Waiting for the command to Grieve: Controversy over the death announcement of Prabhakaran
By Naveen Kanapathipillai
Events that happened in the Vanni theatre of war in the middle of the month of May came as a shock for most of the Diaspora Tamils. Despite the fact that the LTTE was cornered in a narrow strip of land and a chance for the top level leaders to escape and regroup was minimal, many Tamils hoped for a miracle. During the peak of the fighting that resulted in carnage where thousands of civilians and tigers killed, the concern was whether the legendary Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was still in the fighting area. Speculations were many.
[Protesters wear masks of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran during a rally against Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the southern Indian city of Chennai May 28, 2009-Reuters pic]
There were reports that the LTTE supremo did move to a safer area in Vanni jungles with a handful of his fighters. Less credible speculations like the leader`s escape to a South Asian country was also floated. At some point sections of the Tamils who hoped that their leader might have made his way to another area, began to talk that he was still with his cadres and people and leading the fight. Seevaratnam Puleedevan, the executive of the LTTEs Peace Secretariat who was eventually shot dead by the military when he either tried to surrender or negotiate for the safety of the wounded , told the international media earlier that their leader was among them leading the fight. Mr. Nadesan, slain political head together with Puleedevan also confirmed this claim in a press interview, earlier.
Tamils in disbelief
The magnitude of the impact of the news from Vanni between 16th to 19th of May on the Diaspora Tamils is enormous. Almost all the top level leaders were killed, and most of the pictures shown and circulated in the cyber space seemed much authentic and reliable. When still and motion pictures of LTTE leader Prabhakaran lying on the bank of Nanthikadal was aired vast section of the Tamils were stunned, dismayed and were in disbelieve. There was a strong believe that the invincible Prabhakaran would not allow the enemy to humiliate even his dead body. Late S.P Thamilchelvan the former political head of the LTTE recalled in some meetings with the Diaspora that during the fight with the Indian army Prabhakaran had given instructions to his body guards to burn his body if he had to die in a clash with the Indian army. The body guards went around with a can of petrol when the leader was on the move in the Vanni jungle, described Thamilchelvan then. So the general opinion was that Prabhakaran wouldn’t let anybody to humiliate him even after his death.
Sri Lankan intelligence sleuths themselves had believed Prabhakarans body was burnt after he committed suicide or that he might have exploded himself with the ammunition left at the final phase of the war. The huge explosion heard at one occasion during the last days of the fighting adds fuel to this speculation. This is why the Army initially fabricated a story that the LTTE supremo got killed while he tried to escape in an ambulance, and the body was heavily burnt.
Later the military went back to its former claim, and provided evidence for Prabhakaran’s death. Almost instantly after the exhibition of Prabhakaran’s body by the Sri Lankan military on the 19th of May, Tamils in the west distanced themselves from the news and began to question the authenticity of the video footage and the picture published. LTTE overseas network shown its vehement agitation in denying the reports and suggested many stories of picture manipulation. Some of the reactions were very emotionally oriented and they denied accepting any rationality in the news. Selvarasa Pathmanathan, the head of the International relations department of the LTTE confirmed the news on the 24th of May after first denying it in a report earlier for reasons not known.
Dispute in the ranks
Pathmanathan’s announcement was in the dislike for the ardent LTTE supporters and politicians in Tamil Nadu Nedumaran and Vaiko. They were not prepared to bring the news to LTTE sympathisers in the southern state of Tamil Nadu. There are reports that Nedumaran and Vaiko were persuaded by the present administrators of the LTTEs overseas network to denounce the announcement. This network was headed by Manivannan also known as Castro from Vanni, and Castro was presumably killed or took his own life in the latest phase of the war.
It is his remnants in Europe who are administering the overseas network at present. It is also known among the Tamils that Castro department did not like the appointment of Pathmanathan as the head of International relations by Prabhakaran for almost four months back. Pathmanathan is one of the senior member who stood by Prabhakaran during the early days of the LTTE`s build up. He was instrumental for the build up of LTTE oversees branch network. He played major role in providing lifeline to the LTTE for a very long period. With the introduction of Castro and his close aides as in charge of LTTE oversees network, he left behind in standby for few years. It is Prabhakaran himself who felt the need of reintroducing Pathmanathan as the head of International relations at the heat of the fast development in Vanni.
