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By rebelling against supremo Prabhakaran in an unprecedented way, ¿Col¿ Karuna, LTTE¿s sacked commander for Sri Lanka¿s Eastern Province, has put the clock back in more ways than one. In a way, it has also put the LTTE at the crossroad all over again as never before, coming as it does after the historic Ceasefire Agreement with the Sri Lankan Government, but how far is too early to determine.

In Sri Lanka, whoever wins or loses the parliamentary polls, and whoever forms the government afterward, it's President Maithripala Sirisena who would be at the centre of all post-poll politics over the ethnic issue, political solution and 'accountability issues' of the UNHRC kind.

Acquisition of air assets by the most successful guerilla outfit and a declared Terrorist organization, LTTE, has alarmed observers around the world.

More than two years after the Government of Sri Lanka and the leadership of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) reached an agreement on a ceasefire in their military and para-military operations against each other, with Norway playing the role of a facilitator, and embarked on a process of negotiations in order to find a political solution to the demands of the LTTE for an independent

This paper examines the maritime infrastructure of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)--tracing the history of the development of its maritime organisation, infrastructure and strategy. The paper focuses on the salience of sea power as perceived by a violent non-state actor and provides a perspective on how non-state actors employ sea power in asymmetric conflicts

The various incidents involving the LTTE during 2003, its continued confrontationist attitude and the demand for the recognition of its ¿Sea Tigers¿ wing as a de facto navy showed that the LTTE continued to attach importance to maintaining its military capability unimpaired and was unwilling to renounce its military option while continuing to adhere to the cease-fire.

Sri Lanka has suffered the most human fatalities (30,000 plus) and infrastructure and other property damage after Indonesia in the catastrophic Tsunami disaster of December, 26, 2004.

By entering the scene though a little late in the day, SLMC president Rauff Hakeem on the one hand, and the People's Front of Liberation Tigers (PFLT), the latter the political outfit floated by the LTTE as far back as 1989, have made the 10 May polls to the Provincial Council high profile and interesting at the same time.

By sacking three crucial ministers, proroguing Parliament and telling the nation that she was ¿willing to discuss with the LTTE, a just and balanced solution within the parameters of unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty of Sri Lanka¿, President Chandrika Kumaratunga may have precipitated a politico-constitutional crisis with far-reaching consequences.

As Sri Lanka moves closer to China in its economic ties, concerns about the Indo-Sri Lanka bilateral relationship grow

As of now, the two are evenly poised: Sajith Premdasa is popular with the rural voters and the minorities, while Gotabaya is depending on the undoubted charisma of his brother Mahinda and the strong support of the conservative Buddhist clergy.

We can’t match China’s financial heft but we can leverage our cultural connect with Sri Lanka to strengthen ties

Do the Modi government think that the worse was over for its bilateral ties with Sri Lanka, first with the exit of the LTTE, and later the electoral defeat of President Rajapaksa? If so, PM Wickremesinghe's interview should be seen as a lesson in the 'right direction' - though not necessarily on the 'right lines' as India would have wished.

The turning out of the Trincomalee oil tanks deal for India and the Hambantota port deal for China are only indicative of the massive trust deficit or

India-baiting has become a part and parcel of the Rajapaksa camp-led Joint Opposition’s political attacks and protests against the ruling Maithiri-R

Whatever be the end-game in the ¿Karuna rebellion¿ within the monolithic LTTE, the development may have heralded a process of ¿social justice¿ or social re-engineering¿ as is understood in India ¿ and also come to stay, in a way. To the extent, the ¿Karuna factor¿ may have become unstoppable in the socio-political sense of the term, whatever be the immediate consequence of the rebellion, or its impact on the suspended peace process in Sri

The full-fledged effort to resettle began last September which got stuck mainly because of the suspicions raised by the security forces regarding the presence of the LTTE sympathisers among the IDPs

Would the newly appointed Prime Minister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, be able to steer Sri Lanka away from the economic and political crisis?

LTTE supremo V. Prabhakaran is 'hale and hearty' and busy conferring honours to those who died fighting for Tamil 'Eelam'. Known for his crafty ability to dodge the Sri Lankan armed forces time and again, Prabhakaran made his first public appearance in many months putting at rest the rumours of his failing health.

With the government declaring May 10 as the polling date for Provincial Council elections in the east, LTTE is worried about the outcome of the possibly "rigged" elections. The group has asked its parliamentary proxy, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) to boycott the elections fearing a total rout in the predominantly Tamil majority area. On the other hand, the group has softened its stand on talking to the Rajapaksa government.

Two politically significant events took place this week. First was the filing of the nomination papers by People¿s Front of Liberation Tigers (PFLT), the political wing of LTTE set up in 1998. Second was the split in the only Muslim party,

Though belatedly, Norway, which brokered a Ceasefire Agreement between Colombo and LTTE in 2002, clarified that it never supported the creation of a separate Tamil Eelam contrary to popular belief. Majority of Sri Lankans, including President Rajapaksa, accused Norway of being pro-LTTE.

The US State Department, in its latest report on terrorism, came down heavily on LTTE for its extortionist activities. The terrorist group, despite world-wide ban on its various activities, has been raising funds by forcing business houses to pay tax in areas they dominate.

