target. Finally three crew members who belonged to the suicide squad of the Japanese air force dived on to one oil tank (tank No. 91) and the oil caught fire with a big bang when the bombs packed with air craft exploded. That was the only oil tank the enemy could destroy that too at the cost of three lives.” [2]

Now in this historical back drop we must revisit recent history and study the attempts made by the Tamil Tigers to re-capture Trinco.

In March 1997, the British Refugee Council Report “The Sri Lanka Monitor” published the following:

“THE Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) challenged government control of the two key towns in eastern Sri Lanka mounting simultaneous assaults on the ChinaBay airbase in Trincomalee and Vavunativu Army camp in Batticaloa on 6 March. Reports say over 270 died on both sides.”

Trinco has been visited by aerial suicide Squads only 55 years prior to the following incident:

“The same day, Black Tiger suicide squads breached heavy defenses at ChinaBay airbase close to Trincomalee, 60 miles north, destroying a Chinese Y12 aircraft. The runway was damaged. The LTTE withdrew after Air force helicopters from Anuradhapura airbase launched an attack. Observers say the attack on these heavily defended strategic military bases indicate the growing strength of the Tigers in the east and the inability of the military to respond mainly because of major troop withdrawals for northern operations.”

“The security forces responded with Operation Thrivida Seraya (Three forces power) in Mullaitivu on 13 March. While the Navy shelled coastal areas, the Air force bombed the jungles. The military claims that LTTE leader V Prabhakaran’s One-Four Base headquarters was destroyed. Hundreds of civilians including fishermen fled the coastal areas. Ten LTTE boats were destroyed by the Navy off Mullaitivu when the Tigers attempted to intercept a naval convoy from Trincomalee on 24 March. The Navy says 100 Sea Tigers were killed.”

“Following the ChinaBay attack, the Petroleum Corporation suspended the use of the harbor jetty, forcing civilians to use small boats to join ships for Jaffna. Currently the only route to Jaffna for civilians is by ship from Trincomalee, although reports say the government may begin a shipping service from Mannar.”

                                     (The Sri Lanka Monitor; March 1997)

Readers are reminded that Trinco – Tirukkōnamalai is a renowned Tamil city from time immemorial.  The SinhalaState has engaged in systematic secret colonization since independence from Britain in 1948 and has used hegemonic military force to encroach Trinco.  More recently the sinister plan of Colombo has been to aerial bomb the Tamils out of their rightful homeland so that Trinco becomes solely a Sinhala Buddhist enclave.

 In the battle for independence the capture of Trinco will play a pivotal role for the Tamils [3].  Of course, foreign powers have their eyes fixed on Trinco and the US in particular is not immune to that temptation.

Creation of a sovereign Tamil state sandwiched between the regional super power India and Sri Lanka is already a Defacto reality and the future relationship between Sri Lanka -Tamil Eelam can ideally be thrashed out around the negotiating table.  However, the intransigence of the Sinhala hegemonic force would suggest that this matter will need to be approached differently. SatYendra Nadesan of Tamil Nation put it succinctly:

 “The Tamil Diaspora know that the demand for an independent Tamil Eelam is not negotiable but they also know that an independent Tamil Eelam can and will negotiate a political structure where both the Sinhala people and the Tamil people may live in equality and in freedom, yes, freedom. They know that if Germany and France were able to put in place such 'associate' structures despite the suspicions and confrontations of two world wars, it should not be beyond the capacity of Tamil Eelam and Sri Lanka to work out structures, within which each independent state may remain free and prosper, but at the same time pool sovereignty in certain agreed areas.  The Tamil Diaspora, living in many lands and across distant seas knows only too well that sovereignty after all, is not virginity.” [4]

Its been rumored that the Air strip in the “Tiger heartland” Vanni is busier than ever and at the strategic moment the Tiger Air Power will be a force to be reckoned with.

Sea Tigers have repeatedly proved their mettle. Tamils want justice and honorable peace.  They are willing to enage in talks that would lead to fruitful negotiated settlement. Unfortunately the Oslo-inspired Talks have been a duplicitious exercise on the part of Colombo. Britain can of course, intervene and create conditions conducive to peace and self-determination to Tamils.

As for now, the war clouds are looming heavily in the background.  The global real politik ought to recognize that the Tamils have the inalienable right to self-determination. The international community is called upon by the Tamils world over to act creatively.

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