Narrative
Narrative of the Organization's History
Narrative of the Organization's History
Leadership, Name Changes, Size Estimates, Resources, Geographic Locations
Ideology, Aims, Political Activities, Targets, and Tactics
First Attacks, Largest Attacks, Notable Attacks
Foreign Designations and Listings, Community Relations, Relations with Other Groups, State Sponsors and External Influences
Mapping relationships with other militant groups over time in regional maps
Like the LTTE, PLOTE fought for an independent Tamil state in northeastern Sri Lanka. PLOTE differed, however, from the LTTE because the group disavowed the LTTE’s use of guerilla tactics. Of the major Tamil militant groups in the 1980s, PLOTE was the group that adhered most to Marxist-Leninist ideology.[18] PLOTE also adopted a strict anti-LTTE stance and continuously fought the LTTE alongside the government until the defeat of the LTTE in 2009.[19]
The PLOTE’s political wing, the Democratic People’s Liberation Front (DPLF), has been in operation since 1988 as a minor political party.[20]
In the 1980s, PLOTE was less focused on militarizing itself like the LTTE, but rather developing widespread grassroots support and disseminating its socialist ideology.[21]
Disclaimer: These are some selected major attacks in the militant organization's history. It is not a comprehensive listing but captures some of the most famous attacks or turning points during the campaign.
November 5, 1988: At least 70 PLOTE members were involved in an unsuccessful coup against the government of the Maldives. The Indian government stepped in to protect the Maldivian government. (Unknown).[22]
May 15, 1999: Two suspected PLOTE members killed three Tamil politicians on a beach in the twon of Bambalapitiya. Two of the three men killed were members of a rival political group, the Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO). (3 killed, 0 wounded).[23]
In a 2002 report, the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada issued a report claiming that the PLOTE is involved in the sale of travel passes and land allocation within the Vavuniya region, as well as kidnappings, abductions, and extortion.[24] In 2006, PLOTE, along with the EPDF, was again accused of human rights violations and extortion against local businessmen.[25]
PLOTE has camps in Vanni where it is rumored that torture is used; which has led to fear and disapproval within the Tamil population. PLOTE has its own illegal detention center in Vanni, known as “Flower House.”[26]
For most of the 1980s, PLOTE was a rival group from the LTTE. In fact, the group was a breakaway faction of the LTTE founded by Uma Maheswaran. In 1985, the LTTE begins attacking PLOTE cadres, eliminating the majority of the group’s members by 1987.[27] Smaller clashes between the groups continued into the 1990s; for example, in July 1992, ten Tamil men suspected of being PLOTE spies were executed by the LTTE in Omanthai.[28]
After being virtually defeated by the LTTE in 1987, PLOTE allied itself with the Sri Lankan government. Unlike the EPRLF or the EPDP, however, the government does not directly fund PLOTE, although the group does support the Army’s operations.[29] In particular, PLOTE cooperates with the government in its stronghold of Vavuniya where it was tasked with identifying LTTE spies for the Sri Lankan army.[30] In a 1996 report, Amnesty International also found that PLOTE cooperates with the government in the town of Batticaloa in eastern Sri Lanka. In Batticaloa, PLOTE officers worked alongside army officers at checkpoints and situated their camps near one another.[31]
In 1985, EPRLF, TELO, LTTE, and TULF joined forces to form the Eelam National Liberation Front (ENLF) to participate in the Thimphu Talks brokered by India. PLOTE declined to participate in the talks. The group, however, was short-lived; in 1986, relations between the groups deteriorated as the EPRLF, TELO, and EROS loosened their demands on the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE undertook a campaign to eliminate these more ‘moderate’ groups.[32] PLOTE was not included.
