Suicide-bombers stalk Sri Lanka

By V. S. Sambandan

COLOMBO, JAN. 19. First came the suicides, then the bombs. In the past decade, the spectre of suicide- bombers moving across the island nation of Sri Lanka, killing and maiming at will, haunts memory.

Not a day passes without a suicide being reported in Sri Lanka. January 5 witnessed the latest when a woman suicide-bomber exploded herself in Colombo.

Days later, an army officer is reported to have shot himself dead when he was interrogated in a case of alleged sexual abuse. Around the same time, a girl student was said to have committed suicide for ``being teased by other students.''

The upsurge in suicide rates has been more pronounced since the late Sixties.

The era of bombings, which started after the advent of Tamil militancy, changed dramatically after `Captain' Miller of the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) drove a bomb- laden truck into an army camp in 1987, becoming the first Black Tiger.

From Miller's truck, the suicide attacks evolved to the `suicide- jacket' worn by `Dhanu', killer of Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991.

Black Tigers, who form the LTTE's suicide killer squad, have been described by the LTTE chief, Mr. V. Prabakaran, as the ``strongest weapon'' among the ``weakened Tamil community.'' An LTTE publication quotes him as saying that the ``Black Tigers'' are the ``protective armour'' of the Tamils and the ``breakers of barriers of the liberation movement.'' They have been termed the ``fiery-men who break the army's might through mental determination.''

Martyrdom ranks high in the rebel mindset, manifestations of which are the annual observation of Black July and Heroes Day by the LTTE in memory of the slain rebels.

Commenting on the suicide-bombers of the Middle-East, Prof. Louis Rene Beres, a political scientist, in an article posted on the Internet, says, ``The suicide bomber is a contradiction in terms... This homicidal terrorist sees absolutely nothing suicidal about his wilful murder of defenceless Israeli civilians. For him, the `death' that he plans so meticulously to suffer is merely a momentary inconvenience on his fiery propulsion into heaven, a markedly temporary annoyance on his blood-soaked road to immortality.''

Glorification of death is also seen as a factor influencing the Black Tigers. In the LTTE's annals, Black Tigers are immortal. ``Though several Black Tigers lie asleep in unmarked graves, their magnificent achievements will remain forever with fame,'' Mr. Prabakaran has been quoted as saying.

Some former militants say that in addition to those motivated to die for liberation, a considerable number of suicide bombers could be ``those already frustrated with life over personal problems.'' Pointing out that most of them could have ``crossed the brink'' and have ``already decided to die,'' instances are cited of youngsters ``who have branded the names of their lovers on themselves'' who join up for such operations. Yet another category could be those who have already suffered permanent battle injuries and see themselves as best suited to take a heavy toll of opponents before they die.

The effectiveness of the suicide-bombers has been another factor which keeps security planners guessing. Barring a few instances, these bombers have found their targets. ``It is very difficult to prevent a suicide-bomber when you know that there is nothing that one can do. If one can stop the person from activating the device, that would be the solution. But it is a very tricky affair,'' a military officer said. The difficulty in preventing suicide-bomb attacks is especially pronounced as there is no way predictability. ``They are virtually mobile bombs, which are triggered by those specifically trained for the purpose.''

And, until a solution is thrown up, the fiery suicide bomber will lurk in the streets, waiting patiently for the next target.

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Section  : International
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