At around 3:00 a.m. on 18 May 2009, Prabhakaran's son Charles Anthony tried to break the defenses of the Army, but was unsuccessful. This was to prevent the enemy seizing his body. After intense fighting resulting in thousands of civilians being killed and injured the 55 and 58 linked up along the Indian Ocean coast. Stating that it was a pleasurable moment to declare that Thamizh Desiya Thalaivar (Tamil Nationalist Leader) Prabhakaran was hale and healthy, he said that this announcement should put an end to the rumours about his death. Promoted Listen to . . A file picture of LTTE Chief Velupillai Prabhakaran (centre) with his father (from left) Thiruvengadam Velupillai, mother Parvathy, wife Mathivathani and son Charles Anthony. According to the findings of the three-member report Yoshitha Rajapaksa had been recruited and absorbed into the Sri Lanka Navy violating the norms, procedures and other mandatory requisites laid down in the statute with regard to recruitment. But France 24 noted that the photo appeared to be photoshopped. Killinochi. He has three children with his wife, Balachandran Prabhakaran, Charles Anthony Prabhakaran, and Duvaraka Prabhakaran. The undated photograph shows an obese mustachioed youth clad in the LTTE's distinctive striped military fatigues.Flanked by his father, Prabhakaran Jr's high status within the organisation is evidenced by his uniform and sleek automatic pistol sported only by Prabhakaran and senior LTTE commanders known as 'sirappu thalaivars' (special commanders). 1998-2022 Diligent Media Corporation Limited, All Rights Reserved. With the new government taking office, the transfer made to the PSD for Yoshitha has now been cancelled. The death of Charles Anthony, Prabhakaran's son, raises questions Rumours began circulating in the blogosphere on May 16 that Prabhakaran and 300 of his top cadres had committed mass suicide and blown themselves up. The LTTE cadres who broke through were to some extent sandwiched and cut down later. However the LTTE began losing territory gradually from 2007 with the army advancing and tigers retreating. When told of the situation, Prabhakaran was furious. "We have not found their bodies and have no information about them," he said. Everyone knows the truth". it is widely speculated that they are not in Sri Lanka. Mr. Nedumaran exhorted the Indian Government to initiate necessary steps to prevent China from firming up its presence in the island nation. Wednesday, 15 February 2023 00:11 Prabhakaran's son, who returned from Ireland in 2006, is believed to have got a degree in aeronautical engineering and is heading the air wing and computer unit of LTTE, according to the reports. There are also allegations that he was executed, a claim vehemently denied by Sri Lankan authorities. 10. Perera and Commodore M.M.V.B. We have plans) was the message given by the Tigers. [63] It was reported that more than 200 journalists from the local and foreign media attended this event and they had to go through a 10-hour security screening before the event in which Anton Balasingham introduced the LTTE leader as the "President and Prime Minister of Tamil Eelam." In 2009 a Tamil website showed an image showing Prabhakaran viewing a news report of his death in TV which was sent to France 24 as proof of his survival. His remarks came a day after the 'Bottomline' newspaper reported that Prabhakaran's body was identified by his two former aides with the help of certain scars and birth marks. When the battle raged and LTTE started losing many of Anthony is reported to have been with Prabhakaran on the battlefront during the final phase of the war. Fierce fighting occurred between LTTE and the Sri Lanka Army during these last few days. It is thought that the entire . The hasty evacuation of cadres trapped in the peninsula through a mini-Dunkirk type of operation indicated that the Tigers were indeed caught napping. Yoshitha was never sacrificed to fight the war to save the country. Prabhakaran named his eldest son after Charles Anthony, a close and loyal confidant who was killed in a confrontation with the Sri Lankan army in the early 1980s. Subramanian April 2002 Press Meet, Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission, Chandrika Kumaratunga assassination attempt, Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Velupillai_Prabhakaran&oldid=1142513473, CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected pages, Pages using infobox person with multiple criminal charges, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 20:49. Associated with Nedumaran at the press conference was well-known Sri Lankan Tamil poet Kathamuthu Sivanandan known as Kasi Anandan now living in Tamil Nadu. According to a recent confession by Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP, Charles Anthony had spoken to KP and had requested him to