Who were the Tamil Tigers?

Summary

The script recounts the brutal Sri Lankan Civil War from 1983 to 2009, focusing on the infamous Tamil Tigers, who fought for a separate Tamil homeland. Known for their suicide squads and child soldiers, they challenged the world's fourth-largest army and assassinated political leaders. The narrative explores the group's ideology, their brutal tactics, and the complex dynamics of the conflict, including the Sri Lankan government's response and the war's impact on civilians.

Takeaways

• 🇱🇰 The Sri Lankan Civil War lasted from 1983 to 2009, involving a conflict for a Tamil homeland on an island dominated by a Sinhalese majority.
• 🐯 The Tamil Tigers, also known as LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam), were the dominant militant group, known for their brutal tactics and ideology.
• 🎭 The leader of the Tamil Tigers, Velupillai Prabhakaran, was influenced by popular culture and formed the group with a symbol of a tiger on a blood red background.
• 🚫 The Tamil Tigers enforced strict discipline, including abstaining from cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, and even relationships among its members.
• 🔪 The group was known for its use of child soldiers and female suicide bombers, which became emblematic of their commitment to the cause.
• 🔫 The Tamil Tigers were involved in brutal acts of violence, including assassinations of political figures and attacks on civilians, which escalated the conflict.
• 💣 The group conducted numerous bombings in cities, including Colombo, targeting public spaces and causing significant civilian casualties.
• 🌐 The Tamil diaspora played a crucial role in funding the Tamil Tigers, with a significant portion of their budget coming from expatriate communities.
• 💰 The Tamil Tigers had a sophisticated international fundraising network, involving criminal activities such as drug trafficking and a global network of front companies.
• 🎥 The group was meticulous with its propaganda, using media to inspire international sympathy and donations, even training 'Truth Tigers' to film their attacks.
• 💣 The Tamil Tigers were responsible for a significant number of suicide attacks, with a notable number of female suicide bombers among them.
• 🌍 The conflict had a global impact, with the Tamil Tigers' activities and influence reaching far beyond Sri Lanka's borders.

Q & A

What was the primary goal of the Tamil Tigers?

The Tamil Tigers fought for a separate Tamil homeland on the island of Sri Lanka, which was dominated by a Sinhalese majority.

What was the Tamil Tigers' official name and what does it stand for?

The Tamil Tigers are officially known as the LTTE, which stands for Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, with 'Eelam' being the Tamil word for Sri Lanka.

Who was the leader of the Tamil Tigers and what was his background?

The leader of the Tamil Tigers was Velupillai Prabhakaran, who was born into a low caste and was influenced by comic books and Clint Eastwood films during his teenage years.

What were the ideological principles of the Tamil Tigers?

The Tamil Tigers were broadly socialist with a Tamil twist, advocating for the emancipation of women and a strict code of conduct that included abstaining from cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, and even relationships.

How did the Tamil Tigers enforce their commitment to their cause?

Tamil Tigers enforced their commitment by having each member wear a vial of cyanide around their neck to be bitten down on if they were ever captured, symbolizing a refusal to surrender.

What was the impact of the Tamil Tigers' actions on the Tamil caste system?

The Tamil Tigers fought against the restrictiveness of the Tamil caste system, aiming to break traditional norms and advocating for the emancipation of women within their ranks.

What was the significance of the Tamil Tigers' use of child soldiers and female suicide bombers?

The use of child soldiers and female suicide bombers became emblematic of the Tamil Tigers' commitment to their cause, showcasing their willingness to sacrifice and fight to the death.

How did the Tamil Tigers fund their operations?

The Tamil Tigers were funded primarily by the Tamil diaspora, which provided about 90% of their budget, as well as through criminal activities such as drug trafficking and extortion within the Tamil community abroad.

What was the role of the Tamil Tigers' 'Sea Tigers'?

The 'Sea Tigers' were the Tamil Tigers' naval wing, responsible for sinking Sri Lankan naval vessels and operating a fleet of merchant ships called the 'Sea Pigeons' for smuggling operations.

