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SRI LANKA

Life under the LTTE

FRANCES BULATHSINGHALA
ATTEMPTING to sort out problems faced by civilians through regular interaction with the provincial council ministries have succeeded in making the one time rebels appear to be a strong force in the eyes of the Tamils living in these areas. This interaction after the LTTE entered the political arena is reported to be quite constant between LTTE political cadres and the Government officials in the region.
The newest initiative based on such interaction took place yesterday when a team of officials from the North East Health Ministry based in Trincomalee visited LTTE controlled Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi to evaluate shortcomings in the area of health. It is reported that the LTTE offices in the North East are fast becoming akin to trade union offices with large numbers of people queuing up to voice grievances both petty and serious, ranging from inquiries about passport applications to delayed paperwork in government departments in the region.
The political clout that the LTTE is beginning to enjoy was initiated with their Pongu Thamil marches in the North East held from the beginning of the year and reached a peak at their first ever May day celebrations which was turned into an eulogizing of Vellupillai Prabhakaran.
While a glimpse about the organisations economic plans was given by the LTTE leader himself, citing his preference for an open economy, nine days later in Batticaloa, 25 year old Gaya, the second in command of the Women's Wing in Batticaloa making an address at a function to celebrate the death anniversary of LTTE heroine, Annai Boopathi, revealed that the LTTE leader had laid a blue print for ensuring gender equality in its political work, a need which the North East NGOs promoting women's rights have highlighted in the recent past pointing out that gender representation in the LTTE political arena was not as equal as in their war coliseum.
Reports in Jaffna indicate that the LTTE have taken this constructive criticism into consideration in their recruiting of cadre in the peninsula. Jaffna sources point out that between twenty to twenty five youth per week are being recruited by the LTTE who have embarked on heavy canvassing in the region based on the theme that the recruitment are made for political and administrative work.
The movement's female cadres have been advised to approach as many girls as possible through schools and youth groups in the region. The response of the youth overall is, what the recruitment statistics indicate; good. Taking for granted that there will no longer be a necessity to sacrifice their lives at the altar of war, parents too are apparently zealously permitting their children to join the LTTE prompted by the hope that in the event of the interim council being given to the LTTE, that their children would stand to benefit with some political halo or other.
Twitch of irritation
Meanwhile, it is also reported that things are not as hunky dory where the LTTE is concerned, as it to be. While getting its political act together the one time rebels who are widely known to be indulging in strict taxing on a wide range of items, are causing a twitch of irritation among the civilians in the North East. This is seen as one reason why there were not many people, as one would expect for the maiden May Day celebration of the LTTE, the scant civilian participation most noted in Jaffna.
Where the LTTE taxing is concerned there is the case of a man, visiting the peninsula after forty years who had arrived in Jaffna with forty apples which he had brought to be distributed to a brood of grandchildren. The man had ended up throwing all forty apples in the faces of the LTTE cadres stationed at the LTTE check point in Muhamalai, Jaffna, the location where all civilians are subject to checking by both the Security personnel as well as the LTTE.
The man had been questioned by the LTTE as to why he was taking 'such a vast' number of apples to Jaffna. When he had duly replied that he was taking the apples for his grandchildren, he had been brusquely informed by the LTTE that he could take only ten apples. The objection by the LTTE had been because they believed that the man was attempting to sell the fruits in Jaffna and had informed the man that if he wanted to take the other thirty he would have to pay 25% tax.
There is also the quite hilarious story of how some Sinhalese from the South travelled with euphoria to Jaffna in a hired van, soon after the opening of the A9
route, with the intention of visiting the Naga Vihara. They had transported earthenware hoping to sell it in Jaffna to cover the cost of travelling.
When they had finally been scrutinised, taxed and finally established themselves near the best strategic place to sell their wares, the Jaffna Naga Vihara temple, the rather exorbitant prices of the earthen pots had taken the citizens of Jaffna by surprise. When queried about it, the visiting Sinhalese had replied that they had no other choice but hike the price because they had paid the LTTE Rs. 7,500 as tax for permitting to bring 100 clay pots for sale!
It is clear that travellers from Colombo to Jaffna, Jaffna to Omanthai and uncleared areas are beginning to feel the heat of LTTE travel regulations, travel tax for hired vehicles and taxes charged for goods transported to the area which includes items taken for domestic use. The travel 'regulations' of the LTTE which those using public transport find arduous is the prohibition of the LTTE to let CTB buses function through the LTTE control areas direct from Jaffna to Vavuniya.
The regulation followed at present is for Jaffna passengers to use the CTB bus service from Jaffna town to Muhamalai in Jaffna and from there onwards continue in the LTTE operated bus service to Omanthai.
From Omanthai travellers are expected to again switch to the CTB bus service. Passengers are expected to travel on foot for some distance to get to the 'LTTE bus location' from the 'CTB bus location'. Passengers from Jaffna speaking on anonymity told the 'Sunday Observer' that they preferred a direct journey from Jaffna to Vavuniya. Passengers also point out that those travelling by hired vehicles have to pay a 'travel tax' of Rs. 500 to the LTTE while those travelling in their own vehicles are spared making any payment.
LTTE tax
Meanwhile, reports reveal that 25% tax is charged on a wide range of items by the LTTE from passengers travelling from Colombo to Jaffna. The 25% tax includes electrical items, spare parts, bicycles, motor cycles and cars while 8% tax is charged on printing paper.
It is alleged that items that are brought to be sold in Jaffna as well as those being brought for domestic use are both subjected to taxing. Meanwhile it is also revealed that the Jaffna selling price of a one-litre bottle of Pepsi Cola and Coca-Cola have reached the price of Rs. 115 from Rs. 85. This is due to the LTTE the tax being charged.
However it is also learnt that the media in Jaffna (the Uthayan, the Valampuri and the Thinakural) have not been given an indication by the Tigers that they should rein their stance with regard to criticism of the LTTE. Thus it is pointed out that the Uthayan has been taking a 'constructive criticism' angle towards the LTTE tax issue.
Peaceful
Meanwhile more positively where the LTTE is concerned is also revealed that the Tiger hierarchies have requested the leaders in the North East political offices to keep a tab on the most complained about problems faced by the people in the North East. This directive has been given so that a report could be compiled and duly handed over to the foreign missions for the obtaining of funds to fulfil the dream of decent and peaceful living the LTTE has promised the thousands living in the Vanni region, once the backstage of war.
The United Nations Development Project (UNDP) survey on the displaced population in Sri Lanka and in India will provide the LTTE the background to go ahead with the resettlement programme of displaced persons in the Vanni backed monetarily by the expatriate funded Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation. The Foreign Missions have been given a blueprint of what the LTTE has described as their vision for the areas controlled by them which includes the constructing of development centres for youth, research centres and what the LTTE decrees as priority a new settlement programme for the Vanni civilians.
Vanni sources reveal that they would canvass for funds to develop mainly farming and agriculture, ventures considered to hold much lucrative propensity.
While the Tigers go about their political and administrative work as ardently as they did in the past nineteen years hatching guerilla warfare strategies, only time would reveal the success or failure of their march towards political orientation.