When Pathmanathan made his own investigation with the remaining cadres and put the pieces together he was sure about the death of his leader. It is learned that Pathmanathan then in the first place took initiatives to discuss the Prabhakarans demise with the overseas network of the LTTE. The key figures administering the network were initially cooperative in the discussion, but later shifted the position and started to claim Prabhakaran is alive when the announcement is made on 24th of May. At this stage head of Political Section of the LTTE for district of Batticola and Amparai Thayamohan had also confirmed the death of Prabhakaran in an interview with BBC Tamil Oosai, on the 28th of May.
Overseas branches of the LTTE are nevertheless not mindful of the claims from the ground, and insist that their beloved leader is still alive and refuse to pay last respects. They have chosen to shoot the messenger, namely Pathmanathan, instead of accepting the message at this critical juncture. Some sections of the overseas branches have even begun to spread various rumours about Selvarasa Pathmanathan to discredit him. They even threatened some Tamil media that carried Pathmanathan’s announcement.
Why such controversies?
Though Tamil people held a mixed position on this message, it is obvious that there is no such doubt within the LTTE sections on the demise of their leader. The conflict and controversies within the overseas LTTE is about whether to acknowledge and announce the death of their leader or not. Sources close to LTTE circles reveal discussion on announcing the death of Prabhakaran was alive since the 19th of May.
Two positions emerged; one is for announcing death and the other for not doing it. Sources further revealed Selvarasa Pathmanathan and the remaining LTTE leaders in the ground and a section of overseas LTTE held the position that the death should be immediately announced. They were of the opinion that a last respect should be given to the leader without delay. The official position of the LTTE overseas branches was that such an announcement should not be made or delayed until Maaveerar Naal (Great Heroes day) 2009. Some even started referring how the legendary Subhas Chandrabose`s death become a mystery in India, and how his death plays a role for patriotism there even today.
The reasons behind these different positions collected through various sources that are close to Pathmanathan, Thayamohan and LTTE overseas network are:
Why the death should be announced?
1. We are accountable and responsible to our people and telling the truth is essential and fundamental for responsible behaviour. Furthermore, we are at a very critical juncture in our liberation struggle and we cannot start our next phase of the journey with a lie.
2. Tamil people all over the globe should be given the opportunity to give their last respect to the leader when it is obvious that their leader is no more.
3. It is very important to announce LTTE`s position on the next phase of action immediately to the Tamil people and the International community. After having consulted the ground realities with the leaders in the ground and assessed the international climate, it is strongly felt that LTTE should renounce violence as mean to achieve its political goals. Acknowledging Pirabhakaran’s death is important to declare the new path.
4. The other argument is based on moral responsibility of the current path of the LTTE. “We cannot make annai (Prabhakaran) responsible for our present course of action”. If LTTE maintains the position Prabhakaran is alive and safe, it would lead to a situation to make him responsible for all the actions carried out by the present LTTE.
5. It is also revealed that Pathmanathan strongly felt that as the most senior member of the remaining LTTE cadres and head of Department of International Relations, he has the responsibility and accountability to the Tamil people and the International Community to announce the death and make an end to further speculations. He also felt that he would also be responsible for late announcement or non-announcement of their leader’s death.
Why the death should not be announced?
1. Some of the cadres and majority of Tamil people are not in a mental state to accept and acknowledge Prabhakaran’s death.
2. Announcement would affect the morale of Tamil people and would lead to negative consequences to the existing LTTE supported structures.
3. Announcement would affect present diaspora protests and demonstrations and other activities of the organisation including fund raising.
4. Non announcement may give the space or motivation to the cadres who are willing to continue the armed struggle. Keeping Prabhakaran’s death as a mystery would always keep the fertility to revive the armed struggle.
