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{| border=1 align=right cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=300 style="margin: 0.5em 0 1em 1em; background: #ffffff; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;" {| border=1 align=right cellpadding=4 cellspacing=0 width=300 style="margin: 0.5em 0 1em 1em; background: #ffffff; border: 1px #aaaaaa solid; border-collapse: collapse; font-size: 95%;"
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| ] '']'' quasi-independent state | ] '']'' quasi-independent state
|- |-
| ''']'''<br><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; | ''']'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
| ] (''de facto'' official)<br>] | ] (''de facto'' official)<br>]
|- |-
| ''']''' | ''']'''
| ] | ]
|- |-
| '''President''' | ''']'''
| ]<ref name=thehindu>http://www.hinduonnet.com/2002/04/11/stories/2002041103800100.htm</ref> | ]<ref name=thehindu>http://www.hinduonnet.com/2002/04/11/stories/2002041103800100.htm</ref>
|- |-
| ''']'''<br>(from ]) | ''']'''
| ''No official declaration''<br>&nbsp; | No official declaration
|- |-
| ''']'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; | ''']'''<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
|19,509 ] '''claimed'''<ref>Area calculated from , including all districts of North Eastern Province and Puttalam District in North Western Province.</ref><br>6,600–9,750 km² '''administered'''<br>(40–50% of claimed area) |19,509 ] '''claimed'''<ref>Area calculated from , including all districts of North Eastern Province and Puttalam District in North Western Province.</ref><br>6,600–9,750 km² '''administered'''<br>(40–50% of claimed area)
|- |-
| ''']'''<br>(of&nbsp;claimed&nbsp;area) | ''']'''<br>(of claimed area)<br>]<sup><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
| 3,162,254 (])<ref>According to the , for all districts of North Eastern Province and Puttalam District in North Western Province.</ref> | 3,162,254 (])<ref>According to the , for all districts of North Eastern Province and Puttalam District in North Western Province.</ref><br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;<br>--% ]<br>--% ]<br>--% other
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| ''']''' | ''']'''
| Does not have its own currency
| ] <small>(LKR)</small>
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| ''']''' | ''']'''
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| ''']''' | ''']'''
| Does not have its own telephone network
| +94
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'''Tamil Eelam''' (]: தமிழ் ஈழம், ''tamiḻ īḻam'') is the name given by the ] (LTTE), to the independent ] to which they aspire in the ] portions of the ] of ]. ''Ilaṅkai'' (இலங்கை) and ''Īḻam'' (ஈழம்) are both Tamil names for the entire island. '''Tamil Eelam''' (]: தமிழ் ஈழம், ''tamiḻ īḻam'') is the name given by the ] (LTTE), to the ] which they desire in the ] portions within the sovereign nation of ]. ''Ilaṅkai'' (இலங்கை) and ''Īḻam'' (ஈழம்) are both Tamil names for the entire island.


Tamil Eelam is only recognized as an ] by the LTTE. The LTTE administers around 40 to 50% of the land claimed for Tamil Eelam. These include the entire ]s of ] and ], most of ], ] and ] districts and parts of ] and ] districts. Tamil Eelam is only recognized as an ] by the LTTE. The LTTE administers around 40 to 50% of the land claimed for Tamil Eelam which is illegal by Sri Lankan law. These include the entire ]s of ] and ], most of ], ] and ] districts and parts of ] and ] districts. Under Sri Lankan law it is illegal to recognise any part of the island as a separate state and hence the LTTE has been unsuccessfully fighting for independence for over 2 decades.

⚫ The portion of Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka under the control of the LTTE is run as a ] quasi-independent state, with its own ],<ref></ref> ] force,<ref></ref> ], ] (the ]), ],<ref></ref> ], and even a ],<ref></ref> although these institutions are not formally recognized by the ] or any other international organisation. The Sri Lankan government maintains that these are fascists organisations run by the LTTE to give the impression of a separate state although they do not function as normal institutions<ref></ref>.It is dependent on electricity, water, telephone and all commodity supplies from the government of Sri Lanka, supplied through the A9 highway from the SriLankan tax payers money. It does not have its own currency and uses the Sri Lankan ]. The LTTE has often accused the government of imposing embargos on essential goods, which it claims "causes distress" to the civilians. It does not have its own airport and foreign travellers must go through the ] and go through Srilankan customs to arrive in the areas claimed as Tamil Eelam. The seas around the areas claimed as Tamil Eelam are completely controlled by the Srilankan Navy although the LTTE operates a small naval fleet from hidden locations.


⚫ The portion of Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka under the control of the LTTE is run as a ] quasi-independent state, with its own ],<ref></ref> ] force,<ref></ref> ], ] (the ]), ],<ref></ref> ], and a ],<ref></ref> although these institutions are not formally recognized by the ]. It is dependent on electricity and commodity supplies from the government held area through the A9 highway. It does not have its own currency and uses the Sri Lankan ]. The LTTE has often accused the government of imposing embargos on essential goods, causing distress to the civilians. It does not have its own airport and foreign travellers must go through the ].


==Central issue== ==Central issue==
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] ]


From 1948 to 2002 there have been approximately 38 ] who have at one time or another fought for Tamil Eelam's independence. This number includes the better known groups such as the LTTE (also known as the '''Tamil Tigers'''), ] (TELO), ] (EPRLF), ] (PLOTE), ] (EROS), and also lesser-known groups such as ] (TEA), Ilankai ] (FTA), and ] (SRSL). From 1948 to 2002 there have been approximately 38 ] who have at one time or another fought for the Tamil Eelam's independence. This number includes the better known groups such as the LTTE (also known as the '''Tamil Tigers'''), ] (TELO), ] (EPRLF), ] (PLOTE), ] (EROS), and also lesser-known groups such as ] (TEA), Ilankai ] (FTA), and ] (SRSL).


