It has been fourteen years since the end of the civil war in Sri Lanka, during which the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and his family, including his wife and children, were killed. However, recurring rumors persist that Prabhakaran is still alive, reminiscent of a lingering drizzle after the rain has ceased. Someone spreads such rumors every year, claiming to have spoken with Prabhakaran. Among those who frequently make these claims, Nedumaran and Kasi Anandan in Tamil Nadu are prominent figures.
As usual, at the beginning of this year, they announced to journalists that Prabhakaran was alive and claimed he would soon make a public appearance, stirring interest among Tamil people in Tamil Nadu and the diaspora. However, everyone has soon forgotten this news in today’s fast- paced world. The Tamils living in Sri Lanka are not concerned about these rumors because they know the truth, and their current needs and lifestyles have moved to a different phase. Moreover, they despise the word ‘war.’
While everyone had forgotten the announcement of Prabhakaran’s return, in the lead-up to November, the month of ‘Maaveerar Naal’ approached, Nedumaran and Kasi Anandan released a new statement. This time, they claimed not Prabhakaran, but his daughter, Duvaraga, is alive and will address the people on Maaveerar Day.
Let’s see what purpose these announcements serve and who is behind them.
After the defeat of the LTTE and the demise of their key commanders, leader, and his family during the final stages of the Eelam War between 2006-2009, the organization faced a complex and contentious phase. During this critical period, LTTE fund collectors had raised millions of dollars under the banner of the “Tamil Eelam Liberation Fund,” contributing to the LTTE’s substantial financial reserves. Over time, the LTTE amassed significant wealth, particularly in Europe and Canada, investing in various enterprises such as petrol stations, supermarkets, and even a few temples managed through proxies. Following the LTTE’s collapse, the division of these vast assets, held in foreign countries under the names of the Tigers and their intermediaries, became a source of conflict. This dispute extended to the organization’s foreign branches, including the International Secretariat, the Head Secretariat, and the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization, as they grappled with allocating and sharing funds collected from the people during the war’s final stages.
The situation escalated when Parithi, the French representative of the International Secretariat, was killed. The need to divide these assets over time and the desire to conceal internal issues from the public led these organizations to be among the first to declare that Prabhakaran was still alive and would return. This announcement was initially a diversion from the disputes over asset division.
These conflicts attracted the attention of police in various countries, leading to the realization that they involved a struggle over the LTTE’s proxy assets. Consequently, some assets were seized and nationalized. Realizing the gravity of their situation, the higher-ups in the organization settled their disputes and divided the assets among themselves, going their separate ways.
Disappointed by this development, some individuals conducted one last large-scale fundraising operation before withdrawing. This operation was led by a coalition including Cellaiya Jayabalan, known as Abdullah from Switzerland, Kirubakaran from France, Sreeskantharaja from England, Aruna (who is the elder sister of Prabhakaran’s wife, Mathivathani, from England), Inparasa from Sri Lanka, Sivajilingam (a Member of Parliament from Sri Lanka), and others from Tamil Nadu like Nedumaran, Kasi Anandan, and V. Gowthaman.
According to sources, Nedumaran and Kasi Anandan were designated as the authoritative spokespeople of a significant coalition. Notably, Vaiko and Thirumavalavan, who typically participate in such groups, abstained this time, possibly due to their engagement with the DMK alliance in the government. Efforts to include Seeman, known for his audacious and often unverifiable claims like dining on tortoise meat with Prabhakaran, were unsuccessful. Seeman, who firmly believed Prabhakaran was deceased and based his political actions on this narrative, chose not to join a coalition asserting Prabhakaran’s survival, as it contradicted his stance.
Earlier this year, sources reported that Nedumaran and Kasi Anandan, after claiming the impending return of Prabhakaran, intended to broadcast a recorded speech in his voice on Maaveerar Day. To accomplish this, they sought the assistance of Tamil Nadu mimicry artists. However, these artists ultimately declined the task due to concerns about fear and potential legal repercussions.
Ultimately, the ‘Great Deception’ was a worldwide wake-up call for the Tamil community. It highlighted the need for transparency and accountability in their political and fundraising activities. The tragic exploitation of a community’s pain for personal gain underscored the importance of moving beyond the shadows of the past and focusing on building a future based on truth, justice, and reconciliation.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Please note that the views expressed in this article are solely those of the writer. Our publication, Jaffna Monitor, does not necessarily endorse or align with these opinions.