5. We can wait until Maaveerar Naal 2009 to announce the death of Prabhakaran.
Mendacity of Tamilnet on the issue
Though Pathmanathan and leaders in the ground have recognised the possible negative impacts the announcement could make on the existing structures and working programmes, they strongly felt that hiding the reality and building next course of action on false premises would create more damages in the future than in its short term benefits, sources close to Pathmanathan reveal. After having analysed all the arguments, they have come to a conclusion that their leader’s death should be announced immediately. Pathmanathan was negotiating with overseas branch network to make a cordial arrangement, but negotiations failed
At one stage of the negotiation, it was agreed to announce the death on the 23rd of May, but this was spoiled by a Tamil Net-news published on the 22nd of May, claiming Prabhakaran is safe. This news cited head of International Secretariat of Intelligence wing Mr. Arivazhakan as the source. There are strong reasons to believe that this news is created to scuttle Pathmanathans preparations to announce the leader’s death the day after.
Credibility of Tamilnet`s news citing the intelligence wing news is highly questionable. In the past, LTTE never announced a structure called International Secretariat of Intelligence wing. This announcement is also dangerous to remaining LTTE supported networks. Every country in the world is very sensitive to intelligence activities of other countries and organisations and they take firm actions against such intelligence activities. If Tamil Net claims existence of an institution called International secretariat of Intelligence wing, it one way or another indicates LTTE conducts intelligence activities internationally and such activities are co-ordinated through an international secretariat. Tamil Net is seen as a media close to LTTE by policy makers, and such policy makers and diplomats will give serious consideration on such an institution.
On this basis, this announcement may have very serious implications to the LTTE overseas network in the future. In this background, it is hard to believe the rationale of any LTTE intelligence cadre to claim the existence of an “International secretariat of Intelligence Wing”.
It is reliably learnt that Tamil Net was aware on the 21st of May that an arrangement was made to announce the death of Prabhakaran on the 23rd of May, but published the news from a so-called intelligence wing that Prabhakaran is safe, on the 22nd of May. Even though Tamil Net had direct contact with Pathmanathan, it did not consult with him to verify the news. In contrast, Tamil Net’s contact person told one of the Tamil Nadu leaders (Not Nedumaran or Vaiko) in a conversation that the news was published in consultation with Pathmanathan. There are strong reasons to believe that the intention of Tamil Net was to stop Pathmanathan’s announcement on the next day. It is understood that Tamil Net took great effort to stop Prabhakaran’s death announcement, but the real motive behind that position is not clearly emerged yet.
Pathmanathan was annoyed by the Tamil Net news and questions the motive of this news. Sources close to him reveal that he felt that dirty game has put on motion to sabotage the announcement of Prabhakaran’s death. Despite this sabotage attempt, Pathmanathan continued his dialogue with the person who heads the LTTE oversees branch network after the demise of Castro.
Pathmanathan told him on 22nd of May evening that if LTTE branch network gives an assurance to cooperate with his stand on the need to announce the leader`s death, he would delay the announcement even for 10 days; if not, he would release the announcement the next day, claim the sources. No such assurance was given. After consulting with the leaders in the ground and his contact network oversees, Pathmanathan made the announcement on the 24th of May.
Debate around the announcement
Though vast section of Diaspora felt hard to believe their beloved leader’s death, many who understood the reality began to discuss and debate on the announcement. Those who are close to LTTE oversees network questioned Pathmanathan’s determination in announcing the death. They felt the announcement could have been delayed. They were not fully aware of the controversy over the announcement within LTTE, and speculated various conspiracy theories. One of the strongest speculations was that Pathmanathan was under immense international pressure to announce the death.
Sources close to Pathmanathan deny this speculation. They claim that there was no such pressure over Pathmanathan to announce Prabhakaran`s death. The announcement was made on the basis of moral and political responsibility based on the interest of Tamil nation. It is our moral responsibility to tell the truth to our people and give them opportunity to pay the last respect to the leader, Pathmanathan felt. Furthermore, Pathmanathan holds a strong opinion of chances for an effective armed struggle is very minimal after Prabhakaran’s death and such an armed struggle could have become counter-productive to the Tamil nation at this critical point of time. Ground reality was also not conducive for another phase of armed struggle. Furthermore, any delay in renouncing violence, may lead to very serious consequences to the safety of the cadres who are now in the custody of the Sri Lankan government. It is also important to make a conducive environment to resettle the displaced people to their own places as soon as possible. The delay would also justify militarisation project of Sri Lankan government and would be an obstacle even for a little democratic space that could be created through international pressure on Sri Lanka.