In 1987, a breakaway faction of PLOTE merged with a dissident splinter group of the Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) to form the Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front (ENDLF). The ENDLF supported the efforts of the Indian Peace Keeping Force and allied with the Colonel Karuna Faction of the LTTE after they defected in 2004.[33]
In the 1980s, PLOTE had close ties with the Indian government. PLOTE received aid from the Indian government and many of its members trained in camps in India.[34] The group was supported by RAW, India’s external intelligence unit.[35] PLOTE also formed links with political parties sympathetic to their cause in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.[36] In 1985, however, RAW signaled their withdrawal of support for PLOTE when they allowed Indian customs officials to seize several containers of military equipment being sent to PLOTE through India. The shipment contained over $4 million USD of weapons and ammunition.[37]
The PLOTE also developed relationships with militant groups abroad, such as the Popular Front for the Liberation Palestine (PFLP), the FMLN in El Salvador, and the African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa.[38]
[1] Crossette, Barbara. “Coup Attempt in Maldives Laid to Tamil Force.” New York Times. 18 December 1988. Web. Accessed 23 July 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/18/world/coup-attempt-in-maldives-laid-to-tamil-force.html>
[2] “PLOTE Incidents.” Global Terrorism Database. Web. Accessed 23 July 2013. <http://www.start.umd.edu/gtd/search/Results.aspx?perpetrator=2265>
[3] Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. “Sri Lanka: Current Information about the People’s Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), including their recruiting methods and whether they have camps.” 1 September 1992. Web. Accessed 23 July 2013. <http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac3e58.html>
[4] Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. “Sri Lanka: Current Information about the People’s Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), including their recruiting methods and whether they have camps.” 1 September 1992. Web. Accessed 23 July 2013. <http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac3e58.html>
[5] UK Border Agency. “Country of Origin Information Report: Sri Lanka.” 30 October 2008. Web. Accessed 23 July 2013.
[6] Furtado, Christina S. “Inter-Rebel Group Dynamics: Cooperation or Competition, the Case of South Asia.” University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007.
[7] Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. “Sri Lanka: Current Information about the People’s Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), including their recruiting methods and whether they have camps.” 1 September 1992. Web. Accessed 23 July 2013. <http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac3e58.html>
[8] Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. “Security and Human Rights Situation, Entry and Exit Procedures, and Personal Documentation: Report on joint fact-finding mission to Sri Lanka. 1 May 2002. Web. Accessed 24 July 2013. <http://refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rwmain?page=search&docid=3df9badbc...
[9] Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. “Security and Human Rights Situation, Entry and Exit Procedures, and Personal Documentation: Report on joint fact-finding mission to Sri Lanka. 1 May 2002. Web. Accessed 24 July 2013. <http://refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rwmain?page=search&docid=3df9badbc...
[10] Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. “Sri Lanka: Current Information about the People’s Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), including their recruiting methods and whether they have camps.” 1 September 1992. Web. Accessed 23 July 2013.
[11] Furtado, Christina S. “Inter-Rebel Group Dynamics: Cooperation or Competition, the Case of South Asia.” University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007.
[12] O’Connor, Maura R. “Untold Stories: Paramilitary Politics.” Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting, Sri Lanka. 8 April 2009. Web. Accessed 24 July 2013.
[13] Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. “Sri Lanka: Current Information about the People’s Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), including their recruiting methods and whether they have camps.” 1 September 1992. Web. Accessed 23 July 2013. <http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac3e58.html>
[14] Furtado, Christina S. “Inter-Rebel Group Dynamics: Cooperation or Competition, the Case of South Asia.” University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007
[15] Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. “Sri Lanka: Current Information about the People’s Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), including their recruiting methods and whether they have camps.” 1 September 1992. Web. Accessed 23 July 2013. <http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac3e58.html>
[16] “Development Assistance and Conflict in Sri Lanka: Lessons from the Eastern Province.” International Crisis Group. 16 April 2009. Web. Accessed 23 July 2013.
[17] Crossette, Barbara. “Coup Attempt in Maldives Laid to Tamil Force.” New York Times. 18 December 1988. Web. Accessed <http://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/18/world/coup-attempt-in-maldives-laid-to...
