In 1976, Velupillai Prabhakaran founded the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a militant organization seeking an independent Tamil state in northern and eastern Sri Lanka. Formed in response to perceived discrimination against Tamils, including the 1956 Sinhala Only Act and anti-Tamil violence, the LTTE would become one of the world’s most sophisticated guerrilla organizations. The group’s formation marked the escalation of Tamil separatist demands from political activism to armed struggle.
1976 AD
Formation of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
In 1976, Velupillai Prabhakaran founded the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a militant organization seeking an independent Tamil state in northern and eastern Sri Lanka. Formed in response to perceived discrimination against Tamils, including the 1956 Sinhala Only Act and anti-Tamil violence, the LTTE would become one of the world's most sophisticated guerrilla organizations. The group's formation marked the escalation of Tamil separatist demands from political activism to armed struggle.