Having realised negative consequences of international isolation during the last phase of war, Pathmanathan strongly felt that the first task of LTTE is to gain international reputation in its next phase of the struggle. He also had a strong conviction that delays in openly announcing a new path would give room for speculation of LTTE’s next phase of action. One such strong speculation could be that LTTE is preparing itself to launch another phase of the armed struggle with the support of Tamil Diaspora. It would be a hindrance to build a relationship with the International Community and would give the space and rationale to the Sri Lankan government to lobby with the International Community to crack down LTTE oversees network, he felt. By analysing all these political aspects, Pathmanathan and the leaders in the ground felt that the new path of LTTE should be announced immediately. It is a moral and political obligation to acknowledge Prabhakaran’s death, before the announcement of new path. Therefore, Pathmanathan and the leaders in the ground have decided to acknowledge their leaders death without further delay.
Denial for mourning
The behaviour of LTTE oversees network after the announcement was very disappointing and threatening. They claimed that their leader is alive and refused to give the last respect to their leader. They threatened the media that announced the Pathmanathan’s statement and interview. Here in Canada, almost all the media carried out the Pathmanathan’s message and started to mourn Prabhakaran demise immediately after the announcement. After few hours, LTTE oversees network functioned effectively and stopped the announcement and mourning of the media that are under their influence or not willing to confront the LTTE oversees network. They also intensified vicious campaign against Pathmanathan. Tamil Net also attempted to discredit the statement of Pathmanathan by citing various sources including another unknown LTTE structure called LTTE Secretariat for Diaspora Affairs.
It is very disturbing to note the moral quality of the leaders of LTTE overseas branches by refusing to give last respect to their legendry leader. Tamil people as a whole are not allowed to give their last respect. It is revealed by some source close to overseas branches that if they accept Pathmanathan announcement, he would take upper hand over their network. Further revelation about these internal disputes and the role played by some individuals in the Tamil Diaspora are withheld for ethical concerns.
Though Pathmanathan is a senior person within the remaining LTTE and made huge contribution to the growth of the LTTE, he is not well-known among general public. It is easy to shoot the messenger who brings a bad news and the news Pathmanathan brought was considered very bad by many Tamils.
[Demonstrators carry pictures of Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran during a protest in Berlin, May 30, 2009-Reuters pic]
LTTEs overseas branches are now left with the responsibility to bring Prabhakaran alive or bring the bad news once again may be with all the reasoning for delaying it. However, the biggest victim in the controversy is LTTE leader Prabhakaran who was fought for Tamil independence for more than three decades with dedication and sacrificed his whole family for the cause. He is ceased to get any kind of last respect yet. Yes! We, Tamil people are not given the opportunity to give our last respect to Prabhakaran at a time when our emotions are alive. We have been asked to wait to grieve until the command is given. It is a great tragedy that death announcement of our great leader and our right to give last respect to him is denied by Prabhakarans very own followers. Prabhakaran himself wouldn’t have liked this situation.
The writer can be contacted at – tamildiaspora@live.com
19 Comments
"And Jacob began to weep.And so did Abraham.
And Isaac.And all the angles,all the seraphim from all the heavens joined in their weeping.
But not God.He alone remained calm.Unmoved.Silent"
Elie Wiesel in Holocaust Poetry.
Generally no one, except a very few who have had maintained contact with the Mullivaykal, knows what happened at the last few hours of the end of this phase. Those few who maintained the contact have not identified themselves yet, including K.P as he is also on the wanted list of Interpol. This is not to cast aspersion on K.P but to draw the fact that he is not free to clear the air of confusion openly.
Tamil diaspora is making a big mistake by ignoring the death of 30000 Tamils who died in the last week and focusing their energy to claim that Pirabhakaran is still alive.
