KAMALIKA PIERIS

Radical groups of Tamil youth   started operating in the north in the 1970s. ‘Standardization’ radicalized the student population, and organizations such as Tamil Maanavar Peravai (Tamil Students Federation) and Tamil Ilaingar Peravai (Tamil Youth Federation) were formed.  At one time there were nearly 34 groups, big and small, engaged in acts of violence, said DBS Jeyaraj .

there was a proliferation of underground groups, for the most part centered in the Jaffna Peninsula, but also involving networks in Mannar District and the Eastern Province, observed Michael Roberts These militant groups were in competition with each other from 1970s to 1990s.Most of them had support from the  Indian government  and from Tamilnadu.

In 1970 R Suntheralingam, Superintendent of Police Jaffna range, had written to IGP saying there is now a political aspect to illicit trade between Valvettiturai and South India. Subversive literature was coming in. In 1976, customs officers at Valvettiturai had caught a Tamil youth who was smuggling in books promoting Tamil separatism and Eelam.

Valvettithurai had a legitimate trade with India which was stopped early in the Second World War. The legitimate activity then gave way to a smuggling industry. Valvettiturai became a well known centre of smuggling. It was notorious for this. There were links between the smugglers, the fishermen and the community. Houses were built by the sea to facilitate smuggling. In 1942 Philip Goonewardene, NM Perera, Colvin R de Silva escaped to India in a ‘vallam” from Valvettiturai.

The most notorious smuggler was Vishnusundaram, who it is believed had links to Prabhakaran. There was also Kuttimani, a big time criminal and gangster who was a great help to the Sri Lanka- India clandestine operation. In 1973 the navy had intercepted a consignment of 20,000 detonators sent to Kuttimani, in Valvettiturai.

The Valvettiturai opium and gold smugglers were the first to try to bring in radio transmitters to intercept messages exchanged among the Sri Lanka security forces and police as well as to establish connections between Valvettiturai and Tamilnadu, said Janaka Perera. Valvettiturai had persons who were in league with the DMK politicians of Tamilnadu.

Security camps were set up in Valvettiturai from the 1950s to control the smuggling. There was much friction as a result of this hostile, alien” presence.  Prabhakaran and a host of other Valvettiturai youth grew up in this environment. Kittu and Mahattaya had told DBS Jeyaraj, that many youths of their generation, born in the 1950s, in Valvettiturai grew up with anger and resentment towards the armed forces and the government of Sri Lanka.

Valvettiturai was a close knit community, where visitors were not welcome in certain places. It had a sub-culture of its own  which recognized no other authority and harbored a criminal element. This element was in evidence at local sports matches between schools, where strong arm methods were in evidence when their side was losing, said Rajan Hoole. The Eelam movement used this criminal element. Further, men from Valvettiturai married women from Tamilnadu.  Their children grew up with dual loyalties, to Jaffna and Tamilnadu.

Tamil youth were travelling to India in the 1970s for training in armed combat. The CID reported in 1977 that there was a military buildup of Tamil youth in Jaffna peninsula. The report stated that they were led by Amirthalingam and Yogaratnam of the TULF. These two persons had warned Tamil police not to interfere. (Cyril Ranatunga From peace to war” p 59-61)

The first major Tamil Separatist   organization was TELO. TELO was founded in 1969. It was led by Thangathurai and Kuttimani. TELO was a small well knit outfit. EPRLF (1980) was more intellectual than military said analysts.

Thangathurai had told the army that the creation of   the LTTE was first discussed in a reading room in Valvettiturai. Thangathurai and Kuttimani were there. However, according to DBS Jeyaraj the LTTE was based on an earlier organization. Some ‘old timers’ such as Rajaratnam of Nunavil had in the early 1960s formed a Tiger group to fight for Tamil rights. This never got off the ground.

Prabhakaran revived the group as Tamil New Tigers (TNT). This was led by Thanabalasingham alias Chetty of Kalviyankaadu. This   group assassinated Alfred Duraiappah in 1975. Prabhakaran was one of the four youths who     took part in the assassination.

The TNT became Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) on May 5th 1976. Nine days later on May 14th 1976 Tamil United Liberation Front held its famous Vaddukoddai Convention with its demand for Tamil Eelam. Uma Maheswaran was the first Chairman of the LTTE. Prabhakaran was the military commander.  Both were on the central committee. In 1981 after the departure of Uma Maheswaran, the LTTE re-grouped under the absolute leadership of Prabhakaran.

