THAMIL NATIONAL LIBERATION STRUGGLE AND  NATIONAL LEADER PRABHAKARAN

 

Chapter 4

 

Indo - Thamil Eelam War

 

The war  between LTTE   and IPKF  broke out on  October 10, 1987.   On October 11, Prabhakaran wrote a letter to  the Chief Minister of Thamil Nadu, M.G.Ramachandran  explaining  the circumstances that led to the break-out hostilities.  He wrote,

 

“As a consequence of  the unjust and tragic death of our commanders and fighters, violence erupted everywhere in Thamil   Eelam.   Racial riots broke here and there.  India had leveled   false accusations against us stating that we were   responsible   for the violence and we tried to break the agreement.  As a result,   a conspiracy was hatched in Colombo  between Indian Defense Minister Pant, Indian High Commissioner Dixit, and Indian Army Chief of Staff  Lt. Gen. Sunderji n one side and  President Jayawardene and National Security Minister Lalith Athulathmudali on the other side. J.R. Jayawardene had announced the banning of  LTTE and the nullification of the  general  amnesty given to  LTTE  cadres.   Indian Defence Minister Pant  declared that India had decided to take strong military action against the   LTTE.                    

 

Following such  belligerent threats and unilateral action, the IPKF launched a vicious military attack  on the LTTE fighters using tanks and   artillery.  On  the morning of October 10, 1987,  IPKF  entered the offices of two Newspapers in Jaffna (Eelamurasu and  Murasoli) and arrested all the workers.   They then  dynamited and blasted the machinery  and  equipment in those offices.  At noon, the Indian forces tried to break  out from Jaffna Fort into  Jaffna town.  When we  tried to check their advance, the Indian army fired back.   The LTTE in turn was compelled to return fire in  self-defence.

 

The Indian army  started shelling  residential areas   using  heavy artillery and tanks for hours together.  Their attacks    increased in intensity and frequency. Because of these indiscriminate attacks, not only the Tiger fighters but also the  civilians   are dying   in their  hundreds.  It was obvious the Indian Army  had orders from Delhi to exterminate the Tigers   even if  that meant  killing large number of  civilians. Surrounded on all sides by the Indian Army,  we are fighting   in self- defence.  We bear arms for a cause  so that it  is  nobler to die fighting rather than be captured alive and die in disgrace. “

 

The war went on with great intensity.  It took one long month for the Indian Army to capture Jaffna peninsula.  Prabhakaran himself took  command and led the fighting.

                              

Prabhakaran  finally decided that guerilla warfare is the best method to fight the Indian armed forces.   So he withdrew with his fighters into the jungles of Vanni in Thamil Eelam.

 

From the Vanni jungles the guerilla war continued.  There were heavy causalities on the Indian side.  Unable to confront the Tigers in battle, they turned their anger against the people and killed  innocent civilians. They killed several women after raping them.

 

While the war was in progress,  Prabhakaran wrote to Rajiv Gandhi  on 12/10/1987, 14/10/1987  and 13/01/1988. He   informed  him that if a cease-fire is declared  and  an  interim council  for Northeast is set up in  accordance with the promise made to him,  the LTTE  was prepared to hand over arms.  But Rajiv 

                                                                                                                                                                  LTTE Fighter 

Gandhi wanted to kill  Prabhakaran and then completely  exterminate the entire LTTE fighters  thus  putting an end to the goal of an independent Thamil Eelam.  So far from halting the war, he inducted more than 150,000   Indian soldiers into  Thamil areas to execute his plan. As a result  the war continued unabated.

 

Thamil Eelam National Leader

 

All the Thamil groups which took up arms to fight for the liberation of Thamil Eelam turned traitors to the Thamils by forsaking the ideal of   Thamil Eelam. They slavishly sold  their souls to the governments of India and Sri Lanka and played the role of paid mercenaries and Quislings.