==See also== ==See also==
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==External links== ==External links==
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==References== ==References==

Revision as of 07:08, 24 November 2006

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Tamil Eelam / தமிழ் ஈழம் / tamiḻ īḻam
File:Flag of Tamil Eelam.png File:Coat of arms of Tamil Eelam.png
Flag Coat of Arms
Anthem:
Map of the region
Political status
     		Unrecognized de facto quasi-independent state
Languages
     		Tamil (de facto official)
Sinhalese
Capital Kilinochchi
Dictator Velupillai Pirapaharan
Independence No official declaration
Area
    
     		19,509 km² claimed
6,600–9,750 km² administered
(40–50% of claimed area)
Population
(of claimed area)
Ethnic Composition		 3,162,254 (2001)
    
--% Tamil
--% Sinhalese
--% other
Currency Does not have its own currency
Time zone UTC +5:30
Calling Code Does not have its own telephone network

Tamil Eelam (Tamil: தமிழ் ஈழம், tamiḻ īḻam) is the name given by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), to the independent state which they desire in the Northern and Eastern portions within the sovereign nation of Sri Lanka. Ilaṅkai (இலங்கை) and Īḻam (ஈழம்) are both Tamil names for the entire island.

Tamil Eelam is only recognized as an independent state by the LTTE. The LTTE administers around 40 to 50% of the land claimed for Tamil Eelam which is illegal by Sri Lankan law. These include the entire districts of Kilinochchi and Mullaiththeevu, most of Mannar, Batticaloa and Vavuniya districts and parts of Trincomalee and Amparai districts. Under Sri Lankan law it is illegal to recognise any part of the island as a separate state and hence the LTTE has been unsuccessfully fighting for independence for over 2 decades.

The portion of Northern and Eastern Sri Lanka under the control of the LTTE is run as a de facto quasi-independent state, with its own supreme court, police force, army, navy (the Sea Tigers), air force (biased citation - unverifiable), intelligence agency, and even a central bank, although these institutions are not formally recognized by the Sri Lankan government or any other international organisation. The Sri Lankan government maintains that these are fascists organisations run by the LTTE to give the impression of a separate state although they do not function as normal institutions.It is dependent on electricity, water, telephone and all commodity supplies from the government of Sri Lanka, supplied through the A9 highway from the SriLankan tax payers money. It does not have its own currency and uses the Sri Lankan rupee. The LTTE has often accused the government of imposing embargos on essential goods, which it claims "causes distress" to the civilians. It does not have its own airport and foreign travellers must go through the Colombo airport and go through Srilankan customs to arrive in the areas claimed as Tamil Eelam. The seas around the areas claimed as Tamil Eelam are completely controlled by the Srilankan Navy although the LTTE operates a small naval fleet from hidden locations.


Central issue

The concept of Eelam or homeland is a central issue in the Sri Lankan conflict that has been under way for more than two decades. It was first proposed by the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) in 1976. The TULF was a coalition of Tamil parties who campaigned in the 1977 elections for an independent state for Tamils in Sri Lanka. In the 1977 elections the TULF was elected to parliament from the northern and eastern provinces. In order to counter separatist tendencies, the government added a new clause to the constitution in 1978 requiring all MPs to pledge allegiance to the unity of the state, which resulted in the boycott of the parliament by the TULF. A number of militant groups then emerged fighting for an independent state.

File:Tamil eelam stamp.jpg
A stamp which was issued by one of the militant groups in the early 1980s.

As used by both the TULF and the militant groups, Tamil Eelam has only referred to the northeasterly portions of Sri Lanka (principally, the districts of Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, Mannar, Puttalam, Trincomalee, Vavuniya, Batticaloa and Amparai claimed by Tamils as being their traditional homeland. Some of the early militant groups such as the EPRLF, however, adhered to a wider concept of Eelam, by which they meant all parts of the island of Sri Lanka with a Tamil majority, including the upcountry districts with an estate Tamil majority, traditionally part of the Sinhalese heartland. For all practical purposes today, though, the demand for an independent state is limited to the northern and eastern provinces.

File:LTTECoin.jpg
A token issued by the LTTE and its limited postal services.

From 1948 to 2002 there have been approximately 38 militant groups who have at one time or another fought for the Tamil Eelam's independence. This number includes the better known groups such as the LTTE (also known as the Tamil Tigers), Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO), Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF), People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students (EROS), and also lesser-known groups such as Tamil Eelam Army (TEA), Ilankai Freedom Tamil Army (FTA), and Socialist Revolutionary Social Liberation (SRSL).

See also

External links


References

  1. http://www.hinduonnet.com/2002/04/11/stories/2002041103800100.htm
  2. Area calculated from statoids.com, including all districts of North Eastern Province and Puttalam District in North Western Province.
  3. According to the 2001 Sri Lankan census, for all districts of North Eastern Province and Puttalam District in North Western Province.
  4. Tamil Eelam Supreme Court website
  5. Pirapaharan opens Tamil Eelam Police HQ
  6. Sri Lanka: Tamil Eelam Air Force bombs Palaali Air Base
  7. Tiger bank roars ahead
  8. Tiger bank roars ahead
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