How did the Tamil Tigers use propaganda to their advantage?

The Tamil Tigers used propaganda to stir international sympathy and attract donations, filming their military attacks and editing them into slick packages, as well as broadcasting their own television channel via satellite.

What was the impact of the Tamil Tigers' actions on the Sri Lankan government and society?

The Tamil Tigers' actions led to a siege mentality within the Sri Lankan government, shaping its actions in the later phases of the conflict, and brutalized the Sinhalese population, leading to a cycle of violence and retaliation.

Outlines

00:00

🐅 The Rise of the Tamil Tigers

This paragraph introduces the Tamil Tigers, also known as the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam), a group that fought for a Tamil homeland in Sri Lanka from 1983 to 2009. The group, led by Velupillai Prabhakaran, used brutal tactics including suicide squads and child soldiers against the Sri Lankan government and other Tamil groups. The Tigers were influenced by the ancient Tamil Chola Empire and adopted a socialist ideology with strict moral codes. They aimed to liberate the Tamil people from the caste system and government-imposed disadvantages, and their movement included a significant number of female fighters. The paragraph also touches on the group's early violent acts and their rise to dominance in the Tamil areas of Sri Lanka.

05:00

💣 The Tigers' Brutality and International Reach

This paragraph delves into the Tamil Tigers' acts of violence, including the killing of civilians, rival Tamils, and government officials. It highlights the group's expansion to urban areas and their use of suicide bombers, which became a symbol of their commitment to the cause. The Tigers' international fundraising network, which included a large diaspora in Western countries, is discussed, as well as their involvement in criminal activities such as drug trafficking. The paragraph also covers their sophisticated propaganda efforts, which used media and the internet to garner support and funds, and their military innovations, including the creation of the world's first insurgent air force.

10:02

🎥 The Tigers' Propaganda and Military Tactics

This paragraph focuses on the Tamil Tigers' propaganda machine, which included a dedicated unit called the 'Truth Tigers' responsible for documenting their attacks and creating content to inspire support. It describes the high death rate among these cameramen and the meticulous attention to detail in their work. The Tigers' military tactics are also explored, including their use of films like 'Rambo' and 'James Bond' for inspiration and their development of an elite force known as the 'Black Tigers,' who carried out high-profile missions with a strong sense of honor and loyalty to their leader.

15:04

🔍 The Human Cost of the Conflict

This paragraph examines the human cost of the conflict, acknowledging the brutality of the Tamil Tigers while emphasizing that the Sri Lankan Army's actions were likely far more devastating to Tamil civilians. It discusses the asymmetry in the reporting of atrocities and the difficulty in quantifying the extent of government-sanctioned killings. The paragraph also touches on the radicalization of the Tamil people and the brutalization of the Sinhalese, setting the stage for the conflict's inevitable brutal conclusion.

20:05

🌊 Life in Trincomalee Amidst the Aftermath

This paragraph shifts focus from the history of the conflict to a personal narrative of visiting Trincomalee, a coastal city in Sri Lanka. It describes the city's life, the presence of fishermen, and the author's experiences, including a trip to Pigeon Island for snorkeling and an attempt to help locals with fuel shortages during a financial crisis. The paragraph provides a glimpse into the everyday life of Sri Lankans in the shadow of the country's tumultuous past.

Keywords

💡Civil War

Civil War refers to a violent conflict between opposing groups within the same country or nation. In the context of the video, Sri Lanka's Civil War (1983-2009) was a protracted conflict between the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers, a separatist militant organization fighting for an independent Tamil homeland. The war was characterized by brutal violence, including the use of suicide bombings and child soldiers.

💡Tamil Tigers

The Tamil Tigers, also known as the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam), were a militant organization that sought to establish an independent state for the Tamil people in Sri Lanka. The group was known for its use of suicide bombings, child soldiers, and its fierce fighting against the Sri Lankan military. The Tamil Tigers played a central role in the video's narrative, as they were one of the main parties in the conflict.

