Eelam National Liberation Front

The Eelam National Liberation Front (ENLF) was an umbrella organization formed in April 1984 by EROS, TELO, and EPRLF. It is rumored that RAW, the external unit of the Indian intelligence services, sponsored the formation of the group. The ENLF did not constitute a formal merger of the groups but rather a "united forum" for the different militant groups to confront challenges and negotiate. In 1985, the LTTE joined the ENLF before their participation in the Thimpu peace talks with the Sri Lankan government. The talks, however, were short-lived and by September 1985, the Sri Lankan government resolved to end the Tamil conflict militarily. In 1986, the LTTE began eliminating other Tamil militant groups, leading to the disbanding of the ENLF. PLOTE was the only one of the "Big Five" groups of the 1980s not to be included in the ENLF merger.