7 January 2005 |
Lanka Truth (the Most Reliable News in Sri
Lanka) on Special coffin to the Tigers
"Tigers' Organisation is reported to have placed
an order for an extraordinary coffin with a foreign country. The
Tigers' Organisation says that this coffin was ordered for the
funeral of a Sea Tiger leader who was second in rank and fell
prey to the tidal waves. But intelligence sources have received
information that Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was
reportedly killed by the tsunami tidal waves and this special
coffin was intended for his funeral. Velupillai Prabhakaran has
attended the special Sunday Service held at Mullativu church on
26th last December and all those present at this special Service
are reported to have been killed by the tsunami waves.
Intelligence sources say that outsiders were not allowed entry
into the Mullativu jungle in fear that this shocking revelation
will cross its boundaries. However Intelligence sources say that
they are still receiving information in this regard."
|
8 January 2005 |
Tamil Tiger leader dead or missing after tsunami: Sri Lanka radio
- also
at Outlook India
COLOMBO : Elusive Tamil Tiger chief Velupillai
Prabhakaran and his intelligence chief Pottu Amman are among the
dead or missing after last week's tsunami disaster, state radio
said Saturday, sparking fresh tension between government and
rebels who immediately denied the report.
The Island
newspaper, meanwhile, reported Saturday that an expensive coffin
"for a top LTTE leader" had been smuggled into a northern Tiger
area inside a container carrying relief for tsunami survivors.
The LTTE, in a statement posted on its official Peace
Secretariat website, slammed the Sri Lanka Broadcasting
Corporation for carrying the reports, saying now was "not the
time for gossip mongering and malicious propaganda".
"The LTTE and the Tamil people wish to strongly protest against
this mischievous act of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation,
stooping down to such low level of broadcasting news that (is)
fabricated by interested parties," the statement said.
"At a time of a national catastrophe of this magnitude, it is
very ... regrettable that a responsible media of the government
takes upon itself the job of spreading rumours and speculation
that tend to create confusion in the minds of the people," it
added.
The radio reports quoted a
Vice Admiral Daya Sandagiri as saying Prabhakaran and Amman
were among those killed or missing in the tsunami. Observers
said, however, it would be difficult for the guerrillas to hide
their leader's death and pointed out he had made a statement
expressing sympathy for all those hit by the December 26 tsunami
days after tragedy.
Prabhakaran directs the struggle for
an independent Tamil homeland from a secret jungle base in the
north-east of Sri Lanka and has a reputation as a fearless and
ruthless guerrilla leader. Under his leadership, the Tamil
Tigers have become a highly-disciplined and highly-motivated
guerrilla force.
Tension has already been rising since
the rebels Wednesday accused government security forces of
preventing private donations from getting to temporary shelters
in rebel areas holding tsunami survivors - claims which the
government denied. The two sides have observed a truce since
February 2002, but Norwegian-backed peace talks have been on
hold since April 2003. Despite the deadlock in negotiations,
both sides have pledged to respect the ceasefire. - AFP
|
10 January 2005 |
B
Raman, Additional Secretary (retired), Cabinet Secretariat,
Government of India, New Delhi, and, presently, Director, Institute
for Topical Studies, Chennai on Tsunami & LTTE
"...The LTTE is a ruthless organization and
Prabakaran was the
most ruthless terrorist
leader in the world. One need not shed any tears over his death,
if he
is really dead... the Sri Lankan Tamils need an LTTE
minus Prabakaran and.. if the LTTE throws him out and gives up
terrorism, India and Sri Lanka should be prepared to do business
with it.... Statesmanship demands that the Sri Lankan leaders should
work for such a denouement through special gestures to the Tamils
and the
other
leaders of the LTTE...