💡Velupillai Prabhakaran

Velupillai Prabhakaran was the leader of the Tamil Tigers and a central figure in the Sri Lankan Civil War. He was known for his uncompromising stance and the group's brutal tactics. In the video, Prabhakaran is mentioned as the founder of the Tamil Tigers and is associated with the group's ideology and military strategy.

💡Caste System

The caste system is a social stratification system that has been a part of traditional Indian and Sri Lankan society, dividing people into different social groups based on their birth. In the video, the Tamil Tigers are noted for challenging the restrictiveness of the Tamil caste system, advocating for the emancipation of women and fighting against the disadvantages placed on the Tamil people by the Sri Lankan government.

💡Child Soldiers

Child soldiers are minors under the age of 18 who serve in armed forces or armed groups. The Tamil Tigers were notorious for their use of child soldiers, incorporating them into their ranks and deploying them in combat situations. The video mentions the use of child soldiers as part of the group's ideology and commitment to their cause.

💡Suicide Bombings

Suicide bombings are acts of violence where the attacker intentionally dies while carrying out the attack, often to cause maximum harm to the target. The Tamil Tigers were known for their use of suicide squads, which became a symbol of their commitment and desperation. The video describes the Tamil Tigers' use of suicide bombings as a tactic in their fight against the Sri Lankan government.

💡Ethnic Conflict

Ethnic conflict refers to a dispute or conflict arising from differences between ethnic groups. In the video, the Sri Lankan Civil War is depicted as an ethnic conflict between the majority Sinhalese and the minority Tamil populations, with the Tamil Tigers fighting for a separate homeland for the Tamil people.

💡Diaspora

A diaspora refers to a group of people who have left their homeland and spread across various parts of the world. The Tamil diaspora played a significant role in the video's narrative, as it provided financial support to the Tamil Tigers, contributing to their ability to sustain the conflict.

💡Assassinations

Assassinations are the act of deliberately killing a high-profile individual, often for political reasons. The Tamil Tigers were known for their assassinations of political figures, including presidents and prime ministers. The video script mentions the group's assassination of political leaders as part of their strategy in the conflict.

💡Human Rights

Human rights are the basic rights and freedoms to which all individuals are entitled. The video discusses the violation of human rights during the Sri Lankan Civil War, including massacres and the killing of civilians by both the Tamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan Army, highlighting the brutal nature of the conflict.

💡Propaganda

Propaganda is information, often biased or misleading, used to promote a political cause or point of view. The Tamil Tigers are described in the video as having a sophisticated propaganda machine, using media to promote their cause, rally support, and manipulate international opinion.

Highlights

Sri Lanka's Civil War from 1983 to 2009 was dominated by the Tamil Tigers, who fought for a Tamil homeland against the Senegalese majority.

The Tamil Tigers, also known as LTTE, used suicide squads and child soldiers in their conflict with the world's fourth largest army.

Velupillai Prabhakaran, the leader of the Tamil Tigers, was inspired by Phantom comics and Clint Eastwood films, and formed the group in the 1970s.

The Tamil Tigers had a unique ideology that included socialism with a Tamil twist, and strict personal discipline among its members.

The Tamil Tigers aimed to emancipate women, with a significant number of female fighters and suicide bombers.

Prabhakaran's arrest and subsequent release due to political intervention marked a turning point in Sri Lankan and Indian history.

The Tamil Tigers were known for their brutality, including the systematic killing of rival Tamil leaders and moderate politicians.

The group conducted numerous massacres of Senegalese and Muslim civilians, leading to a cycle of retaliation and violence.

The Sri Lankan government's response alternated between moderation and the use of force, contributing to the ongoing conflict.

The Tamil Tigers expanded their attacks to include bombings in Colombo, targeting civilians and causing widespread fear.

The group's use of suicide bombers became infamous, with a significant number of attacks carried out by women.

The Tamil diaspora played a crucial role in funding the Tamil Tigers, providing up to 90% of their budget.

The Tamil Tigers established a global fundraising network, including front companies and offshore accounts to evade tracking.