If we would have accepted that Pirabhakaran is no more then we could have made some interesting move. For example, LTTE was proscribed in Canada on the orders of the Minister. President Obama called LTTE to laydown arms and LTTE decided to laydown the arms, eventhough might not be because of the call from the President Obama, but it coincided with the call. Those who went with the white flags to surrender were mowed down by the Sri Lanka security forces, a war crime. Then K.P announced the death of Pirabhakaran and wanted to join the democratic process which was ruthlessly rejected by Gothapaya, a denial of human rights to a group of people. About 30000 Tamils were murdered just to kill Pirabhakaran, which is not justified as mere colateral damage. Furthermore, the army announced first that the entire family of Pirabhakaran were killed, a war crime. Mathivathani, her daughter Thuwaraka and the younger son Balachandran never functioned as LTTE operatives. The army later retracked that claim as someone must have advised the army of this war crime possibility. Very recently, the Government of Sri Lanka humiliated Mr. Bobrae at the BIA. Considering the above facts, we could have requested our MPs, in Canada, to bring a motion in Parliament to the fact that Pirabhakaran is no more and the remaining LTTE is willing to follow the democratic process and therefore the ban should be lifted to help those in the internment camps and to further the Tamil cause through democratic process. There is a very high possibility that several MPs crossing the party line would have voted for it and the Parliament is the supreme body in the country. I have seen a lot of local Tamil bigs used to take photos with many MPs and they should have initiated it. It is still not late. LTTE was proscribed in Canada because of their misbehaviour in Canada. Sri Lanka Government has cold bloodedly murdered about 30000 Tamils during the last week of the fight and no Government has branded Sri Lanka a terroist Government. You obey the law of Canada in Canada. That was the message in the ban. This should be the case with other countries which banned LTTE.
Personally, I am sad that about 30000 Tamils were killed, not because Pirabhakaran was killed. Pirabhakaran killed so many for no reasons. Pirabhakaran made Neelan a hero by murdering him. He was a Phd holder but he could not have done any harm or good to the Tamils. I met him through someone else in 1978 to explain him of a very serious harm being done to Tamils. He could not do anything. Sri Lanka Government can do a lot of damage, but a Tamil can not do that much of damage to merit murder. Equally well known professor wilson could not do anything to the Tamils, good or bad. An average Sinhalese and an average Tamil can not do that much of damage to Tamils to merit murder. Even Karuna wanted to continue with LTTE sans Pottaman, under the direction of Pirabhakaran. Pirabhakaran was, however, hell bent to kill him. He never respected the wishes of the masses. Two heads are always better than one. He brought MR to power by not respecting the wishes of the people and he was killed in the process. If he is not dead, then he had to hide leaving the 30000 Tamils dead whom he claimed to protect, an utter shame. I write this for the 30000 dead Tamils, for Mathivathany and her two kids. They all need justice. I do not belong to the group of Sangary, Douglas or Siththathan. I am for the rights of Tamils. Varatharajaperumal is a better read person among these and he too did not articulate the tragic death of these 30000 for fear of his pay masters. He just dwelled on the dramatic military debacle of LTTE.
The big question is who is the biggest liar: KP or the Castro team. Even KP was ready to continue to lie to Tamils if his conditions are met and then still he wants to continue the so called struggle under his leadership knowing fully he lied to the Tamils.
LTTE and its architechts think that the Tamils are real idiots, muds, donkeys and what not for them to tell whatever and whenever they like.
I wish that if Tamils really smart they shall NOT allow the LTTE and its goondas to have any function for VP hereafter. Tamils need not to hear from KP or DP about the death of their man. They can find themselves. IF they cannot find, it is better not to find ever.
The great tragedy is not the death of VP but the revelation of how the LTTE dare to lie to its own people and how it expects the people to believe it.
I am a Sinhalese who used to click Tamilnet 10 times a day during the last two fateful weeks. Not only Tamils, there were Sinhalese too who would not believe that VP was dead. Defence forces appeared least reliable in this connection floating all kinds of stories one contradicting the other. One strong reason, not mentioned above, I feel that acknowledgment by Tamil side would give credit to the govt and the much awaited final proof for the Sinhala masses to kick off their hysterical celebrations. Hence the reluctance to announce the death and this I believe played a major role in this fiasco. To be honest it is the announcement by SP that settled my mind finally.