The seafaring ability and smuggling networks of the   Karaiyar caste network of the LTTE helped to bring it to power observed Michael Roberts.  Their seafaring ability was superior to that of the other groups. Unilever excess products were sent to Soosai and Prabhakaran in Valvettiturai for smuggling to India.

Nalin Suwaris had his own take on the subject. He said many of the LTTE leaders are Christian. Prabha is a Karavar Christian. His wife and children attended church in London. Majority of the LTTE leaders are low caste, he added. Jaffna residents say that Thamil selvam is ‘just a bloody barber’ from Chavakachcheri.  His father used to come to the back gardens of Vellala homes to provide this service, said Suwaris. (Island Mid week rev.18.4.2007 p 3.)

LTTE moved in and out of Tamilnadu easily. When the Police cracked down and began arresting prominent youth activists, Prabhakaran crossed over by sea to Tamil Nadu. He was to shuttle back and forth frequently in the 1970s.  Some undergraduates were on a death fast at the Jaffna University in 1983. When the condition of the girls deteriorated the LTTE sent them to Tamilnadu. Prabhakaran met and married his wife there.

Uma Maheswaran broke away from LTTE and formed PLOTE (Peoples Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) in 1980  PLOTE had a central core trained by the PLO. Initially, LTTE was powerful in Jaffna, and Mullaitivu  PLOTE was powerful in Vavuniya.

PLOTE was one of the Indian trained groups working on the ground under direct Indian army supervision. PLOTE had 80 men originally trained by Indian instructors to engage Sri Lanka forces observed Shamindra Ferdinando.  PLOTE tried to assassinate Maldivian President Gayoom and let Colombo based businessman Luthufee take over the government. This failed.

By 1985/86, LTTE had crushed the other groups. TELO leaders were eliminated in 1985. Uma Maheswaran was assassinated in 1989; EPRLF’s Central Committee was killed as they held a meeting in Chennai in 1990.

Dixit had told DB Jeyaraj that of all the top Tamil militant leaders, only Prabhakaran had fire” in him. Velupillai Prabhakaran came from Valvettiturai. Prabhakaran’s family was of respected lineage in Valvettiturai. He belonged to Thirumeni family. Prabhakaran’s ancestors constructed the famous Sivan temple of Valvettiturai. His father should have been the chief trustee but declined to be so as he was in government service, said DBS Jeyaraj.

His father joined the Government clerical service and eventually became a district lands officer. The father was a duty conscientious mild-mannered gentleman well respected and well-liked. Father disapproved of the son’s path and was not on speaking terms with Prabhakaran for years and years said DBS.

Prabhakaran studied at schools in Jaffna, Vavuniya and Batticaloa because his father was constantly transferred. He was not a model student and did not even pass his GCE O’levels, said DBS.This does not mean that he was unintelligent or did not possess a thirst for knowledge. Prabhakaran was interested in other things rather than in formal education said Jeyaraj.

He liked to read and watch action films. Another pursuit in boyhood was the targeting of squirrels, lizards. Chameleons and small birds with a catapult. As a kid Prabhakaran would prowl about areas of dense vegetation searching for his quarry.

DBS Jeyaraj said that former Kayts MP. V. Navaratnam broke away from ITAK and formed the Thamilar Suyaatchi Kazhagham”, Tamil Self-Rule party in 1968. Navaratnam wanted a separate state not federalism. A teacher named Venugopal became an active supporter of Navaratnam. Several students including Prabhakaran were influenced by Venugopal and turned into ardent devotees of Tamil self-rule.

LTTE subscribed to Time” and Newsweek” .Prabhakaran would ask friends knowledgeable in English to translate and explain articles in them. In later years when the LTTE developed into a full-fledged outfit, important articles from magazines and newspapers were translated into Tamil for Prabhakaran.   Books on military affairs and warfare were also translated into Tamil, said DBS.

Prabhakaran removed and destroyed every single photograph in the house with his picture. When the Police caught up with him they could not get a proper picture of him and had to use only the postal identity card used by Prabhakaran to sit for examinations. Prabhakaran’s memory power was legendary. Prabhakaran would remember faces, names and the last time he had seen someone years ago. He had a photogenic memory.

Prabhakaran died on May 19, 2009, at around 9.30 in the morning. He died during an operation by 4th Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment. ‘We did not know he was hiding in the mangroves. We shot the terrorists in the mangroves. We found his body afterwards’, the army said. He was not captured alive.

Once the army killed Prabhakaran they made sure that he stayed dead.  His body and all items connected with him were burned. Prabhakaran had his Eelam identity card in his shirt pocket. It gave his occupation as Leader of the LTTE.  (Continued)