The group was involved in various criminal activities, such as drug trafficking and the operation of merchant ships for smuggling.

The Tamil Tigers used the internet and satellite broadcasting to propagate their cause and incite international sympathy.

The group's propaganda efforts included filming and editing their attacks to showcase their military operations.

The Black Tigers, an elite suicide squad, carried out high-profile missions with a strong sense of personal loyalty to Prabhakaran.

The Tamil Tigers' attacks resulted in thousands of civilian deaths, but the Sri Lankan Army's actions were likely far more devastating.

The conflict led to a siege mentality within the Sri Lankan government, shaping the brutal end of the war.

Transcripts

between 1983 and 2009 Sri Lanka was

engulfed in Civil War and there was one

group above all who would dominate the

conflict their name would become

infamous around the world as they fought

for a Tamil Homeland on an island

dominated by a Senegalese majority using

suicide squads and child soldiers they

would fight the world's fourth largest

army to a standstill and assassinate

presidents and prime ministers but were

they terrorists or were they Freedom

Fighters This is the story of the Tamil

tigers

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foreign

let's start with their name the Tamil

tigers are also called the ltte or

Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam Elam is

the Tamil word for Sri Lanka the leader

of the Tigers was called velopilai

prabhakaran Born into a low caste as a

teenager here to taste for Phantom

comics and Clint Eastwood films

prabhakaran formed the group in the

early 70s choosing as their symbol the

Tiger on a blood red background the same

as the ancient Tamil Chola Empire which

had periodically dominated India and

from time to time invaded Sri Lanka they

were broadly socialist but with a tummel

Twist in their ideology all of society

would have to fight all tigers had to

give up cigarettes alcohol drugs sex and

even relationships and each tiger wore a

vial of cyanide around their neck to be

bitten down on if they were ever

captured they were not just fighting the

disadvantages placed on the tunnels by

the Sri Lankan government but also the

restrictiveness of the Tamil caste

system the emancipation of woman was

part of their professed value system as

well by the time the Insurgency was in

full swing between a fifth and a third

of all tiger caters were women he can

stand on my own legs but I don't just

have to go back to the kitchen and do

the all works our women have been doing

all these times I will choose what I

like the use of children was

incorporated into the ideology the Child

Soldier and the female suicide bomber

will become the emblem of the group's

commitment in 1981 prabhakaran fled

across the water to Tamil Nadu and India

to escape the police there he got into a

gunfight with a rival Tamil militant and

was arrested but protests in Tamil Nadu

led to the intercession by Indian Prime

Minister Indira Gandhi and prabhakaran

was released that would alter the course

of both Sri Lankan and Indian history

the Tigers won a reputation for

brutality in an environment that was

already notable for its bloodiness in

these early years it was like a Gangland

war in the jaffna peninsula between

rival Tamil groups financed by bank

robberies the Tigers systematically

killed alternative leaders in moderate

politicians only occasionally attacking

police and army targets fellow tamils

working for the government were favorite

Target in fact the vast majority of the

victims during this early period were

tunnels over 160 tumble members of

parliament were assassinated and 1700

rival Tamil militants anyone they didn't

kill they absorbed so by the mid-1980s

they had become the dominant Rebel group

in Northern Sri Lanka then came the

Riots of black July and the start of the

war in Earnest in November 1984 the

Tigers raided two farms and slaughtered

62 men women and children this was the

first calculated killing of civilians by

Tamil militants and a line had been

crossed before the rise of the Tigers

roughly half the population of jaffna

had been Senegalese and had coexisted

peacefully for Generations throughout

the areas that the Tigris had labeled as

their future Homeland were scattered

Senegalese and Muslim Villages alongside

tumult ones for more than 20 years the

Tigers raided these Villages as Weiss

describes it they hacked bludgeoned shot

burned and hanged civilians in a long

series of massacres the majority of

those killed with Senegalese but a

disproportionate number were Muslim

children were slaughtered alongside the

elderly in dozens of small-scale

incidents in response the government

alternated between moderation and blind

Force using mostly singly soldiers from

the south who bit by bit became an army

of occupation in the tunnel areas of the

north and east of the island they were

poorly trained and didn't speak the

language so were completely unequipped

to judge the situation that they found

themselves in a typical pattern would go

like this a tiger attack would kill a

few soldiers or police when the Army

arrived they would find no gorillas just

frightened civilians who knew that if

they gave any information they would

probably be killed by the Tigers who

lived amongst them the army soldiers

were understandably triggered by seeing

their dead comrades and these impassive