Dear Naveen, I am not a member or supporter of any organization, but an ardent supporter of winning justice for Tamils in SL.
Since VP paid the role of being the face for Tamil struggle, announcing his death and paying tribute to VP will boast the morale of our enemies and weaken the Tamil struggle. But, continuing with the political struggle, brushing off VP's death for the time being, will do a big favour to the struggle and put the Tamils in a steady path. Beleive me, the GOSL and it's supporters would love to see Tamils see VP's death as end to Tamil struggle and submitting themselves as slaves to the Lion Power in SL. Therefore, that is exactly what we do not want to do.
We can mourn VP's death when it is the right time, and it is when the Tamil struggle is back on track (and my wish is as a major political force directed by local SL tamils, but since they are under white van threat, voiced by diaspora).
Your statement " However, the biggest victim in the controversy is LTTE leader Prabhakaran who was fought for Tamil independence for more than three decades with dedication and sacrificed his whole family for the cause. He is ceased to get any kind of last respect yet. Yes! We, Tamil people are not given the opportunity to give our last respect to Prabhakaran at a time when our emotions are alive. We have been asked to wait to grieve until the command is given. It is a great tragedy that death announcement of our great leader and our right to give last respect to him is denied by Prabhakarans very own followers. Prabhakaran himself wouldn’t have liked this situation.
"
You are wrong in a big way here. As a person who gave everything to Tamil struggle, VP would prefer to see a much motivated Tamil people to continue the struggle with full strength, rather than weeping and paying tribute to himself.
Thanks Naveen Kanapathipillai, This is a very informative account of the thought processes of the remaining LTTE activists as well as the Diaspora. The arguments for and against the said announcements are well covered in this article. Every tamil felt a sense of loss, which at times was puzzling, because some of the people who felt it were persons who did not like the course of action of the Great Leader. Some even wished for his demise. However, in the post-VP scenario, no person has put up his hand and come forward, even to provide a semblance of leadership to the tamil people. This void created by VP the great leader, has to be taken up by some one. In fact this writer thinks Mahinda Rajapakse had, and still has a chance of acting and speaking like the leader for the Sri Lankan tamils, But the ill advised head of state, who is charged with the mandate to be leader of all Sri Lanka, has blundered, in this regard, big time.
However, the stand taken by the Pathmanathan faction does make more sense. To pursue the very legitimate cause of Tamil Liberation, the strategies have to change. VP has taken it to the world arena, now it needs to transform into a non-violent, struggle, based on human values, devoid of animosity, hatred and vengeance. This is the best way forward for tamil liberation which will be for the greater good of Sri Lanka.
God Bless Sri Lanka
The delay is understandable. A month is too long.
Mr. Prabhakaran himself decided not to announce the death of the first hero Lieutenant Shankar until Shankar's first death anniversary.
Shankar's death was not announced publicly. Mr. Pirabhkaran felt the announcement of the death would encourage the army and the police to hunt the Tigers. The LTTE then was a tiny organization. It had not more than 30 cadres. Announcement of Shankar’s death would demoralize the Tamil public and discourage youths from joining it. Shankar's father was informed.
The LTTE announced Shankar’s death on his first death anniversary. Jaffna’s walls were plastered with his photograph. Leaflets giving details about his life and exploits were distributed.
Hopefully we don't have to wait for another eleven months.
For heaven's sake. What a complete waste of time this article is.
The man is dead. He over-personalised and destroyed the hopes of Tamil Eelam.
I strongly believe in an independent Tamil Eelam, but we are not going to get anywhere if we persist in hero worshipping a megalomaniac who is responsible for so many innocent Tamil, Muslim and Sinhalese deaths. The only people who have any respect for him are a small minority of Tamils (mostly in the diaspora who are prepared to overlook the kidnapping of the children of fisherman to put them on the front line but would be horrified if that were to happen to their own children).
If there is continued hero worship of Prabakharan now we will never ever attract the international support that is more essential now than ever before for the cause of equal rights for SL Tamils in the face of the single-minded brutality of the Rajapakse regime.
