LTTE supremo Prabhakaran is alive, will appear in public at appropriate time: Tamil leader Nedumaran's sensational claim

Chennai: Pazha Nedumaran, a veteran Tamil nationalist leader and former Congressman, on Monday claimed Velupillari Prabakaran, the leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who was declared dead in May 2009, was alive and fine. His wife and daughter, who are believed to have escaped during the end stage Eelam War – IV, too are alive, he claimed.

𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗵𝗮𝗸𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻, 𝗰𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗺𝘀 𝗡𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻

Making the startling claim at a press conference at Mullivaikkal Mutram in Thanjavur in central Tamil Nadu, Nedumaran, who had made several clandestine trips to LTTE-held Jaffna during the civil war in Sri Lanka, said Prabakaran would emerge in public soon.

Nedumaran, who had once put himself up as a human shield to safeguard former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi when stones were rained on her in Tamil Nadu, was one of the earliest supporters of Prabakaran. In fact, Prabakaran during his days in Chennai used to stay at Nedumaran’s MLA hostel room in the 1980s and Indira Gandhi had assured him that she would launch an operation to liberate the Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka, days before she was assassinated.

𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗵𝗮𝗸𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻'𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆: 𝗡𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻

Claiming that he was making the statement with the consent of Prabakaran’s family members, Nedumaran said with Sri Lanka reeling under an economic crisis and the Sinhalese people protesting against Mahinda Rajapaksa, the time was now appropriate for Prabakaran to come out in the open.

According to him, the Tamil Desiya Thalaivar (leader of Tamil Nation) – as Prabkaran is described – is hale and healthy and this announcement should end “rumours about his death”.

On May 18, 2009, the Sri Lankan Government had declared its troops had discovered the body of Prabakaran at Mullivaikal island, and said one of his estranged lieutenants Karuna Muralitharan had confirmed that the body was that of the LTTE leader.

𝗡𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘀 𝘂𝗽𝗼𝗻 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻, 𝗧𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹 𝗡𝗮𝗱𝘂 𝗴𝗼𝘃𝘁𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗵𝗮𝗸𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗻

Nedumaran claimed the LTTE never allowed countries opposed to India to set foot on their land or had any relationship with them. The Indian Government must prevent China from firming up its presence in Sri Lanka, he said. He also called upon the Tamil Nadu Government, political parties and people to support Prabakaran at this crucial juncture.

However, Nedumaran refused to be drawn into a debate on the proof for his claim but said he was in touch with Prabakaran

Ex Sri Lankan MP Sivajilingam responds

Former Sri Lankan MP Sivajilingam responded to Nedumaran's claim by saying that the Sri Lankan authorities had not yet established that the body found was that of Prabhakaran, supporting the argument that he had survived the end of the war and was still alive somewhere secret.

Sivajilingam declared that Nedumaran's assertion that Prabhakaran was still alive was his view and that it could not be disregarded, adding that if it were true, Tamils all over the world would be delighted. “A situation has arisen wherein a Tamil Eelam can be created without a war”, he said. Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi (TVK) Founder T.Velmurugan, MLA, termed as ‘happy’ and ‘sweet’ news that Mr Prabhakaran was alive.