civilians who wouldn't help and would

retaliate by burning houses and often

raping and killing civilians and that

would become the cycle in 1985 in

anuradapura the Tigers killed 146

civilians in 87 they stopped to bust and

killed 34 people most of them young boys

training to be monks in 1990 the Tigers

killed 147 men and boys while they were

worshiping in a mosque and in 1991 they

killed 109 Muslim men women and children

they had particular animosity for

captured soldiers and policemen and

Eastern Sri Lanka they executed 600

police officers around the town of

kalmanai and in mulaitivu they overran a

military camp and killed 1200 soldiers

they bombed trains planes and buses in

1986 a bomb went off prematurely on a

plane at the airport in Colombo killing

21 people including 13 foreigners they

car bombed Colombo's pet a market and

killed 113. their bombing of the Central

Bank in Colombo killed 91 and injured

1400 people these attacks against

Senegalese civilians extended the fight

to the cities of Southern Sri Lanka in

the Tigers view this was a response to

the awful damn image being inflicted by

the Army and Tamil areas but it also

dissipated any sympathy that non-tamils

might have for their cause in Colombo

especially it created a sense that

anyone could be randomly killed in an

attack at any time for almost 30 years

explosions became a part of Colombo's

routine the most famous of all were the

suicide bombers the Tigers venerated

death and filled cemeteries with Martyrs

to be mourned itself breaking with the

Hindu tradition of cremating the dead

these images of self-sacrifice were

pressed into fundraising with the Tamil

expatriate Community as a way of saying

look at what we are sacrificing for our

people thanks to the massive immigration

of tamils after the riots and ongoing

atrocities there was a huge diaspora to

tap as well there were 50 000 tunnels in

Switzerland and 200 000 in Canada in the

UK there were over a hundred and ten

thousand tamils who would regularly

March through London in support most of

the Sri Lankan Hindu temples in Britain

and Canada were controlled by the Tigers

in London for example the Tigers agents

would go around the Tamil homes each

family was expected to pay 200 pounds a

year and each business two thousand by

2009 at the end of the war Britain's

tamils were sending 250 000 pounds a

month to the tunnel Tigers it was the

diaspora that was the main thing that

funded the Tigers providing 90 of their

budget we have to remember that tiger

repression and ruthlessness didn't stop

at the borders of Sri Lanka most of

these overseas tunnels had family in Sri

Lanka and all the Tigers had to do was

remind them that back there the Tigers

were in charge the Tigers established a

fundraising Network that spread

throughout the world in Europe motorists

refilled their cars and petrol stations

that sent their profits directly to the

group they had representative offices in

40 countries their network of front

companies offshore accounts and ngos

made funds impossible to track and that

money was used to buy arms to be

channeled into the fight in 1984 very

early in the conflict Swiss police

estimated that tunnels were responsible

for bringing in 20 percent of the heroin

into the country tamils were in the

heroin trade in Montreal and Canada and

were prominent in Italy as well

according to Gordon Weiss National

Liberation religious fundamentalist and

criminal organizations shifted

seamlessly between each other's worlds a

computer model of these networks reveals

clusters around organizations as diverse

as the Kosovo Liberation Army the Hell's

Angels the moro National Liberation

Front the Sendero luminoso the Italian

indrangetta the IRA the pkk and

Californian Vietnamese street gangs

connected by their ability to supply

given markets in or to Source goods from

their Geographic locations they

dominated they had a fleet of merchant

ships called the sea pigeons that

operated legally as well as many that

operated illegally smuggling people guns

blood diamonds and drugs the sea pigeons

even operated a kind of base on an

island off the coast of Burma called

tuante na nicely located near the Golden

Triangle with its trade in heroin and

weapons though it frustrated the hell

out of the Sri Lankan government the

governments of the liberal democracies

were these tiger operations were found

it difficult to stop given that the

activities tended to be restricted to

the close-knit Tamil Community local law

enforcement didn't stand a chance of

penetrating it so they mostly left it

alone another vital component was the

internet websites emails and chat rooms

incubated the Revolutionary identity of

tunnels across the world by 2005 the

Tigers could broadcast their National

Television of Tamil ilam via satellite

throughout Europe the Middle East

southeast Asia India and southern Africa

they had their own Stars such as shoba

who was a singer songwriter and news

presenter for the propaganda wing of the

ltte

the Tigers took their propaganda very

seriously they filmed their suicide in

military attacks when possible and

edited them into slick packages with

soundtracks they had a special division

called the truth Tigers who created the

content made to drum up support and who

especially trained how to film the

attacks they're going to attack they do

not stand behind here

the death rate amongst these tiger

cameramen was extremely high

everything

[Music]

