‘LTTE chief Prabhakaran alive, healthy; will make public appearance soon’: Tamil leader's shocking claim

Chennai, Feb 13: Fourteen years after the Sri Lankan government declared LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran dead, veteran former politician in Tamil Nadu politician Pazha Nedumaran today claimed that he is alive and healthy, and that he will soon make a public appearance.

Prabhakaran, who founded the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and led an extensive guerrilla campaign for a separate homeland for Lankan Tamils in the island nation, was declared dead on May 18, 2009 following an operation by Sri Lankan army at Mullivaikal. The Lankan government was then led by Mahinda Rajapaksa as President.

Mr Nedumaran, the president of the World Tamils Confederation, told journalist in Thanjavur, "LTTE chief Prabhakaran is alive and will appear soon. We are happy to announce this to the world. He would announce his plans for Tamil Eelam."

Explaining the timing of this announcement, he said, "The fall of the Rajapaksa government after the Sinhala uprising in Sri Lanka has created a conducive situation. This is the right time for his (Prabhakaran's) appearance."

Following the Sri Lankan government's announcement of Prabhakaran's death in 2009, several photographs and videos of a body were shared. Many had then claimed these were doctored. Others had alleged that the LTTE leader was shot dead in violation of international conventions when he came to surrender under a pact.

Prabhakaran was 54 at the time.

Pazha Nedumaran did not share any details about the LTTE leader's present location.

Prabhakaran was a prime accused in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in a suicide bombing at Sriperumbudur in 1991 after which he was declared a proclaimed offender. He was also charged in some other assassination cases in Sri Lanka and LTTE was declared a banned terror organisation.

What began as a liberation movement with few other groups opposing decades of discrimination against Tamils in Sri Lanka, LTTE Chief Prabhakaran had later switched to armed struggle, known for its guerrilla warfare and suicide attacks. The LTTE became the first terror group to have an air force.

The Sri Lankan forces, on the other hand, were accused of human rights violations on a large scale.

More than a lakh Lankan Tamil civilians were allegedly killed in bombings in the final phase of war against the LTTE. A UN appointed lessons learnt and reconciliation commission too had investigated this. Sri Lanka is yet to respond.