Nonexistent ‘LTTE’ tells India it is not trying to regroup
November 12, 2010 12:48 pm
In a desperate bid to regain legal status in India, the nonexistent
‘LTTE’ has written to Indian Home Minister P. Chidambaram that it is not trying
to regroup and is also not engaged in any illegal activity in the country,
Indian media states.
In an open letter to the minister, the vanquished Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE) has also described as “totally untrue” claims by Indian officials
that the Tigers had links with Indian Maoists.
The letter, dated Nov 5 and reproduced by pro- LTTE websites believed to be
operated from the West, has been copied to External Affairs Minister S.M.
Krishna and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi.
The letter has been signed by “R.M. Supan, Coordinator of LTTE Head Office”.
Supan is believed to be the nom de guerre of the person heading the media wing
of what remains of the LTTE, which has ceased to exist in Sri Lanka but whose
supporters remain active primarily in the West.
The Sri Lankan military decimated the LTTE in May 2009, killing its top
leaders, including Velupillai Prabhakaran and ending one of the longest and
bloodiest insurgencies in the world.
Despite the group’s annihilation, its supporters in the West still weave dreams
of a Tamil homeland to be carved out of Sri Lanka’s northeast. LTTE supporters
in the Tamil diaspora are, however, a divided lot.
LTTE supporters number thousands in the West. But it has virtually no fighters.
Those who survived the military onslaught of 2009 are mostly in Sri Lankan
custody.
The LTTE communication to Chidambaram underlined that the Tigers had not
indulged in any armed activity since May 2009.
It accused the Sri Lankan government “and certain other agencies” of using “our
name and some of our fighters who had surrendered” for “destructive activities”.
“These actions of the government are being manipulated by neighbouring
countries and even certain foreign countries to suit their convenience,” said
the letter, without elaborating which countries it was referring to.
It went on to say that the LTTE was not trying to regroup and was not involved
in any illegal activity in India or any other country.
“We totally reject and strongly condemn the malicious statements linking us
with foreign armed groups; the recent statements by Indian officials that we
have links with Maoist groups in (India are) totally untrue.”
It said that LTTE members and supporters were being “prevented from stating
their defence in India or in foreign countries.
“We request that we be given the opportunity to explain our cause... We are
ready to answer all accusations against us in a court of law.”
Indian officials say the LTTE letter is an attempt to show it was alive and to
influence New Delhi to lift the ban on it. India outlawed the group in 1992 and
has since extended the ban every two years.
In the past, the officials say, the LTTE did have links with Indian insurgent
groups including the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA). It also set up a
base in India to assassinate former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.
“This letter has no meaning because we know the truth,” said one official. “Of
course we also know that the LTTE is not regrouping for the simple reason that
it cannot - as of now. Letters like this will be used to bolster the case that
India’s ban on the group is unnecessary.” The Indian Economic Times reports.