Prabhakaran alive and well: LTTE

Prabhakaran alive and well: LTTE

Saturday, January 15, 2005 (Colombo):

The LTTE has once again denied reports that its chief Prabhakran and his intelligence officer Pottu Amman have died in the recent tsunami.

Prabharkan has not been seen in public since the December 26, 2004 when the tsunami hit.

While the Sri Lankan state media says he is dead, the LTTE insists Prabhakaran is alive and is personally monitoring and coordinating relief efforts in the LTTE-controlled areas in the North and East from an undisclosed location.

'Dirty trick'

They call the Sri Lankan state media's reports about his death a dirty trick at a time of national calamity.

"After the tsunami disaster, Sri Lankan government had the opportunity of winning the hearts of Tamil people," said S P Thamilchelvan, Head, Political Division, LTTE.

"They should have worked along with the LTTE to help the people. But instead they are just spreading rumours. It is not acceptable at all," he added.

No panic

Meanwhile, in the LTTE controlled areas where Prabhakaran is the head of the police, judiciary and administration, there are no signs of any panic or concern.

The LTTE police headquarters at Killinochi is functioning as usual and so are the courts. LTTE's administration officials are hard at work at the tsunami refugee camps.

All this, say the top brass of the LTTE, is a sign that Prabhakaran is alive and well.

They say their chief will not appear before press cameras every time the Sri Lankan government claims that he is dead. All such claims in the past have proved to be wrong.

Although it was the state owned SLBC that first reported Prabhakaran's death quoting a vice-admiral in the Sri Lankan Army, in capital Colombo they seem to be reluctant to react to LTTE's response.

from ndtv.com