One only has to visit the Internet chat rooms of
many Sinhalese groups to have an idea of their mindset. I am giving
below random examples of the comments of the Sinhalese:
"If we let them alone, disease will wipe them
out. Sounds like the seven plagues in Egypt to me. Let God do
what man has been unwilling to do;
"Nothing like a giant tsunami to ruin a good
rebellion;"
"Those kids [children who were killed by the
tsunami] would have ended up as child soldiers of the LTTE
anyway;"
"Let them [the Tamils] rot. Perfect opportunity
to go in and wipe out what's left of them;"
"Have their leaders strap on mega-bomb
vests, then explode themselves. I'm sure they'll leave
behind a crater large enough to bury quite a few
bodies." .... "
|
8 January 2005 |
LTTE condemns Sri Lanka State Media Reports
"...Referring to a news item broadcasted by the Government owned
Sri Lankan Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) Saturday morning,
quoting Vice Admiral Daya Sandagiri as the source person, that the
leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Intelligence
Chief of the organisation are among the dead or reported missing
consequent to the Tsunami tidal wave attack, the LTTE in a press
release said that it "strongly protested against the mischievous act
of the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, stooping down to such low
level of broadcasting news that are fabricated by interested
parties... The government has a moral responsibility to ensure that
its media exercise extra caution in broadcasting news material that
tend to create tension and confusion, especially at a time the
people are in distress consequent to the natural disaster..."
|
11 January 2005 |
Where is Prabakaran? - Hindu Editorial
Even if one were to discount reports that the leader of the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, Velupillai Prabakaran, is
among the thousands dead or missing in Sri Lanka after the
December 26 tsunami, his absence at a time of unprecedented
crisis for the people in the LTTE-controlled North-East is
passing strange.
In the countries hit by the catastrophe, national and
regional leaders publicly and visibly rallied to provide
direction to a people confused and shattered by the unexpected
nature of the calamity and the extent of the devastation around
them. In Sri Lanka, the country worst affected after Indonesia,
both President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Leader of the
Opposition Ranil Wickremesinghe rose to the occasion. The
President cut short her private visit to the United Kingdom and
flew back to Sri Lanka immediately to direct relief operations.
During her short absence in the immediate aftermath of the
disaster, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse held the fort ably.
President Kumaratunga and Mr. Wickremesinghe put aside their
rivalry and made similar appeals calling on the Sri Lankan
people to rise above all political, ethnic, and religious
differences and to make a united effort to rebuild the country.
But in North-East Sri Lanka, where some places have been as
badly affected as parts of the south, the most important
political figure is conspicuously missing. Where is Mr.
Prabakaran at this hour of grief and distress for a people he
claims only he and his group can lead?
A statement from the LTTE lambasted the Sri Lanka
Broadcasting Corporation, a state-run radio station and the
first to air a report about Mr. Prabakaran's possible fate in
the tsunami, for "spreading rumours and speculation." The radio
station has since retracted the report but it is interesting
that the LTTE statement is not a categorical denial. In fact, it
does not say anything specific about Mr. Prabakaran's safety and
well-being.
Ignoring this detail and assuming that the LTTE leader is
alive and well, his non-appearance in public is outrageous by
any standard of leadership, considering that of the more than
30,000 people killed in Sri Lanka nearly half lived in the
North-East. On December 29, a statement attributed to him and
appealing for international assistance for the tsunami-hit
regions of the North-East appeared on a few websites. But nearly
two weeks after the tragedy, the "national leader," as Mr.
Prabakaran is described by the LTTE, is yet to make direct
contact with the Tamil people. It can be argued that the LTTE
supremo obsessed with his security makes only rare public
appearances. Over the last decade, he has not departed from his
custom of making a public appearance and speech just once a
year, on November 27, a day observed by the LTTE as "Heroes
Day." But surely an extraordinary situation demands
extraordinary gestures by a leader.
However, the absence of the LTTE leader does not seem to have
held up relief operations in the North-East. Despite the
extensive toll the tsunami inflicted on its military forces,
especially its Sea Wing, the LTTE has managed to project its
capability in organising relief. Soosai, the commander of the
Sea Tigers who is widely believed to have differences with
Prabakaran, has been the most visible member of the LTTE
hierarchy post-tsunami, and appears to be leading the task of
relief and immediate rehabilitation.
The Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation, a front of the LTTE,
has stepped up efforts to raise funds abroad, especially from
the Sri Lankan Tamil diaspora. For long, Mr. Prabakaran's name
alone was used to motivate the Tiger international network. But
first Karuna's revolt, and now the tsunami, seems to have
transformed the situation on the ground in favour of the Sri
Lankan state.
Assuming he is alive, the LTTE supremo will be under
tremendous pressure to appear in public. Not only will such
surfacing be the only way to express solidarity with the people
he claims to represent, it is the only way by which he can set
at rest the stories aswirl about his fate.
|
12 January 2005 |
Pirabhakaran Mystery; a Response to the Hindu Editorial by Sachi Sri
Kantha
"I read with amusement your editorial [Jan.11] which had a caption,
'Where is Prabakaran?'. The simple answer is, he is in Eelam. He has been in
Eelam since 1987, after returning from the "house arrest" in New Delhi
arranged by the then Indian prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and his then prime
advisor J.N.Dixit. Unlike typical Sri Lankan politicians [ such as President
Chandrika Kumaratunga, foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar and their ilk],
Prabhakaran is not in the habit of flying off to other lands, at the drop of
the hat. He is not even a politician. He is a visionary rebel, in the mould
of Subhas Chandra Bose. Only run of the mill politicians salivate like dogs
for camera attention and interviews from journalist hacks. Tamils in Eelam
know well that Prabhakaran lives amongst themselves, and thus there is no
urgent need for merely 'showing the face' to console the affected public.
Tamils will never forget that since 1987, Prabhakaran has led the LTTE
forces against the Sri Lankan army and Indian army, while living among them
in Eelam. Eelam populace can distinguish well journalists from India
[amongst whom the the House of Hindu counts as one], who show faked anguish
and pseudo-sympathy in words to their plight and to their travails."
more
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13 January 2005 |
LTTE statement on Prabhakaran’s death is not a categroical denial –
Asian Tribune,
Colombo, 13 January, (Asiantribune.com): The
editorial of The Hindu, (January 11, 2005) has opened up the
mystery of the missing Prabhakaran once again. This Indian
national newspaper pin-points that though the Sri Lanka
Broadcasting Corporation has “retracted the report (of
Prabhakaran’s death) the LTTE condemnation of the broadcast “is
not a categorical denial.” It adds: “In fact, it does not say
anything specific about Mr. Prabhakaran's safety and
well-being.” The Hindu also points out that “Karuna's revolt,
and now the tsunami, seems to have transformed the situation on
the ground in favour of the Sri Lankan state.”
|
14 January 2005 |
Prabhakaran dead! Body found! says Karuna - Graphic Details of
Prabhakaran's Death - At Lanka Truth -
The Most Reliable News in Sri Lanka
- also
At Our Lanka -
At Talk About Network
"
Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is dead says leader of
the Tamileela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) and former
military leader of the Tiger organization for Eastern Province,
Karuna Amman.Speaking to our reporter yesterday, Karuna Amman
said more than 500 top level cadres of the Wanni Tiger
organization died when tsunami waves battered the coastal belt
in Sri Lanka on 26th December and among them were Piriharan and
Pottuamman.
Prabhakaran’s body was found on the 12th at
about 11.30 a.m. A group of Tiger members who had been
searching for his body using a few boats that survived
tsunami waves found the body said Karuna. Though the body
was in a decomposed stage the Tiger members were able to
recognize it as that of Prabhakaran’s. My associates in
Wanni had informed me that top Tiger leaders who have
survived tsunami had been looking for Prabhakaran for the
last few weeks.
Death of Pottuamman and his deputy had been
reported even earlier. The VIP funeral that was held at ‘Maha
Weera’ memorial was held for Pottuamman. Many expected
Prabhakaran to participate at this ceremony. But what really
happened was Balraj read a message said to be from Prabhakaran.
Many of the underground quarters have been filled with water.
Mulativu hospital which treats only the Tiger elite has been
completely destroyed. Pottuamman died while he was there.