take his father, mother, sister and the younger brother to a safe location overseas. This was to be expected. . So Prabhakaran changed his mind and asked his newly appointed overseas LTTE head Selvarasah Pathmanathan alias KP to negotiate the surrender to a third party. Facebook. A decision was reached to launch a tripartite venture. Nedumaran declined to answer queries seeking proof of his claim that the LTTE leader is still alive. minority Tamils in Sri Lanka. This time, they were confronted by the fighters, led by Prabhakaran himself. He is believed to have . Three Tiger contingents Tamil Tigers leader Velupillai Prabhakaran was tortured by the Sri Lankan military before being killed, a leading human rights body said in a report released on Wednesday. The bodies of LTTE political head B Nadesan,LTTE peace Secretariat chief Pulidevan and another top leader Ramesh was found in war zone whereas,another body suspected to be that of Prabhakaran's son Anthony is being . Calling upon the people of Tamil Eelam and Tamilians all over the world to extend their support to Prabhakaran, he said the LTTE leader would be announcing a course of action for the dawn and betterment of the Tamils. Though Prabhakaran had at one time hundreds of cadres as bodyguards only 18 elite fighters accompanied him as bodyguards on the flight from Mullivaaikkaal. "Prabhakaran knows that the movement will collapse if he is killed. The decade-old picture a rare photo-op of the LTTE's first family in the Wanni jungles. However, Prabhakarans determination to stay in the battlefield in the face of defeat with his son Charles Anthony fighting the war demonstrated the commitment of Prabhakaran to his organization. Prabhakaran with family members. On 23 July 1983, the LTTE ambushed an army patrol and killed 13 Sri Lankan soldiers in Thirunelveli, Sri Lanka. These claims were never confirmed and there is a controversy that young Balachandran was executed after being taken into custody. KP had interacted with several officials and diplomats. Troops found 12 million rupees in his possession. He has three children with his wife, Balachandran Prabhakaran, Charles Anthony Prabhakaran and Duwaraka Prabhakaran. [27][30] He came from an influential and wealthy family who owned and managed the major Hindu temples in Valvettithurai. Therefore, the Board cannot make a conclusive statement on his enlistment. He had three younger of us named Balachandran Prabhakaran, Duwaraka Prabhakaran, and Charles Anthony Prabhakaran. Charles Anthony Religion was not a major factor in his philosophy or ideology; the Tamil Tigers' ideology emerged from Marxist-Leninist thought and was explicitly secular. [51] With Prabhakaran being the most wanted man in Sri Lanka,[52] he had said in 1984, I would prefer to die in honour rather than being caught alive by the enemy.[53] Prabhakaran held his first speech on 4 August 1987 at the Suthumalai Amman temple in front of over 100 000 people explaining the position of the LTTE. He was also reportedly injured after the fall of Killinochi. Yogi government's bulldozing continues even today, Congress protests against BJP in Bengaluru, India-China dispute: Deployment of soldiers increases in Galwan Valley, Umesh Pal Murder Case: Action continues against Atiq Ahmed's close friend, Umesh Pal Case: In the Prayagraj murder case, the bulldozer went to the house of Mashukuddin. Prabhakaran sacrificed his son Charles Anthony to fight the war and Mahindas son Yoshitha was nowhere near the war, though Mahinda attempted to gain political mileage saying he gave his son to fight the war to save the country. When Mahinda gave his son to the Navy, Prabhakarans son, Charles Anthony was already fighting the war against the Sri Lankan troops in the jungles of Vanni. Also the bodies of many senior leaders and commanders too were discovered in stages. "[64], During the interview, he stated that the right condition has not risen to give up the demand of Tamil Eelam. son of the outfit`s supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran, headed the were found. He died along with around 100 other LTTE cadres. In trying to breakthrough, a 140-strong Tiger unit led by Pottu Amman and Charles Anthony, Prabhakaran's elder son, first pretended to be civilian refugees but soon opened deadly fire and unleashed 30 suicide bombers on the Lankan guards. He died along with around 100 other LTTE fighters. He brought flowers and sweets for Madhi. Colombo, May 18: Groomed by his father to take . Prasanna de Silva commanding the 55 division was transferred to the 59 division stationed in the south of the war zone. [98][99], Prabhakaran had over the years built up the LTTE into a powerful movement running a shadow state and had acquired the status of being Thesiya Thalaivar (leader of the land). It is possible this could have been considered as a special