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by Nilantha Ilangamuwa
(August 06, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) What happened to the one that used to be one of the top two leaders of the Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students (EROS), and who later became one of the senior political leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, V. Balakumaran? Minister D.W. Gunasekara recently told the media that he had met many Tamils IDPs (Internally Displaced People), including the widows of Blakumaran and Yogi,the senior LTTE leaders. But the Minister refused to disclose what had happened to the leader when the media questionned him. Some reports claimed that they were slain in the final battle, while others say they were executed by the Government forces after surrendering.
Today the Sri Lanka Guardian will reveal an exclusive photograph of V. Blakumaran and his son sitting on a bunk after they surrendered to the Army last 17 May 2009. According to our source, V. Balkumaran came to surrender to the Army with white flags together with other senior leaders of the LTTE. The photograph was taken in the army-controlled area. The background of the photograph shows army soldiers walking around the area.After the Ministers' comment, the Brigadier Sudantha Ranasinghe, Commissioner General of Rehabilitation, said that the security forces have so far identified 737 hardcore LTTE cadres among the 11,686 LTTE rebels who surrendered at the end of the war in May 2009.
He said that the 737 ex-LTTE personnel were among 7,948 persons currently held by authorities and they were all men. When asked by the media whether among the detained LTTE cadres were Yogaratnam Yogi, one-time LTTE negotiator and Balakumaran of the EROS, Brig. Ranasinghe said that he did not have them.
But this photograph proves that the Blakumaran was surrendered to the Army and that he, along with his son, was taken under army custody.
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