Killing of Thamilchelvan! Is it foul play of LTTE?

By. R. Jayadevan

(November, 03, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) The killing of LTTE political head S P Thamilchelvan by the Sri Lankan air force is being disputed within the wider Tamil circles. I have been contacted by some concerned individuals and they say the Sri Lankan government has taken advantage of the LTTE claim that Thamilchelvan was killed in an air attack. Both parties have not displayed any serious evidence on the attack and the LTTE in particular had not allowed any independent verification of the news. One source said the deaths of Thamilchelvan and others happened when a remote control bomb exploded nearby. The source also questioned how the body of Thamilchelvan could remain intact in a precision attack by the Sri Lankan air force.

Thamilchelvan’s body is intact.

Air Force Spokesman Group Captain Ajantha Silva’s claim published in the government controlled Daily News has given a corroborative account to support the government claim based on the operations undertaken by the Air Force in Kilinochchi. They appear to have liked the LTTE claim to justify theirs.

The state controlled Daily News reported: ‘The LTTE Peace Secretariat website based in Kilinochchi announced the death of the LTTE Political wing leader hours after the SLAF air raids in the south of Kilinochchi and east of Iranamadu, admitting the fact that he was killed due to the air strikes of the SLAF. He was the highest-ranking member of the LTTE to be killed by Security Forces so far. However, the LTTE did not mention the exact location of the incident. Air Force Spokesman Group Captain Ajantha Silva confirmed that both Kfir and MiG 27 fighter jets pounded Thiruvaiaru, a location three kilometres South of Kilinochchi around 6 a.m. yesterday on ‘very reliable information’, identifying the location as a meeting place of LTTE leaders. Our pilots had taken a precise target and it was further confirmed with the LTTE admitting that Thamilselvan was killed in the air strike,” Group Captain Ajantha Silva added. Five other Tiger leaders ‘Lt. Col.’ Anpumani alias Alex, ‘Major’ Mihuthan, ‘Major’ Nethagy, ‘Lieutenant’ Adchgivel and ‘Lieutenant’ Vahakai Kumaran were also killed in the air strike according to pro-LTTE websites’.

The LTTE top leadership was engaged in serious infighting for the past three years. LTTE’s intelligence head Pottu Amman joined by S P Thamilchelvan on one side and the head of international operations Veerakathi Manivannan alias Castro and the Tamileelam Police head P Nadesan on the other side were engaged in the infightings. Castro is evidently established his own intelligence network within the LTTE.

P. Nsadesan and S P Thamilchelvan in Geneva talks.

Both fractions are said to be in serious conflict. Infighting became public knowledge when Thamilchelvan roared at Nadesan in Geneva in 2006 over my colleague A K Vivekananthan and my long captivity in Vanni as he was faced with the embarrassment of answering questions during his visit. Following this acrimonious argument P Nadesan decided to pack his bags and returned to Vanni. It is also claimed P Nadesan was involved with Castro in our incarceration and when media approached Nadesan as the Head of Tamileelam Police he claimed no knowledge of my captivity. When pressed for a meeting with Castro, he ensured Castro’s exit from his office/residence before the media men reached him.

Thamilchelvan was said to be under considerable pressure from the international community on various human rights violations by the LTTE and political issues as he was the man meeting delegations in Kilinochchi. Sources claim he had expressed his serious concerns with Pirabakaran on the issues raised by the and he is said have been instructed to follow the leader’s orders.

By eliminating Thamilchelvan the Castro group has exerted their authority and have further extended the Valveddithuthai/ Myliddy control over the running of the LTTE. LTTE Supremo Velupillai Pirabakaran is from the northern fishing village of Valvettithurai and the LTTE always reflected its power base centred in Valvettithurai. P Nadesan too is from Valvettithurai and Castro is said to be from the adjoining fishing village of Myliddy.

Appointment of Nadesan immediately after Thamilchelvan’s death confirms Castro factions influence over the LTTE.

It has been LTTE’s modus operandi to eliminate its own leaders in suspicious circumstances. The killings of Chellakili and Victor in the early years were done in a clandestine manner to ensure control of LTTE is always remained in the hands of the Valvettithurai / Myliddy people. With Castro strengthening his hands the next challenge he has is the upper class LTTE intelligence head Pottu Amman who is from Nayanmarkaddu (near Nallur) in the central Jaffna peninsula.

Unless independent defence writers like Iqbal Athas could shed light by providing factual and circumstantial evidence to confirm the death of Thamilchelvan was an exclusive Sri Lanka air force work the concerns of the public will not be alleviated.