case. The most shocking development was that after completing that course, Yoshitha had been selected to follow a course of Doctor of Philosophy. Leader of militant Tamil organisation in Sri Lanka (19542009), "Prabhakaran" redirects here. He argued that he chose military means only after observing that nonviolent means have been ineffectual and obsolete, especially after the Thileepan incident. So this is his Plan B," says an intelligence official. reported to have secured an aeronautical engineering degree [63], Prabhakaran also answered a number of questions in which he reaffirmed their commitment towards the peace process, quoted "We are sincerely committed to the peace process. [75] In 2010 Pro-LTTE website TamilWin claimed that the body of Prabhakaran shown belonged to a Sri Lankan soldier showing images of a Prabhakaran look-alike in the Sri Lankan army. Similarly the tiger defenders led by Charles Anthony were also routed and several survivors swallowed cyanide to avoid capture. [41][note 1] In 1973, Prabhakaran teamed up with Chetti Thanabalasingam and with a fraction of the Tamil Manavar Peravai to form the Tamil New Tigers (TNT). Body discovered at dawn Charles Anthony, Prabhakaran's son, who returned from Ireland in 2006 after getting a degree in aeronautical engineering, heads the air wing and computer unit of LTTE. The LTTE leader had to do something. There had been no proper selection process. He was to be assisted by special commander from the east, Ramesh. The 53 hugged the lagoon banks and moved inwards. Prabhakaran's family moved abroad soon after peace talks with the Sri Lankan authorities began in 2001, possibly using the sea route to travel to a third country to emigrate to Europe. The Maha Sangha was full of praise for Mahinda hailing him as a true patriot. he founded 30 years back on the plank of a separate nation for Aanandapuram debacle (File | Reuters) 5 / 10 [45] A member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party who was loyal to Sirimavo Bandaranaike, Duraiappah was seen as a traitor by the Tamil masses. We will raise the issue at the appropriate time. Prabakaran who led a separatist war for the island nations Tamil minority as the head of LTTE was declared killed by the Sri Lankan government troops on May 18, 2009 in Mullaivaikkal in the northern Mullaithivu district. 7. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. He was also reportedly injured after the fall of Their whereabouts were unknown. Anthony reportedly led a battalion of the LTTE when it [76] The theory of Prabhakaran's survival is also supported by Tamil Nadu politician Vaiko who claims Prabhakaran would emerge from hiding at the right time. DELHI The only available photograph of Charles Anthony Prabhakaran shows him as a cherubic youth in jeans and sneakers with his mother Mathivadhani and a battle fatigues-clad father Prabhakaran and his younger sister Dhuwaraha. The people living in Tiger-controlled areas were told not to worry. A number of questions were asked about LTTE's commitment towards the erstwhile peace process and Prabhakaran and Dr. Anton Balasingham jointly answered the questions. Anthony, is also reported to have piloted an aircraft [23], A significant figure of Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism, Prabhakaran is often seen as a martyr by Sri Lankan Tamils, but critics have noted that he created one of the most ruthless and sophisticated insurgencies, with many of the tactics he pioneered influencing political militant groups globally. The Board comprised Rear Admiral D.W.B. All the content on this website is copyright protected and can be reproduced only by giving the due courtesy to 'ft.lk' Copyright 2004 Wijeya Newspapers Ltd. assembling of Czech-made Zlin-143 aircraft, which the LTTE used Subsequently these superstitions became irrelevant but at this critical juncture the Eight phobia was on. This message in turn was conveyed to KP abroad who was naturally elated. [77] The claim of Prabhakaran's survival was reiterated in 2023 by Indian activist Pazha Nedumara, who declared through a press conference held at Thanjavur that the slain leader of LTTE is "still alive and doing well" and that he has been in contact with Prabhakaran's family. Later, he had been attached to the Royal Navy for two more courses in sea training, the committee had observed. "[85] He was called as "military genius" by western military experts. As a result the LTTE and hundreds of thousands of civilians were boxed into a small space that kept on shrinking as the army began advancing. It was reported that Charles Anthony rendered yeoman service to the LTTE being in charge of LTTE air strikes. DNA test findings Charles Anthony (1989-2009) . Repeated questions about his involvement in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination were only answered in a