 

But Prabhakaran was the only leader who boldly  stood  up against  Indian military aggression after  rallying around   the Thamil people of Eelam,  cutting across  caste, religion and   regional  barriers. While the whole world  stood aghast in wonder,  the tiny  Thamil Eelam army  fought the mighty Indian army like a ferocious Tiger. Even the Sinhalese people admired Prabhakaran  as a first rate military commander  who stood against  foreign invasion.   When the war was raging in full fury during   the middle part of 1988,  Prabhakaran came to be  hailed as the’ National Leader of Thamil Eelam’ by the  Thamil people in Thamil Eelam and  other parts of the world.  

 

Martyrdom of Mother Poopathy

 

When Thamil women unfolded the flag of revolt against the Indian invading army,   Mother Poopathy of Maddakkalappu  in South Thamil Eelam started a fast unto death  putting forward two demands:

 

(1) Stop the war; and                                                                                                                                    

(2)  Start negotiations with the LTTE . 

 

But Premier Rajiv Gandhi who lauds Gandhian non-violent principles pooh-poohed her fast.   Mother Poopathy sacrificed her life and became a Martyr on April 19, 1988. Thamil Eelam National leader Prabhakaran issued a statement eulogizing her noble sacrifice.  He said:                                                                                                                                                                

Annai   Poopathy Memorial                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

"Among the Martyrs who  created history by sacrificing their precious lives in the cause of our sacred war of liberation of Thamil Eelam,  Mother Poopathy   secures an exalted  place. She who renounced  her life  as an ordinary   woman, a mother,  head of a family and desires  sacrificed her very life for the empowerment  of her people and the liberation of her race.  The  war of  non-violence   she launched against the tyranny of the Indian army had made the land of Gandhiji bow down its head  in  shame!  She did not die as an ordinary human being. Her supreme sacrifice  raises her as the symbolic awakening of the  motherhood of  Thamil Eelam." 

 

National Heroes Day (November 1987)

 

When Eelam war was raging with fury, every day  liberation fighters were laying  down their lives at the altar of Thamil Eelam liberation. On   November 27, 1989 from his dense jungle hideout,  Thamil Eelam   National Leader Prabhakaran  proclaimed  that “November 27” on which day the first liberation fighter attained martyrdom in the cause of  Thamil Eelam will be commemorated as “ National Heroes Day.” He said ,               

 

"Today is a very important day in the history of our liberation struggle.  We have proclaimed  this day as the National   Heroes Day  to  remember the 1307 martyrs  who sacrificed   their lives for the noble cause of  liberating  Thamil  Eelam. For the  first time we are  commemorating  National Heroes Day.  It is customary for   Remembrance Day to be  commemorated in  many countries in the world  in  memory of   soldiers who fought and died  for the liberation of their   motherland  and soldiers who died in battle  defending their countries'  freedom.

You know that all these days  we have been commemorating days when individual fighters attained martyrdom.  But from   this year   onwards we have proclaimed  one particular  day of the year to remember and commemorate  the death of all the  heroes who attained    martyrdom.  Hence  we have declared November 27 as the National Heroes Day, the day our first LTTE fighter Shankar sacrificed his life  on the battle field.  So we have proclaimed this day as our National Heroes Day.

 

There is  a tradition  among our people. It is to give prominence  to those who hold  high positions and  those who are  wealthy. Likewise  in our  liberation struggle in order not to  separate the leaders and praise their   accomplishments   only,  we have taken a decision to  celebrate National  Heroes Day  with the objective of treating  every fighter on  an equal  footing.

 

                    

So   by  commemorating all the fallen heroes on a specified day  not only we  treat  the leaders as well as the ordinary   fighters equally, we also commemorate jointly all the fighters   who laid down their lives.   Otherwise in course of time only  the leaders will be remembered and honoured  while the rest   will fade   

 

                                                                 Maveerar Cemetery

into oblivion.   So to avoid giving prominence to a  selected few  and to remember all on the same day we decided to celebrate this National Heroes Day.    As far as a Nation is concerned, if  it  does not honour its heroes, intellectuals and women it will become barbaric and   destroy itself.  We have in our country  great  intellectuals.  When compared with other countries our Thamil women are highly  venerated in our society. At the same time there was a paucity for  brave warriors.  But today on this  National  Heroes Day   we have accomplished a sea change in our society. Yes  we  have started to honour our heroes as well.                                            

                                                 

Talks Between Sri Lankan Government and       LTTE

 

Premadasa  who assumed office as the new President in 1988, repeatedly invited the LTTE to come for talks. Since  Prabhakaran  too  was keen on ending  Indian aggression in Thamil homeland, he decided  to accept the invitation of Premadasa.  Due to the  clever  diplomatic move of our leader  National Leader Prabhakaran,  relationship between India and Sri Lanka turned sour and  became hostile. President Premadasa publicly called the Indian army to quit Sri Lanka.

