A Fleeting Moment in My Country

The Last Years of the LTTE De-Facto State

Little is known about the Tamil liberation cause and struggle, as it has been widely dismissed by global powers of all persuasions — the USA, Russia, China and India — each driven by their own real politik reasons and self-interests.

Isolated in their struggle and condemned by world opinion, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE) nonetheless proved capable of withstanding all external forces for a period of decades, drawing large numbers of Tamils, both inside Sri Lanka and outside in the Tamil Diaspora, to support its cause. The LTTE created a progressive internal movement that succeeded in breaking down ancient caste barriers that had resisted the political inducements and leadership of figures such as Gandhi, and inculcated a climate of social justice and equality.

This book, written by a Diaspora Tamil engaged in human rights work in the Tamil-controlled area of Vanni up until it was overrun by Sri Lankan forces, provides a compelling insider's look at the motivations, issues and complexities of this largely secret civil war.

This is what life was like on the ground inside Tamil-controlled territory where the forces of war were held at bay — until 2009 when it was overrun by the Sri Lankan army and the Tamil genocide began.