sober note by both Balasingham and Prabhakaran. The tiger contingent tasked to fight to the last was led by none other than Charles Anthony, the eldest son of Prabhakaran. Though no one is sure about Prabhakaran's personal life, he got married to Madhi Vadhani on October 1, 1984 in Tirupporur near Chennai and has a daughter named Duwaraka -- two sons -- Charles Anthony and Balachandran. The University Teachers . The LTTE was virtually demolished. All you need to know about the politician. Three were soldiers taken prisoner on separate occasions in Muhamaalai and Paranthan in 2008. Also the army had set up layers of defence with more personnel at the back. We destroyed it as well. Thereafter the tigers would move into the vast Wanni jungles and operate. The Charles Antony Special Regiment, was an elite infantry unit and the first conventional fighting formation created by the LTTE. The Hindu report A three-pronged drive commenced with the 58 led by Brig. I myself have written extensively about Prabhakarans death in the past. The invitation to Yoshitha from Ukrinmarsh had been made in his personal capacity. Shavendra Silva proceeding north to south, the 59 moving from south to north and the 53 commanded by Gen. Kamal Gunaratne proceeding from west to east. This was when the LTTE was trying to drive an explosive-laden vehicle into the . [81][82][83] It focused single-mindedly on attaining an independent Tamil Eelam. Certificates for both AL and OL are not available in his file. However, some Tamil nationalist hardliners doubted the governments version and claim that Prabakaran may still be alive, after escaping from the final battle zone in 2009.. Is Putin secretly living with his girlfriend? So KP was informed that there could be no third party surrender. Expectations that the LTTE leaders body would never be discovered or found intact, were proved wrong. Charles Anthony Prabhakaran is on Facebook. Anthony started heading the Air Tigers, the air wing of LTTE, from early 2006 and was reported to have overseen the assembling of Czech-made Zlin-143 aircraft which the LTTE used to bomb key installation of the Sri Lankan army. Initial records indicate that at the Passing Out parade in Trincomalee, Cadet Rajapaksa was designated Midshipman of the Year and was awarded the Sword of Honour. All that had been arranged by former Navy Commander, Admiral Karannagoda. fighters. Prabhakaran Jr is believed to be the head of the LTTE's technical division including the Air Tigers. Adding insult injury over the illegal procedures adopted to recruit Yoshitha to the Navy, these special arrangements and other privileges including the selection of Lt. Rajapaksa for special prizes had been provided by a former Navy Commander, Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda. [101] He was also called as Anna/Annai, meaning 'elder brother' by his younger cadets and the younger Sri Lankan Tamil people. At around 3:00a.m. on 18 May 2009, Prabhakaran's son Charles Anthony tried to break the defenses of the Army, but was unsuccessful. He is a celebrity criminal. In contrast, Mahinda used the issue of giving Yoshitha to the Navy for political gains. He died on May 18, 2009, Mullaitivu, Sri Lanka.The parents of Velupillai Prabhakaran are Vallipuram Parvathy, Thiruvenkadam Velupillai. - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}. [100] He was called thambi, meaning younger brother, by Sri Lankan Tamil elders. Even after losing the Jaffna-Kandy road or A-9 highway and all areas to its west the LTTE was yet confident of withstanding the army for a much longer period in areas east of the A-9 highway. The Sri Lankan army has strongly refuted Nedumarans claim of Prabhakaran being alive. Karuna Amman claimed Prabhakaran shot himself but it was denied by Fonseka who claimed the injury was from shrapnel citing the lack of an exit wound. Velupillai Prabhakaran (listen (US English); Tamil: ; Tamil pronunciation:[elpia pabahaan], (26 November 1954 18 May 2009) was a Eelam Tamil guerrilla revolutionary. "Intelligence sources confirmed that LTTE leader Prabhakaran's elder son, Charles Anthony, was injured in fighting." . The makeshift hospital was under attack and medical staff hiding in bunkers. Prabhakaran aged 15, dropped out of school and got associated with the Kuttimani-Thangathurai group (which evolved later into TELO) formed by Selvarajah Yogachandran (known as Kuttimani) and Nadarajah Thangathurai who both also hailed from Valvettithurai. He further mentioned that "There are three fundamentals. His spouse Madhivadhany, daughter Duvaraga and sons Charles Anthony and Balachandran .were also dead. It is interesting to be told that in the last stages of the war, Charles Anthony, Prabhakaran's son, came to wield considerable power, and the brash young chap thought nothing of snubbing senior . [28][29] Thiruvenkadam Velupillai