 

The situation became a thorough  embarrassment   for the Indian army which came on the invitation of the Sri Lankan government to enforce so called peace.  The  Indian army withdrew from Thamil Eelam in disgrace in  March, 1990 after tasting defeat and humiliation at the hands of the LTTE.

 

The   military challenge posed by the regional super power was defeated by the LTTE due to Prabhakaran’s  superior military strategy and skillful political maneuvering. The areas vacated by the IPKF swiftly fell into the hands of  the LTTE.  The mercenary force   created by the Indian  army under the style ‘ Thamil National Army’ (TNA) disintegrated and fled  unable to  face  lightning strikes   launched by battle-hardened  and committed LTTE  fighters.  A majority  surrendered to the LTTE with  their arms.  Northeastern Provincial council, the  illegitimate child of the equally illegitimate Indo- Ceylon Accord  collapsed like nine pins.

 

Thamil Eelam  National Leader Prabhakaran emerged  from his hide-out in Vanni. Talks between Sri Lankan Government and LTTE continued.  At the end  due to the  treachery and  the deception  resorted  to by  Sinhalese chauvinism,  the peace talks broke off  abruptly without finding a meaningful  solution to  the ethnic conflict.

   

Chapter 5

 

Thamil Eelam War II

 

LTTE negotiators  on several occasions repeatedly  brought to the notice of the Sri Lankan government the excesses committed by the Sinhalese police and the army. But  the government remained cold to these excesses and this caused relationship between the LTTE and government  to become contentious. On  June 10,1990 an encounter  took place between the Sinhalese police and the LTTE over an incident of violation of human rights committed against a Muslim resident by the Sinhalese police at Kalmunai.  This encounter  ended  in a  full-scale war  between the police and the LTTE.

 

Although  Thamil Eelam National Leader Prabhakaran took  immediate  steps  to bring the war to an end,  the LTTE    committed to safeguard the Thamil people and their homeland was left with no alternative  but to confront  the war unleashed   by chauvinistic Sri Lankan government and its Sinhala  army. Both were   hell-bent on a genocidal war against the Thamils to rob them of their traditional homeland.   

 

On September 1, 1991,  National Leader Prabhakaran met newspaper reporters of Thamil Eelam and explained to them about the prevailing political and military situation.  He said,

 

“Many of the army camps which existed when Thamil Eelam war II started, have  now ceased to exist.  Because army camps at places like Kokkavil  and Mankulam were destroyed by our LTTE forces, a greater part of  Vanni region had  come under our control.  With the destruction of Jaffna Fort, Jaffna town too has been liberated.

            

 

 

During the fight at Elephant Pass, for the first time we engaged the Sinhala army face to face in a conventional warfare.   We fought with a numerically superior  army and checked its  advance for a very long period. If we get panicky over heavy casualties suffered  at Elephant Pass, we can never hope to continue this war.   

We should consider our losses as steps for  future growth.   During the 43 days battle ( 10/7/1991 to 23/8/199 ) we lost 564 fighters.  But on the enemy  side  large number of Sinhalese soldiers died during the  prolonged fighting.  

Prabhakaran with his lieutenants       

When compared with  enemy losses,  ours cannot be described as  excessive.  People who are undergoing untold sufferings will naturally feel alarmed  as to what next.   However, they must rally around in large numbers. Losses suffered in battle must be replenished then and there. People must fully identify themselves with us and understand  our hardships and sufferings.

We are always ready to hold  talks with the Sri Lankan government without  any preconditions.  But the government   should create  the necessary  environment  for holding such talks.