However, Tiger organization will not announce these deaths.
What they say is their leader is hiding in a safe hideout.
Can we believe that there is a threat that he
canot come out for a few seconds, face a video camera and get
back into his hiding place? I challenge! If Piripaharan is
alive, let him video a statement about the latest situation and
issue it to the public.
It is very clear. If he is the liberator of the
Tamil people he should come forward now. But how can a dead
person appear in video?
This is how Karuna Amman spoke
about Prabhakaran’s death. However, Tiger organization states
there hasn’t been any harm to their leader. "
|
16 January 2005 |
Lanka Truth (the Most Reliable News in Sri
Lanka) on SLFP Dinakara Report
"Velupillai Prabhakaran, leader of the Wanni
Tiger organization is dead says ‘Dinakara’ official organ of the
SLFP in a headline in its latest publication quoting a foreign
journalist. Under the headline “Prabhakaran, no,no,no!”
‘Dinakara’ states a number of top leaders of tiger organization
including Prbhakaran perished in tsunami waves. The newspaper
emphasizes that the rumour that Prabhakaran is hiding is
baseless. “Dinakara” is the official organ of the SLFP which is
published with the direct supervision of the president of the
SLFP, Ms. Chandrika |Kumaratunga, the President."
|
18 January 2005 |
Lanka Truth (the Most Reliable News in Sri
Lanka) on Prabhakaran dummy comes to life
"Wanni Tiger organization is making arrangements
to bring before the media a person resembling Velupillai
Prabhakaran, the leader presumed dead. Tigers are making a great
effort to conceal from the world Prabhakaran’s death. It is
rumoured in Wanni that one of the bodyguards of Prabhakaran, who
resembles him physically, is to be prepared to be presented to
the media as Prabhakaran. At the moment make up artists are
working on him say these sources. Tigers are making arrangements
to publish photographs of this pseudo “Prabhakaran” having a
discussion with a foreign delegate. Though 25 days have passed
since tsunami disaster, Prabhakaran has not appeared in public
nor has any media announcement made about his failure to address
the public after such a disaster where according to Daya Master,
their spokes person, more than 20,000 of their members have
perished. A foreign news agency had reported that Prabhakaran
and Pottuamman, the tiger intelligence chief had died in tsunami
waves."
|
20 January 2005 |
T.Sabaratnam- the Gap Widens
"... The rumour about Pirapaharan’s death inflicted the greatest damage.
It showed clearly the desire of the Sinhala people to defeat the Tamils and
subjugate them. A week after the Norwegian envoy received a message from the
Tiger leader, the state-run radio, Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation
(SLBC), interrupted its normal program and announced the death of
Pirapaharan. The story, repeated several times, said Pirapaharan was one of
victims of the tsunami killer wave. Such repeat announcements are usually
given in the case of death of the head of state or government. But, unlike
in the case of the death of a very important persons' announcement, which
normally saddens the people, this announcement gladdened the majority of the
Sinhala people. ..The SLBC announcement attributed its source to Sri Lanka’s
top security service official, Chief of Defence Staff and Navy Commander
Vice Admiral Daya Sandagiri. ...The Island and its Sinhala sister paper
Divaina, the torch-bearers of
Sinhala chauvinism, picked the story and added something of their own.
Their reporter rang his contact in the EPDP propaganda unit. He was provided
with an ‘inside’ story of two expensive coffins, each costing around one
million Sri Lankan rupees, being smuggled to Vanni hidden in the lorries
that carried tsunami relief material..."