was the District land Officer in the Ceylon Government. Kitta Varattum. In October 2010 the charges against Prabhakaran were dropped by the TADA Court after the Central Bureau of Investigation filed a report stating that he was dead and the case was closed. [95], Prabhakaran's parents, Thiruvenkadam Velupillai and Parvathi, both in their 70s, were found in the Menik Farm camp for displaced people near the town of Vavuniya. But Prabhakaran, stubborn and obstinate, would not listen. The next unit comprised hundred cadres headed by Prabhakaran's eldest son, Charles Anthony. Sunday Times E-Paper. life, he got married to Madhi Vadhani on October 1, 1984 in The DNA test proved that the body found at Nandhikkadal was indeed that of Prabhakaran. Thittam Irukku Prabhakaran's son, who returned from Ireland in 2006, is believed to have got a degree in aeronautical engineering and is heading the air wing and computer unit of LTTE, according to the reports. LTTE supermo Prabhakaran paid tribute to Seelan aka Charles Anthony by naming his elder son and the premiere fighting brigade of LTTE after him. Join Facebook to connect with Charles Anthony Prabhakaran and others you may know. Mullaitivu. It has also been said that one bodyguard had a can of gasoline with him to burn the tiger leaders body if ever he was killed or committed suicide. Sinhalese version - Photos of LTTE Leader Prabhakaran, wife Mathivathani Prabakaran, son Charles Anthony and daughter Duwaraha and their luxury life At around 3:00 a.m. on 18 May 2009, Prabhakaran's son Charles Anthony tried to break the defenses of the Army, but was unsuccessful. Former Tamil Nadu state legislator and leader of the Tamil Nationalist Movement (Thamizh Thesiya Iyakkam) Pazhaniyappan Nedumaran created a stir on 13 February by making a sensational announcement. Balasingham's paternal grandfather was a Hindu priest.. Balasingham's parents separated and following his father's death, Balasingham along-with . This assessment got skewered after the fall of Paranthan in December 2008 which was a major turning point. It has been alleged that one bodyguard had a can of gasoline with him to burn the Tiger leader's body if he was killed or committed suicide. Groomed by his father to take Colombo: A body suspected to be that of Charles Anthony, son of LTTE chief Velupillai Prabhakaran, has been found in the Lanka war zone, Sri Lankan army has said. He died along with around 100 other LTTE fighters. KP was berated. All rights reserved. Prabhakaran with his son in a swimming pool. [54] This speech is seen as a historic turning point in the Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism. Unfortunately this message gave false hopes to KP about the leader being safe. [38], In the early 1970s, United Front government of Sirimavo Bandaranaike introduced the Policy of standardisation which made the criteria for university admission lower for the Sinhalese than for the Tamils. If Prabhakaran was so inclined he could have either relocated clandestinely to the Wanni or Weli-Oya/Manal Aaru jungles or escaped by sea to South-east Asia. He had three children named Balachandran Prabhakaran, Duwaraka Prabhakaran, and Charles Anthony Prabhakaran. which bombed Katunayake Airforce base here in March 2007. His choice of subject became clear on March 26 when the Air Tigers used two light trainer aircraft to attack the Kattunayake airbase in Sri Lanka. [49][50] So Nadesan, Pulidevan and Vijitha the Sinhala wife of Nadesan came out with the released prisoners, carrying white flags. [14][15][16] The LTTE waged war in Sri Lanka for more than 25 years, to create an independent state for the Sri Lankan Tamil people. The Government resolved to get really tough. [85] Interpol described him as someone who was "very alert, known to use disguise and capable of handling sophisticated weaponry and explosives. But now it was being claimed that Prabhakaran, wife and daughter were alive and that the sick . Its leadership professed opposition to religion. But Charles Anthony, his son, couldn't care less about superstition. Even as the army drew closer and closer to the beleaguered tigers the senior deputies began entreating Prabhakaran to withdraw from the war zone. He was the founder and leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (the LTTE or the Tamil Tigers). Later on it was claimed that the bodies of Madhivadhany and Balachandran were found in different bushy patches about 600 metres away from where Prabhakarans body was found. Prabhakaran was reportedly killed in the fighting with the Sri Lankan Army on May 18, 2009. After years of fighting, including the intervention of the Indian Army (IPKF), the conflict was halted after international mediation in 2001. [70] Circumstantial evidence suggested that his death was caused by massive head trauma, several claims on his death have been