In  the island of Ceylon,   the LTTE is only fighting against the Sri Lankan government forces.  As such I feel there is no necessity for the Indian government to get worried about the LTTE.  The hill country Thamils  should realize that all their woes are caused by the continued betrayal by their leaders.  The liberation struggle of Thamil Eelam cannot  be destroyed  by   any kind of weapons or by any  bombings.”

 

On September 4, 1991 BBC  London correspondent Chris Morris had an interview with the Thamil National Leader Prabhakaran.   During this interview Prabhakaran said,

 

“First and foremost the Sinhalese people must recognize  the basic principles underlying  the national problem of the people of   Thamil Eelam.  They are, recognition of the Thamil  Homeland,  recognition that Thamil people constitute a Nation and the  Thamil people  right to self-determination.  Only on the basis   of this recognition can peace and amity prevail between the two   races.   We never force our young men to join the fighting force.  The truth is because of the oppression of the Thamil people  through  state terrorism and its impact on our society, our youths  are voluntarily  joining the LTTE.   Many parents bring   their children, both boys and girls,  to join our fighting forces at our public meetings.  We are providing such young children  schooling facilities and give them training in various vocations.  We never send   young children to the battlefront.''

 

LTTE Women Organization

 

In the beginning of 1984 for the first time those girls who gave  indirect support to the LTTE  started to contribute their share in the liberation war spearheaded by the LTTE. With the approval of  Thamil Eelam National Leader Prabhakaran they were given  training in the use of fire-arms.  When the Indo-Thamil Eelam war broke-out on October 10,  1987  they directly   joined  the war front. Up to now they are fighting bravely accomplishing  many feats of  valour.

 

In a message given  by the National Leader Prabhakaran related to the Women Wing,  he said,  

 

''Women constitute a majority among the Thamil population.   If they continue to lead a servile life, it will  be  difficult to transform our freedom struggle into  a national liberation movement.   Realizing this fact our movement  gave top priority for women’s liberation.  Women were politicised  and  made to  join our fighting forces. By this we  ushered  in a gigantic   revolution  among women in Thamil society.  A revolution that never took place in the annals of Thamil history has taken place   in Thamil Eelam.  Women  consigned to the kitchen from  time   Women Tigers   immemorial   now bear  arms and don  army uniform.   Today the women folk which remained  dormant  for  a long time. Now it  has awakened fully and stands  as an important arm of  a  mighty revolutionary force.   Our women fighters by their brave  accomplishments   have proved to the world  that  they are in no way inferior to men fighters in bravery, sacrifice, and  thirst for freedom.”                               

 

LTTE Students Organization

 

The future of a country always depends on its younger generation.  Therefore, it is imperative that this generation must be brought up as intelligent, efficient and responsible citizens.  To meet that goal,  it is very important that we give them   proper education.   Towards this end  LTTE Students Organization was formed on the orders of our leader.

 

When we trace the growth of the armed struggle, one can observe very clearly the indispensable part played by the surrounding sea of Thamil Eelam.  Knowing this historical importance,  our leader Prabhakaran formed  the ‘Sea   Tigers’ as  a division of  the  LTTE in 1984.   Today the

Sea  Tigers have grown in  strength as to   pose a challenge to  the Sri Lankan navy.  On March 01, 1992  Women Wing of the Sea Tigers  was formed.  Women Wing’s  feats of chivalry are on par with that of their male counter-part.  

 

Thamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO)

 

Thamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO) was formed in 1985.  Regarding its necessity  Leader Prabhakaran  said,

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              Sea Tigers

“People of Thamil Eelam are facing two battle fronts.  One front is  the   liberation of our  homeland from the invading  Sinhalese armed forces. The other front  is   the  production of food to counter  the tyrannical  economic blockade of the Sinhalese chauvinistic government. Just as the heart regulates the blood circulation and helps the body to conquer diseases, so also the TRO should increase food   production  which is the  life-blood  and  foundation for the final victory of the liberation of Thamil people. ”

 

The growth of  TRO in Thamil Eelam has helped many families to be self-employed  with out  depending on relief assistance.  