the truth tigers are expected to be in

the first wave of any attack every unit

of 100 Fighters is accompanied by two

truth Tigers armed only with video

cameras and suicidal bravery all the

camera operators seen here died in these

battles

over the past decade the 120 strong

truth tiger unit has lost 51 kill and

more than a hundred seriously wounded

we're looking for two aspects one the

person has the potential the courage to

undertake this training the second film

The Fighting beautifully with artistic

talent every detail of the planning and

preparation is also recorded after the

fighting every order every move is

analyzed it's this attention to detail

that makes the Tigers one of the most

ruthlessly efficient Guerrilla armies in

the world

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thank you

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foreign

all of this helped attract donations

that funded the tigers fight it also was

very useful in stirring up International

Sympathy for the tunnel cause so for a

long time despite the attacks by the

Tigers on civilian targets they were

treated pretty leniently by Foreign

governments all this created a Siege

mentality in the Sri Lankan government

which would crucially shape the actions

in the later phases of the conflict

using these funds the Tigers built an

Army Navy Special Forces and even a tiny

air force as well as the sea pigeons the

sea Tigers were the Tigers Navy who sunk

Sri Lankan Naval vessels in the early

2000s they even built the world's first

Insurgent Air Force composed of some

smuggled light aircraft from the Czech

Republic and they built Landing strips

throughout their territory on the night

of the 29th of April 2009 while Sri

Lanka was playing Australia in the final

the international cricket competition in

Barbados the air Tigers attacked Colombo

government forces fired back foreign

carriers canceled their flights to show

longer until the government could sort

out a more organized response the Tigers

were considerably creative and called on

some serious expertise in the

Laboratories perfecting weapons and

cooking up new explosives they even had

a little submarine the historian William

delrimple writes in the guardian how he

was able to visit one of the tiger camps

and interview a senior Commander he

smiled our camps are all equipped with

videos War films are shown three times a

week and are compulsory we often consult

predator and Rambo before planting

ambushes none of us are trained soldiers

we've learned all we know from these

films later he showed me the Tigers

video library they hit complete sets of

Rambo Rocky and James Bond all the

schwarzeneggers including Conan the

Barbarian most of the Vietnam films and

no less than three versions of The

Magnificent Seven their Elite suicide

Fighters were called the black tigers

who swore personal loyalty to

prabhakaran the supreme leader to be

selected for the black tigers was the

highest honor because only the most

important missions were given to them

before a mission they would share a meal

with Rebecca run and a photo would be

taken to be sent around the globe

through the Tiger's propaganda networks

one young female black tiger described

it in an interview with Time magazine in

2006. they put everyone's name in a

Tombola they swirl them round then the

leader pulls out two names reads them

out and the 48 who aren't chosen are all

crying but the two who are chosen they

are very happy and the people around

them raise them on their shoulders and

are all clapping and celebrating between

1987 and the end of the conflict in 2009

the tiger sent

273 suicide attackers on 137 missions 47

of them were women and the youngest is

believed to be 18 years old in 1992 a

suicide bomber killed the head of the

Sri Lankan Navy in 93 a tiger suicide

bomb assassinated the Sri Lankan

president

first and only sitting president in the

world to be killed by a suicide bomber

and of course there was the female

suicide bomber who killed Rajiv Gandhi

the body counts have been so distorted

by politics but all in all the number of

dead civilians from tiger attacks is

certainly in the thousands but

then there's the Sri Lankan Army in no

way should this be interpreted as a

justification excuse or an absolving of

just how grotesquely awful the Tigers

were but the number of Tamil civilians

killed by the Sri Lankan Army was almost

certainly much much more the university

teaches for human rights a respected NGO