In a total reversal of its earlier stand, the Sri Lanka government agreed to open talks with the LTTE claiming the outfit as one, though not the sole, representative of the Tamil demands. Surprisingly, no preconditions for talks are imposed by the government but at the same time,

LTTE political chief P. Nadesan in an interview to a Tamil Weekly magazine urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Karunanidhi to assist them in their struggle for a separate Tamil Eelam. Expressing regret that India was supporting the war efforts of the Rajapaksa administration,

With Sri Lanka forces capturing strategic towns occupied by LTTE not long ago, the supporters of the LTTE Chief Prabhakaran have expressed fears about his safety. Prabhakaran, believed to be hiding in a bunker in the dense forests of Vanni,

In a surprising statement, the military spokesman of Sri Lanka Keheliya Rambukwella claimed that Al Qaeda and those involved in the bombing of Marriot Hotel in Islamabad were trained by LTTE. The technique was similar to the one used by the Tamil group way back in 1996 when a truck loaded with a bomb exploded near Colombo's Central Bank killing 91 people.

With Sri Lankan Army just two miles away from the de facto capital of the LTTE, Kilinochchi has turned into a ghost town. Most of the civilians have fled along with many humanitarian organisations leaving the LTTE cadres to carry out the counter-attacks.

In response to India's (more particularly Tamil Nadu's) overtures to stop the Sri Lankan offensive against LTTE in their northern stronghold, President Mahinda Rajapaksa made it clear that his government was not going to stop its war against the Tamil Tigers midway, especially when its forces were just two kms short of Kilinochchi.

On his 54th birthday, LTTE supremo Prabhakaran made the Heroes Day speech even as the Kilinochhi, the de facto administrative capital of the Tigers is within an arms reach of the Sri Lankan Army. The speech lacked assertive tone

Even as the war between LTTE and the Sri Lankan army is taking a heavy humanitarian toll, European Union decided to retain its GSP+ trade preferences for Sri Lanka till the time it completes its humanitarian probe in the troubled region.

The week saw the President of Sri Lanka taking decision to proscribe the LTTE if it fails to release the remaining Tamils of the North living in its captivity, before 2009. According to an estimate,

The week saw the culmination of long-awaited and much anticipated victory of the armed forces over the separatist organization, the LTTE. The so-called capital and administrative hub of an elusive Tamil Eelam Kilinochchi was finally liberated after 11 years.

Sri Lanka imposed a ban on LTTE following the organisation¿s failure to release 2,50,000 civilians from its hold. The civilians are often caught in the crossfire taking place between LTTE and the Sri Lankan armed forces. Besides, in the absence of basic necessities,

It appears that the LTTE debacle and the protest voices emerging from Tamil Nadu as an aftermath has no effect on the bilateral relationship of India and Sri Lanka if a recent visit of the Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon to Sri Lanka is any indication.

As the army advanced deeper into Mullaithivu to regain other territories under the LTTE control, rumours of Prabhakaran's escape to another country have strongly surfaced. Most believe that he could have either fled via sea to Eritrea, Australia and Myanmar or he may have not been able to flee at all.

The week began with the worsening of humanitarian situation in the areas under LTTE control. Nearly 250,000 people were reportedly trapped in crossfire between the LTTE and the state armed forces in a cramped area of around 30 sq. km in thick jungles

Last week, president's brother and defence secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa slammed Non-government organizations, domestic and foreign particularly United Nations and International Committee of Red Cross for being pro-LTTE and anti-government.

Barely a year after eastern Sri Lanka witnessed a ray of hope under the Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP)-Sri Lanka Freedom Party coalition led by former LTTE child soldier Pillayan, things have been going from bad to worse.

With LTTE pushed to less than 100 sq km of area, there are strong rumours of Prabhakaran committing mass suicide with hundreds of his supporters. The incident is going to be video taped so that it can later be shown to incite sentiments of

Sri Lankan authorities considered 'hilarious' the ceasefire demand put forward by the LTTE, especially when it has only the few fighters left in an area which is less then 60 sq km. This week, LTTE requested the international community to bring

A suicide bomber believed to be from the LTTE Black Tiger suicide squad blew himself up inside a mosque killing nearly 14 people and injuring 20 others including a Postal Services minister Mahinda Wijesekera and Culture minister Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena during a congregation held to

Initially criticizing Sri Lanka for having to carry out military onslaughts on the LTTE, United Nations lately come face to face with the grim reality when one of its own aid worker died in a cross-firing and three others including a teen age girl was forcibly recruited by

The week received mixed reactions from international community vis-à-vis Sri Lanka, some of which were in favour and some were against the military approach adopted by the Rajapaksa regime against the LTTE. Sri Lanka realized the importance of being friends with the permanent members

Throughout the week, the LTTE suffered huge losses in men and material and was finally ousted by the state armed forces from Pudukudiyiruppu, the last of the towns it captured in Mullaitheevu.

Clock is ticking fast for the LTTE whose chief along with his son and some of his trusted colleagues has taken a refuge among the civilians in a No Fire Zone. Sri Lankan military intelligence has reported that LTTE's Intelligence Chief Pottu Amman has taken over the command of the dying

In Sri Lanka, everybody is uncertain about the future. Nobody knows what happens next. Take for instance, the victory march of Sri Lankan Army (SLA) which was once again bogged down by the LTTE's resurgence. Though the week started with the forward march of the Sri Lanka defence forces after the killing of the three senior female LTTE leaders at sea including Lt. Colonel Kalai Arasi,

LTTE's operational capabilities, in different dimensions, were hit hard at several places this week. While the Sri Lanka Air Force jets pounded the LTTE¿s communication base with transmitting tower in the north-east of Oddusudan junction, British parliamentarians came down heavily on the group's credit card frauds to fund its terrorist activities.