 

Thamil Eelam Economic Development Organization (TEEDOR)

 

On May 6, 1994, our leader after honoring  and giving awards to  the best farmers of Thamil Eelam  said,

 

“Thamil Eelam is a fertile land gifted with many natural resources.   It possess  water,  land  and human resource potential  enough to achieve  economic self-sufficiency and development.  Nature’s gift of  resources  must be identified  and put to maximum use.   Production must be increased to meet the economic needs of the people by careful planning and research.  Agriculture and industry are the pivotal  bases for economic development and growth.  As such we should   concentrate our energies on developing agriculture and industry.  To achieve this goal ‘Thamil Eelam Economic Development Organization (TEEDOR)  has  launched several productive projects.  All these activities must be intensified further  so that an independent  Thamil Eelam will    not have to depend on other countries, but stand on its own legs economically.''

 

Black Tigers – Men of Steel  

 

Black Tigers  are  men of steel in their determination  to achieve their  goal of Thamil Eelam.   In a statement National Leader Prabhakaran issued to mark  the occasion of  Black Tigers’ Day on July 5, 1993, he said,

 

“The era of Black Tigers began with Capt. Miller.  A fighting force imbued with the spirit of  supreme self-sacrifice unheard  and unseen in the annals of history  anywhere in the  world before came into existence in Thamil Eelam..  These Black Tigers are  of miracle birth and a class by themselves. They are of gentle heart  but with iron will.  Their love of humanity is  so great  they  sacrifice their dear lives  so that others may live.  In the words   ‘Black Tiger’ , black stands for iron will and unshakable resolve.   Looked at another angle, it  can  also signify darkness which symbolizes secretiveness and mystery.   Hence, the word  Black Tiger can have  many meanings and   many interpretations.  It is this secretiveness which is the prime factor for their decisive operational victories.  This is an era of Black Tigers.  During this era our liberation struggle  will assume  new dimensions.  These warriors who have conquered death  will create new  history and light the torch for the dawn of freedom of our future generations.”

 

March 8 Women's’  Day

 

On Mach 8, 1992, on the occasion of the World Women’s Day in Prabhakaran issued a statement. In that statement he  said,

 

“When we talk about the freedom of women we refer to their freedom from political oppression and economic exploitation.  So  our struggle   for  the liberation  of  women is advanced  on multi-dimensional fronts viz. national liberation, societal liberation, and economic liberation.  This is not a struggle against  oppression of men over women, but  an intellectual fight against ignorance about  male chauvinism.    As such this ideological struggle must have the aim of changing the hearts of men.''  

 

Thamil Eelam Military Academy

 

In a message to commemorate the  first anniversary of the Thamil Eelam Military Academy sent on September 19, 1991 Prabhakaran said “ The Thamil Eelam Military Academy is one of my dreams.  A  new and younger generation of youths should blossom out as the future  architects of my country. This new and revolutionary generation should consist of persons who are  able, intelligent, patriotic, brave, sincere and  modesty. Only this generation should emerge as the architects, administrators and rulers of our country.”

 

Chencholai Kids Club

 

On instructions from  leader Prabhakaran,  the  Chencholai Kids club was inaugurated on October 23 1991  to take care of  girls who had lost their parents and/or  guardians. On this occasion, he sent a message  which read,

 

“Under the environment of  a historic war of liberation we are planting these young seeds  at Chencholai campus. It is my desire that these young seeds must take deep roots and grow up one day as an intellectual reservoir of  Thamil Eelam   I convey my greetings for this revolutionary   venture to thrive well and prosper.”  

 

The Thamil Eelam Police Force (TAP)

 

On November 1991, Prabhakaran officially inaugurated the Thamil Eelam Police Force committed  to serve the security interests of the Thamil people. The TEPF came under the direct control and supervision of leader Prabhakaran. Outlining  the activities of the TEPF  Prabhakaran said,

 

“Members of the police force will always be men of  exemplary conduct,   honesty, fairness,  and discipline.   They will serve  as people’s servants with a high sense of commitment to ensure  social justice and  social progress.   They will move with people with a spirit of love and  dignity in tune with our culture.  They will be completely free of all anti-social crimes and serve the people with

                  Thamil Eelam Police                                                      

patriotic feeling, all the 24 hours of the day.  The aim of our police force is not to catch the criminals and bring them to courts to be tried, but mainly to work with all their might to prevent crimes from being committed in the first place.  Thereby they will work towards the goal of building up a crime-free social order in Thamil Eelam.''