in Sri Lanka calculated that in 1990

just one year and in just two districts

of Eastern Sri Lanka around 3 000

tunnels were massacred over the course

of a couple of weeks hundreds of Tamil

men were allegedly rounded up and burned

alive as retribution for Tiger killings

of soldiers and police officers remember

that there is an asymmetry here tiger

atrocities against Senegalese were

carefully counted and publicized by the

government but it is highly unlikely

that we will ever truly know the scope

of government-sanctioned killing of

Tamil civilians and every single Source

I have ever read is in full consensus

that the number of Tamil civilians

killed by the security services is

vastly more than the civilians of of any

ethnicity killed by the Tigers in all of

this you can see why the tunnels were

radicalized and how their movement

fought back so ferociously

but you can just as easily see how the

Senegalese were brutalized as well their

leaders were being mowed down and even

for civilians miles from the front lines

death could come at any moment this made

it inevitable that the war and its

conclusion

will be brutal

absolutely brutal

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thank you

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I left particular heading up to

trincomalee the east coast is lined with

a string of towns like these with

occasional strips of farms and scrub

and of course there were the ubiquitous

lands for fuel the result of Sri Lanka's

financial crisis of mid-2022.

[Music]

trinko is a city of fishermen and deer

and you're never far away from either

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it's a quiet place and I couldn't quite

work out where its real Santa was but I

always found myself back at the beach

yeah

the Headland like many coastal cities in

Sri Lanka has a big Colonial Fort though

most of it is now an army camp

[Music]

inside the fort is actually a Hindu

temple where people come to worship and

make offerings looking over the sea

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foreign

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the Wither packed it in and I took

Refuge with a bottle of orange barley in

a little cafe that serves the soldiers

oh

my God

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with the Wither as it was there was

nothing for it but to return to the

hotel where I found the storm had beaten

me to it

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foreign

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fishermen are everywhere in trinco you

find them holding in their catch on the

beach in the morning and you can buy

dried and salted fish from stores on the

main road

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foreign

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that afternoon I got a boat out to

Pigeon Island

[Music]

I had met a German guy called Victor at

my hotel and together we had decided to

go snorkeling

[Music]

unfortunately my underwater camera broke

after only a couple of minutes and this

is the last video it will ever take

luckily Victor had his GoPro so he could

capture these Turtles and the shark

[Music]

thank you

foreign

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land Victor I had met some guys who

invited us to join their football game

[Music]

check out the Joker Bonita skills

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thank you

yep

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after the game some of the guys asked

Victor and me to go with them to the gas

station you see while there were fuel

shortages throughout the country due to

the financial crisis Sri Lanka was also

absolutely desperate for foreign

currency from tourism so I was trying to

make the tourist experience as normal as

possible that meant that if a local

needed the fuel in order to serve a

tourist then they go straight to the

front of the line instead of waiting

five hours or five days the first time

it didn't work because our guys couldn't

prove they were tour operators because

of course they weren't however Victor

and his dude snuck around the back and

after seeing his white face and perhaps

with the smallest monetary incentive our

guy was able to fill up his entire 30

liter tank which was frankly unheard of

our friends were very pleased

in the next video we look at the Civil

War itself where it was fought how it

was fought and the way that it ripped

apart Sri Lankan Society