[18] “Sri Lanka.” Country Data. October 1988. Web. Accessed 23 July 2013. <http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-13260.html>
[19] Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. “Security and Human Rights Situation, Entry and Exit Procedures, and Personal Documentation: Report on joint fact-finding mission to Sri Lanka. 1 May 2002. Web. Accessed 24 July 2013. <http://refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rwmain?page=search&docid=3df9badbc...
[20] Furtado, Christina S. “Inter-Rebel Group Dynamics: Cooperation or Competition, the Case of South Asia.” University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007.
[21] Furtado, Christina S. “Inter-Rebel Group Dynamics: Cooperation or Competition, the Case of South Asia.” University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007.
[22] Crossette, Barbara. “Coup Attempt in Maldives Laid to Tamil Force.” New York Times. 18 December 1988. Web. Accessed 23 July 2013. <http://www.nytimes.com/1988/12/18/world/coup-attempt-in-maldives-laid-to-tamil-force.html>
[23] “PLOTE Incidents.” Global Terrorism Database. Web. Accessed 23 July 2013. <http://www.start.umd.edu/gtd/search/Results.aspx?perpetrator=2265>
[24] Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. “Security and Human Rights Situation, Entry and Exit Procedures, and Personal Documentation: Report on joint fact-finding mission to Sri Lanka. 1 May 2002. Web. Accessed 24 July 2013. <http://refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rwmain?page=search&docid=3df9badbc...
[25] “Sri Lanka: The Failure of the Peace Process.” International Crisis Group. 28 Nov. 2006. Web. Accessed 23 July 2013. <http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/asia/south-asia/sri-lanka/124-sri-...
[26] “Report on the Fact-Finding Mission to Sri Lanka.” Danish Immigration Service. 14 November 1998. Web. Accessed 23 July 2013. <http://refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rwmain?page=search&docid=3ae6a5c70...
[27] Amnesty International. “Wavering Commitment to Human Rights. 1 August 1996. Web. Accessed 24 July 2013. <http://refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rwmain?page=search&docid=3ae6a98c1...
[28] Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. “Sri Lanka: Current Information about the People’s Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), including their recruiting methods and whether they have camps.” 1 September 1992. Web. Accessed 23 July 2013. <http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac3e58.html>
[29] “Report on the Fact-Finding Mission to Sri Lanka.” Danish Immigration Service. 14 November 1998. Web. Accessed 23 July 2013. <http://refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rwmain?page=search&docid=3ae6a5c70...
[30] Amnesty International. “Wavering Commitment to Human Rights. 1 August 1996. Web. Accessed 24 July 2013. <http://refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rwmain?page=search&docid=3ae6a98c1...
[31] Amnesty International. “Wavering Commitment to Human Rights. 1 August 1996. Web. Accessed 24 July 2013. <http://refworld.org/cgi-bin/texis/vtx/rwmain?page=search&docid=3ae6a98c1...
[32] Furtado, Christina S. “Inter-Rebel Group Dynamics: Cooperation or Competition, the Case of South Asia.” University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007.
[33] “LTTE Party To Be Dissolved.” Daily Mirror. 22 August 2011. Web. Accessed 24 July 2013. <http://dailymirror.lk/top-story/13139-ltte-party-to-be-dissolved-.html>
[34] Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada. “Sri Lanka: Current Information about the People’s Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE), including their recruiting methods and whether they have camps.” 1 September 1992. Web. Accessed 23 July 2013. <http://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ac3e58.html>
[35] Furtado, Christina S. “Inter-Rebel Group Dynamics: Cooperation or Competition, the Case of South Asia.” University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007
[36] Furtado, Christina S. “Inter-Rebel Group Dynamics: Cooperation or Competition, the Case of South Asia.” University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007.
[37] Furtado, Christina S. “Inter-Rebel Group Dynamics: Cooperation or Competition, the Case of South Asia.” University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007.
[38] Furtado, Christina S. “Inter-Rebel Group Dynamics: Cooperation or Competition, the Case of South Asia.” University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2007.