 

Note - It is important here to remember that the Thamil Eelam Police force started their training on June 1, the day when the Sinhalese police set fire to Jaffna Public Library and burnt it down to ashes. 

 

LTTE Art and Cultural Organization

 

Our language, art and culture have taken deep root in our soil of Thamil Eelam for a very long period in the history of the Thamils.  Our arts and cultural heritage are the very soul of our motherland. 

                                                                                            Inspecting Police Recruits Parade

 Keeping this basic truth in mind the first “Muththamizh Celebration” was conducted by the LTTE art and cultural organization on July 15, 1992.   In a statement sent to this celebration Thamil national leader Prabhakaran said this,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         “Today it has become imperative to transform our liberation struggle into an people’s struggle in which the entire people of Thamil Eelam should take an active part and from this very broad base we have to build up our national resistance movement which has become an unavoidable and indispensable historic necessity.  To fulfill this enormous objective, the creative activities of our art and literary men should play the most important part.” 

 

Broadcasting Service –Voice of Tigers

 

On the first  anniversary of the Voice  Tigers Radio,  Thamil National Leader Prabhakaran sent his felicitations in which he stated,

 

“ A  vicious and malicious propaganda campaign has been unleashed   against us by our enemy, the  Sinhalese government,  and its mercenary  Thamil treacherous   groups.   Hence, the Voice of Tigers  should stand up and act as the voice of truth  in countering  enemy’s   false  ideological war. The Voice of Tigers should resound  as the war drum of  “Sathiya Yuththam” (“War of Truth”).   

 

Education Development Board of Thamil Eelam

 

On February 13, 1993, Thamil Eelam National Leader Prabhakaran issued a statement congratulating the students who came out successful in the Thamil Eelam General Certificate of Education Examination conducted by the Educational Development Board of Thamil Eelam.  In this statement he said,

 

“Education is very essential for the growth of humanity and social development.  In fact it is the root of human development.  We never showed any discrimination  between those who opted to dedicate themselves for the social emancipation of our community and the right of  students to carry on their education. Both  are indispensable for the progress and smooth functioning of our society.  Today  the combination of education and war  have  become a historic necessity. As much as war is an armour  for education, so is education a shield for war. Today  in Thamil Eelam, education remains in a state of neglect.  

 

The Sri Lankan government is willfully neglecting the education of the children of Thamil Eelam.  Our students have to study  against heavy odds, hardships and insurmountable difficulties.  In spite of all the hardships and obstruction when our students  prepare for their examinations  their examination are not conducted  as scheduled. When examinations are held, the Sri Lankan armed forces disturb and  disrupt the peace.  Only after surmounting such difficulties that our  students  sit  for their examinations.  Under these circumstances our Thamil Eelam educational development board has successfully conducted the Thamil Eelam General Certificate of Education Examination which is equivalent to the G.C.E O/L examination successfully.  I commend this effort with all my heart and also at  the same time  congratulate all those students who passed this examination.'' 

 

The   Law College of Thamil Eelam

 

In his address  at the Law College of Thamil Eelam on  January 25, 1993 Thamil Eelam National Leader Prabhakaran said,

 

“We are now moving forward to our goal of an independent state of Thamil Eelam.  We must lay the  foundation for such a state from now itself.  Because judiciary is the most important arm of  the state administrative machinery we are giving the best training to you, our  liberation fighters. In  the administration of justice,  the role of judiciary is important. Only those who possess integrity, morality, compassion and self-discipline   should man the judiciary.   In the beginning we created “Reconciliation Boards”,   but you are aware that it committed many mistakes. The judgments given by this body came for criticism and adverse comments  by the people.   Judgments were not rendered in an un-selfish, impartial and fair manner. A justice system consisting of  members  drawn from the  LTTE,  which has a reputation for discipline and order, will be  the foundation  for a strong government and a highly disciplined society. Only when social justice is nurtured properly  can  society rise to new heights.''