made and its alleged that his death is due to a shot at close range. "Prabhakaran's body is among the 300 terrorist bodies that we captured," General Fonseka said. Charles Anthony, Prabhakaran's eldest son was named after one of his most trusted lieutenants Charles Anthony Seelan who was killed by Sri Lankan forces in 1983. At 7:30 am next morning, mopping-up operations started again. The LTTE was told explicitly to come out with white flags raised high. It was expected that the 50-person group would take cover in shrub jungle during day and then move through the night to safety in the jungles. Thittam Irukku (Let them come near. After fierce fighting led by Bhanu, three tiger contingents broke through. He passed away on 18 May 2009, in Mullaitivu . ", Prabhakaran also insisted firmly that only de-proscription would bring forth an amenable solution to the ongoing peace process mediated by Norway: "We have informed the government, we have told the Norwegians that de-proscription is a necessary condition for the commencements of talks."[65][66]. They both did so. The body of Pottu Amman and his wife were never discovered. Initially they were accommodated in an Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) camp. The claim was rejected by Sri Lanka which issued a statement stating that Prabhakaran's corpse had been confirmed by his close associates as well as DNA testing.[78][79]. The LTTE wanted to delay the 59 as far as possible to gain time to negotiate with 58. On April 26, 2006, an LTTE suicide bomber tried in vain to assassinate Sri Lankan army commander, Sarath Fonseka, who since then became Prabhakaran's mortal enemy. Whilst Prabhakaran was India, Seelan, together with Mahattaya and Ragu, were in charge of the LTTE in Sri Lanka. This was a new experience. He used to be born on 26 November 1954, in Valvettithurai, Dominion of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka). Influenced by prominent Indian nationalists Subhas Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh, who fought the British Empire, Prabhakaran declared that his goal was 'revolutionary socialism and the creation of an egalitarian society'. km in Mulaithivu district with access to the coast and then defend it strenuously. He maintained that they were in touch with the LTTE leader and would say nothing more than that. The tragic Lankan conflict shows no signs of ending. ALM. Once these demands are accepted or a political solution is put forward by recognising these three fundamentals and our people are satisfied with the solutions we will consider giving up the demand for Eelam." Anthony started heading the Air Tigers, the air wing It was then that the alarm bells began ringing. Thousands had died. After the body, which was floating among the mangroves, was brought ashore, Colonel Ravipriya positively identified it as that of the leader of the LTTE. 1998-2023 India Dot Com Private Limited. The Sri Lankan defence ministry has released what is the clearest photograph so far of LTTE leader Prabhakaran's 24-year-old son Charles Anthony. Prabhakaran was influenced by prominent Indian nationalists Subhas Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh, who fought the British Empire. The decade-old picture a rare photo-op of the LTTE's first family in the Wanni jungles. Another brother, Vaseekaran alias "Lieutenant Siddharth", was killed in an explosion in Kaithadi on 14 February 1987. to bomb key installation of the Sri Lankan Army. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world more open. Madhivadhani and Prabhakaran had three children. Indian intelligence officials call Anthony a latter day Prince Harry deployed in combat-of tremendous propaganda value, showing the Tiger supremo dedicating his own son to the cause, thus justifying more young recruits into the LTTE's 30-year-long struggle for a separate homeland. [91][92] The military spokesman Udaya Nanayakkara said in May 2009 that there was no information about the whereabouts of the remaining members of Prabhakaran's family. It is because we are sincerely committed to peace that we continued a four month cessation of hostilities" was also firm in de-proscription of the LTTE by Sri Lanka and India, "We want the government of India to lift the ban on the LTTE. A major figure of Tamil nationalism and the founder and leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a militant organization that sought to create an independent Tamil state in the north and east of Sri Lanka, due to the oppression of Sri Lankan Tamils by the Sri Lankan Government. news Sunday, September 20, 2015 - 22:56. `Air Tigers` from the jungles of Wanni in Sri Lanka. After the Maithri-Ranil Government was set up, a three-member committee was appointed to inquire as to what Yoshitha did during that period. One was led by Jeyam, one by Pottu Amman and one by Soosai.