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Tamil Homeland commemorates martyrdom of 12 fighters

Martyrdom of 12 Liberation Tigers including Lt.Col.Kumarappah and Pulendran who sacrificed their lives, having fallen into a web of conspiracy and subterfuge manipulated by Colombo during the IPKF period, is being commemorated today, 5 October 2005, with reverence in all parts of the Tamil Homeland.

Just within a month after Thileepan protested against IPKF’s intransigence and attained martyrdom with a difference by fasting unto death on 26 September 1987, eighteen years ago today on 5 October 1987, these 12 LTTE fighters were deceptively arrested and were about to be taken to Colombo, a conspiracy the fighters protested against, swallowed cyanide to avoid falling into the hands of the Sri Lankan authorities while the Indo-Sri Lanka pact was in force and attained martyrdom.

Quoted below are relevant excerpts from the book “War and Peace” by LTTE theoretician Anton Balasingham, detailing the background that led to the episode:

“October 1987 unfolded as the darkest period in the history of Tamil political struggle. On 2 October a minor incident in the sea off Point Pedro blew up into a major catastrophe precisely because of the Sri Lanka government’s inflexible attitude and the incompetence on Rajiv’s administration in dealing with Jayawardena. The arrest of two senior LTTE commanders, Pulendran and Kumarappa and 15 high-ranking cadres by the SL Navy and their mass suicide in custody at Palaly Air base was a tragedy of immense consequences. It was the straw that broke the camels back in terms of the tense relations between India and the Liberation Tigers.

During the critical time, I was given the responsibility of persuading the IPKF high command and the Indian High Commissioner to secure their release. Mr. Dixit, who was in Delhi at the time, cancelled his holiday and rushed to Colombo to plead with Jayawardena to release the LTTE cadres. Initially Dixit assured us that the problem could be resolved amicably and the LTTE leaders and cadres would soon be released. But as time went by his tone began to change and his confidence began to falter. The following morning on 4th August, Dixit revealed to me that Lalith Athulathmudali, the Minister of National Security, was firm in his demand that all the arrested LTTE cadres should be taken to Colombo for interrogation. I told Dixit that the President had already proclaimed a general amnesty for all the members of the LTTE following the surrender of arms and therefore their arrest and demand for interrogation by Sri Lanka constituted a violation of the Indo-Lanka accord. I also warned him of the far-reaching consequences that would arise if any harm came to our fighters. Further more, I pointed out that the Palaly Air base had been transformed into the military Head Quarters of the IPKF and therefore the safety and the release of the LTTE cadres was the responsibility of India. Mr. Dixit assured me that if Jayawardena failed to yield, he would advise the IPKF commander, General Harkirat Singh, to secure their release.

Realising opinion in Colombo was hardening and with time running out, Dixit requested General Singh to take full control of Palaly Air base and not to allow the Sinhala soldiers to transport the LTTE cadres to Colombo. However, in my dealing with the IPKF commander, I learnt that his relations with Indian High Commissioner were unfriendly and hostile. Subsequently, the General resented Dixit’s request and refused to concur, arguing that there was a chain of command, the GOC Southern command, from whom he received proper orders. Later when I met General Singh, he was furious. ‘He is neither my superior nor is he a military person. If I carry out his orders there will be armed clashes between my troops and Sri Lankan military personnel who are holding the LTTE fighters in their custody’, the General told me. He said he was deeply disturbed over the arrest and detention of the senior LTTE cadres during the cease- fire. In the IPKF commander’s view it was a political issue and had to be resolved at the highest level between Colombo and Delhi.

When I visited Pulendran, Kumarappah and others, I told them Athulathmudali was determined to have them transported to Colombo and that it was a very serious development. They know what would happen to them if they were taken for interrogation and punishment. They immediately wrote and they all signed a letter to their leader, expressing their willingness to die rather than being subjected to torture. I delivered their letter to the Tiger leader. I watched as Prapakaran’s eyes turned red and moist while he read. They had requested him to send them cyanide capsules. He reflected for some time and then collected the deadly poisonous capsules from his commandos and bodyguards and hung them around Mahathaya and my necks and told us to deliver them without fail. On the eventful day, 5th October 1987, I carried out the saddest assignment I have ever undertaken for the LTTE.

In the meantime, while Dixit desperately tried to persuade Jayawardena to relent, Athulathmudali took rapid action. Exercising his authority as Minister of National Security, he despatched a special military plane to Palaly and issued orders to the Air base commander Brigadier Jayaratne, to shift the arrested LTTE cadres to Colombo by force. When the Sinhala soldiers were about to remove them, all the LTTE fighters swallowed cyanide. Pulendran, Kumarappah and ten other senior cadres died immediately.

The news of the mass suicide of the LTTE leaders and cadres spread like wild fire throughout the Tamil homeland, inflaming passions of anger and revenge. The very fact that the tragedy took place at the Head Quarters of IPKF turned the agonised masses hostile towards the Indian Peace Keepers. Violence spread across the Tamil region. The Indian troops were jeered at and stoned and some were attacked. Tragically, reprisal killings of Sinhala civilians exploded into communal clashes in the Eastern province. Jayawardena became furious and agitated; he revoked the general amnesty given to the Tamil Tigers and demanded that India take urgent action to restore order.

On 7 October, the Indian Army Chief, General Krishnaswami Sundarjee and Indian Defence Minister, K.C.Pant flew to Colombo and conferred with President. He was told of Delhi’s decision to disarm the LTTE by military force. Jayawardena was delighted that his strategy of turning the Indians against Tamil Tigers had finally succeeded. ‘Operation Pawan’, a major offensive to disarm LTTE fighters and take control of the Jaffna peninsula was to be launched on 10 October.”

05 October 2005

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