Easwaran, I agree that we should be mourning the death of the 30,000 Tamils, and not VP's death. Americans are all taken up with the 'revolution' happening in Iran, and grieve for the death of one protester here, the beating of another protester there, and don't have any tears for the genocide of tens of thousands in Sri Lanka. The world is surely morally twisted.
Tamils had better find a leader fast to replace VP. MR just called on Buddhist nations to help Sri Lanka and vowed to introduce more Buddhist principles and values into governance. That tells us a great deal about his intentions to devolve power to Tamils. It tells us the holocaust is to be stepped up.
Translation:- Pro-LTTE Tamil diaspora are taken for a ride by the LTTE and it's agents around the world in the name of mythical state of Eelam for many many years. They will continue to do so for many many years to come for their personal benefit if you let them.
Translation:- Pro-LTTE Tamil diaspora are taken for a ride by the LTTE and it's agents around the world in the name of mythical state of Eelam for many many years. They will continue to do so for many many years to come for their personal benefit if you let them.
Many of those asking question is why the Supporters of VP have not been ready to mourn the death of VP. They want to see the death confirmed by mourning and events to pay homage. It is similar to Beating PARAI MELAM. People in Jaffna were used to confirm a death, after hearing the Voice of PARAI MELAM.
Some Tamil veterans who are against LTTE and personally VP ask why do not these sympathiers of VP mourn. They are the people wanted to see VP dead than Sinhalease. Someone has commented Why VP had not swallowed Cynaide when he was alive.
Not all tamils in the western world shocked on the demise on the tiger supremo. Some welcomed it.
I am one of those Sinhalese who will never believe that Prabhakaran is dead!!
I think he is alive and kicking and must be planning the next step of the armed conflict as he always did, behind the scene/behind the human-shield!
VP bought his death and that of the thousands of innocent Tamils (for which he had no right whatsoever) the day he decided to to deprive the northen Tamils of their franchise and make MR the King. In the process he has amply demonstrated that he is not believer of democracy. He thought he would teach a resounding lesson to Ranil who was cunningly dislodging his terror out-fit through democratic means. If VP was clever enough he could have been sitting pretty just biding for time. The fact is he was scared that eventually people will get tired of empty rhetorics and the support will dry up. Remember what happened to his second - Mahendrarajah who advocated democratic approach? He cannot come out of the jungle and survive democracy. As simple as that. Miscalculations are bound to produce such results under such circumstances.
At least he could have stuck to his final rhetoric of his body not being allowed to be subjected to shameful mutilations. He thought he could pull a fast one on MR by carrying a white flag! Ha, ha, the real Budhdhist knows better!!
'AANDANDU THORUM ALUDU PURANDALUM MANDROR VARUVARO MAANILATHIL"
ISS
It is a blunder that the LTTEers could not come in to terms with the demise of VP. Freedom struggle is not a religion, and VP is neither immortal. The remnants of LTTE must realize that it is the need of the time to announce it properly and allow/ organize people to give their last respect to that man who fought for a noble cause. The LTTE overseas cannot hide behind the argument that people are not mentally prepared to accept the leader`s death. It is always leaders’ duty to tell people the truth and direct them in a correct path.
It is disturbing to read the account on Tamilnet`s role on the issue. Tamilnet`s manipulations undermine its role as a media. Even if it is an open secret that Tamilnet operates as a mouth piece of the LTTE, many westerners including myself used it to get LTTEs perspective. Now that Tamilnet involves in such manipulations to this extent would lead to a situation the website misses its credibility at least as a reflector on Tamil affairs.
@Kingsley - you're spot on with the kingmaker theory... ironically, 'kotivaligey' in reverse 'eh?
As for Mahendrarajah's democratic inclinations, I've seen nothing before this to suggest that he opted for democracy but it is clear that he fell out of favor with his buddy, just like Karuna and a host of others.
Thugs quarrel, just as they always have.
Let people think. Hiding the leader`s death for such a long time is a major blunder. The culprits behind this has to answer in the future. These kind of people are surely novice in politics, and should not be given a place to lead the Tamil people.