LTTE fundraiser becomes the Mayor

(May 28, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) The LTTE’s leading activists and fundraiser Miss Elizabeth Packiyadevi Mann has been elected as Mayor at the London Borough of Southwark council meeting. The Council controlled by Liberal Democratic Party has elected Miss Mann in a determined way as a result of political pressure from the President of the Liberal Democratic Party Simon Hughes MP.

Simon Hughes is the Member of Parliament for Southwark and Bermondsey constituency. The LTTE had its headquarters Eelam House at 202 Long Lane in his constituency. He was introduced to the LTTE by Miss Mann who is a local resident of the constituency. Simon Hughes MP had visited the Eelam House many times and has interacted with the hardcore LTTE members and as a result had undertaken a visit to Sri Lanka in the late 1990’s.

( Image:Eliza Mann (left) at a LTTE front demonstration in Whitehall, London ) Miss Elizabeth Packiyadevi Mann is considered be the blue eyed lady of Simon Hughes MP and he has rubbished representations about her direct engagement with the LTTE.


When the peace agreement was signed in 2002 between the government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE, which lasted for four years Miss Mann visited the LTTE nerve centre in Vanni many times. She is said to have taken cash and electronic equipments during her visits to the LTTE controlled Vanni. When she entered the border post she was taken in full guard of honour by the LTTE elite squad in their military vehicle to the nerve centre and was taken on special visits to the LTTE centres by this squad.

Miss Mann was the head of the Tamil Eelam Economic Development Organisation (TEEDOR) of the LTTE in the UK. She was actively involved in the fundraising for this organisation. She also was involved with the LTTE’s Human Rights organisation. She was soon kicked out due to internal struggle with Diedre McConnel. Diedre joined with her newly married husband Kiruba kicked her out unceremoniously with high powered scandalous campaign against her within the LTTE circle in Geneva.

Mayoral position is a local Council is purely ceremonial. A Mayor has additional powers of using their casting vote in a tie voting in a Council meeting and also they have powers to raise special funds for good charitable causes. Miss Mann is expected to launch a special fundraising programme for LTTE projects in Vanni towards the end of her term. She will serve as Mayor for a term of twelve months.
- Sri Lanka Guardian