NCJ Number
212231
Journal
Studies in Conflict & Terrorism Volume: 28 Issue: 6 Dated: November-December 2005 Pages: 493-514
Date Published
November 2005
Length
22 pages
Annotation
This article attempts to provide a better understanding of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in India and puts forth the syncretistic religious hues, specifically their strategic use of rituals to mobilize supporters and legitimize their cause among Tamil-speakers.
Abstract
Contrary to claim, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are not overwhelmingly secular in their practices. It has been assumed that all Tiger activists are Hindu. However, they mobilize both the Hindu majority and a significant Christian minority within the Sri Lankan Tamil population. It is argued that the threads of pluralistic religious symbolism are part of the self-motivation and the instrumentality of a highly modern force seeking statehood on the principle of self-determination. It is also suggested that it is a potential facet that may inform the work of those who compose both the visual representations and the rituals. The suggestion that indicates that a modern organization can effectively mix a measure of enchantment amidst secularized rationality is developed in this article. 110 Notes, 7 references