|
23 January 2005 |
S.Sivanayagam on Rumour-mongering, Sinhala Chauvinism and
Hindu's Ram
"The recent vicious instance of rumor-mongering was the spread of false
rumours reporting the death of Tamil leader Velupillai Pirabakaran. Reports
of the "death" of Mr. Pirabakaran are nothing new. But what is surprising is
the number of people in high places who have been deriving a morbid pleasure
in wishing that Mr. Pirabakaran were dead.Who are these people in high
places? The President of Sri Lanka, Madame Chandrika for instance. .. At a
time when the whole of Sri Lanka was reeling under the biggest disaster the
country had known...how did these people occupying such seats of
responsibility lose their sense of humanity to relish the prospect of the
Tamil leader’s death, even it were the 'dreaded' Pirabakaran? The case of
the editor of a leading Indian newspaper – The Hindu –Ram
by name, is even more shameful. No sooner than the wishful
conjecture of Mr. Pirabakaran’s death spread in Sri Lanka and in the West,
Ram
jumped on the bandwagon. "Where is Prabakaran?" was the title of his
editorial on January 11, as if that was a fit subject for an editorial in a
reputed Indian newspaper, at a time when both his country and Sri Lanka were
reeling under the tsunami tragedy. It was very obvious that the poor man was
wishing that Mr. Pirabakaran was dead, from the kind of doubts he raised in
that editorial about the Tamil leader being alive. What a disappointment for
him to find Mr. Pirapaharan is very much alive..."
more
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30 January 2005 |
Desperately
Seeking Intelligence
- Sachi Sri Kantha
"Now that the rumors of LTTE leader
Pirabhakaran’s death due to tsunami on December 26th have been
shredded as whimsical hot air of intelligence-challenged
individuals in Colombo, it is not irrelevant to delve a little
into the mentality of pseudo-experts who gulped such hot air.
The Tweedledum and Tweedledee of Chennai, sharing the same name
[N.Ram and B.Raman] crosses one’s mind. The folly of Tweedledum
N.Ram – the editor of the Hindu newspaper - has been aptly
critiqued by the
Oru Paper editorial of January 23. The Tweedledee B.Raman
also deserves some scorn...Last year, in the aftermath of
V.Muralitharan’s [aka Col.Karuna] sacking by the LTTE, I was
informed by a Tamil Nadu-born reader of my commentaries that
this same B.Raman was a top intelligence official serving the
Research and Analysis Wing of Indian bureaucracy..."
more
|
1 April 2004 |
The
RAW Factor in Col.Karuna's Revolt
- Sachi Sri Kantha
“The Cabinet Secretariat Research and Analysis Wing [RAW],
India's most powerful intelligence agency, is India’s external
intelligence agency. RAW has become an effective instrument of
India's national power, and has assumed a significant role in
formulating India's domestic and foreign policies. RAW has
engaged in disinformation campaigns, espionage and sabotage
against Pakistan and other neighboring countries. RAW has
enjoyed the backing of successive Indian governments in these
efforts. Working directly under the Prime Minister, the
structure, rank, pay and perks of the Research & Analysis Wing
are kept secret from Parliament.”
more
|
|
By Way of Background.... |
1 June 1990
|
Tamil
Voice International Editorial -
"In India, (there is) the widespread suspicion that RAW has
been planting "stories" with the help of obliging editors and
reporters in order to wean away popular sympathy from the Eelam
Tamil cause. Where they failed to suppress Eelam Tamil
nationalism through cloak and dagger methods on Eelam Tamil
soil, they now resort to a continuous campaign of disinformation
through the Indian media."
more
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2 May 2001
|
Pirabaharan's Premature Obituary in the Madras Hindu - Sachi Sri
Kantha,
"..Before Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated
in 1991, the motley brand of spies belonging to India's
Intelligence Agencies had plotted to kill Pirabaharan. Among my
collection of Pirabaharaniana, nothing beats the following news
item, which appeared in the Hindu newspaper of July 24, 1989.
The caption was, "Prabhakaran reported killed in LTTE shootout".
more
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5 December 2002 |
The ‘Death’ and ‘Rebirth’ of Prabhakaran - S.Sivanayagam,
"..India’s state-owned electronic media, both All India Radio
and Doordarshan made their listeners and viewers happy across
the sub-continent. Chief Minister of Northeastern province and
the IPKF’s poodle Varadaraja Perumal said he was absolutely
certain that Prabakharan was dead. No doubt he was seeing
visions of a rosy future for himself..."
more
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