 

Swearing in ceremony of  Judges and Lawyers of  Thamil Eelam

 

The following is the address by  Thamil Eelam National Leader Prabhakaran at  the swearing in   ceremony of the judges and lawyers of Thamil Eelam Justice Department on August 19, 1993.  He said,

 

“Our people believe fully that if liberation fighters took responsibility for  the administration of justice system,  they will  dispense justice  with fairness.    People think so because they know fully well that their precious lives for their noble cause of   the liberation of their motherland.  Therefore, the people are really happy.  At this memorable occasion when you, the  liberation fighters are taking oaths to shoulder this sacred responsibility,  I am   confident that you will discharge your duties     with integrity and impartiality to fulfill the great expectation of the people.  It is said that what you learn  is  like a  handful of   sand   and what is not learnt is as large as the universe.  As such try to learn much from worldly experience.  You will receive   sound   knowledge of men and matters only through personal experience.  Try to understand the aspirations of our people,  remove all  contradictions and mete out justice to them with partially from a completely neutral stand.  Of course you will  meet with  difficulties when you discharge your duties justly and honestly.  But never severed from the path of truth and   justice for which  have iron determination and strong willpower together with extreme boldness.” 

 

 Taking of Oath by Judges and Lawyers of the Justice Department of Thamil Eelam

 

Thamil Eelam National Leader Prabhakaran  spoke at the swearing –in-  ceremony of the Judges and lawyers of Thamil Eelam Justice Department which took place on August 19, 1993.   He  said,

 

“Our people fully expect that when our liberation fighters assume the responsibilities of  judges and lawyers, they will weigh the issues and  mete out justice dispassionately and fairly.  People know fully well that our fighters are those who are prepared to lay down their lives for a noble cause.  Therefore,  people feel happy when you assume  responsibility  for the justice system.

 

I am therefore confident  that you will discharge your duties with integrity and responsibility  in fulfilling the great expectation of  our  people.  It is said that what we learn is just  a handful of sand and what is not learnt is as large as the universe. On this basis you should strive to learn  from your worldly experience.  Only through personal  experience you can acquire  full knowledge.     You should consider it your duty to understand the feelings of our people,  resolve their  contradictions and dispense  justice to them. There will be always difficulties when you discharge your duties justly and honestly.  But never waver  from the path of truth and justice when you perform your duties. For that you should possess an iron will and courage.''  

 

Kantharuban Arivucholai

 

On November 13, 1993, National Leader Prabhakaran inaugurated Kantharuban Arivucholai. In his inaugural address he said, “Mother Thamil, who is the common mother for all of us, has embraced all these children.  All our fighters are the brothers of these children.  They have become an inseparable part of the LTTE family. Going beyond  individual family,  beyond  its circle of relations these children will grow up as members of a much wider family. They  will in future  become the architects of our country. The  environment in which they are growing up love of their land and affection for the people will take deep root in their minds.  Endowed with such noble qualities they will receive good education and become the  builders of our nation ready to be of service to our people. On one hand  we are fighting to redeem our land of Thamil Eelam and on the other hand  we are engaged in social programmes  and projects  to uplift  children. But for all these schemes  to  succeed,  the society must wholeheartedly co-operate with us.”

 

                                     

Note - Kaantharuban was a youngster who voluntarily  joined the movement after he lost his parents and had no one to support him.  Later he sought permission from the LTTE leader and became a Black Tiger. He  attained martyrdom. Kantharuban had one last wish which he confided to our leader thus “I was an orphan, but you took me into the fold of the LTTE family and made me somebody. Same way  please take  all the orphans of Thamil Eelam and redeem them from their wretched state of being orphans.”  It is to  fulfill his wishes  that the institution was named  Kantharuban Arivucholai.

  

Permanent and Lasting Peace in the Island

 

On September 13, 1994, Mrs. Ananthi,   reporter from B.B.C. Thamil Service  interviewed  Thamil National Leader Prabhakaran. Responding to a question put to him, he answered thus,