The fate of Sri Lanka's Tamils after the Tigers

It began to build a parallel state in the north and east and to forcibly expel non-Tamils. Urban terrorism is one of its hallmarks, including assassinations of national leaders in Sri Lanka and India. Thirty-two nations declared the Tamil Tigers "terrorists."

What are prospects for autonomy after the defeat of the Tigers?

Prospects are fairly good, but on terms dictated by a Sinhalese-dominated government that has amassed enormous wartime powers and isn't keen to share them. The government has already held elections in several provinces and says it's committed to devolution. In theory, provincial councils control land rights and police powers, but this hasn't happened in the east, where the LTTE was defeated in 2007. Another sticking point is the separating of the north and east, which were combined into one province in the 1990s. Tamil nationalists insist that the two areas should be ruled jointly.

Without adequate powersharing and a full reckoning of Tamil grievances, experts warn that a military victory won't bring lasting peace. Even without the LTTE, resistance could reemerge, says Rohan Gunaratna, head of the International Center for Political Violence and Terrorism Research at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. Mr. Prabhakaran was a charismatic figure for the insurgency. But, Mr. Gunaratna says, "There will be other leaders."

What role does the Tamil diaspora play in the autonomy movement?

The diaspora has had a major role in fundraising for the Tamil Tigers among overseas Tamils, including extortion and blackmail of donors. They have also engaged in political lobbying in Western democracies. The diaspora runs propaganda campaigns and has supplied news agencies barred from the war zone with images of the carnage.

As the LTTE is a proscribed terrorist organization in many countries, Tamils have used charitable fronts such as the Tamil Relief Organization, which is banned in the United States. Jane's Intelligence Review estimates that LTTE charities plus the smuggling of weapons, drugs, and people contributed $300 million a year.

The BBC reported Friday that the Sri Lankan Navy seized a ship sent by Tamil charitable groups in Europe, who say it was carrying food and medicine for refugees. The Sri Lankan government says the ship, which left Britain before the military defeated the rebels, was carrying logistical supplies for the LTTE.

The Tamil diaspora has mostly thrived in exile, and some Tamils may decide to return home if there is a lasting peace. Some returned during the 2002 cease-fire, and the family bonds remain strong. But there is also a risk that alienated Tamil exiles will fund Sri Lanka's next generation of rebels.

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