In news from Sri Lanka, conflicting reports are emerging about LTTE chief V Prabhakaran, who according to the Sri Lankan government has been injured in an air raid by the Sri Lankan air force on November 26 in the rebel-held northern district of Kilinochchi.
Media reports say the injuries are minor. After initially keeping silent on the reports, it was only on Wednesday, three weeks after the attack, that the Sri Lankan government confirmed the reports.
The Lankan defence ministry spokesperson said,"Intelligence sources confirmed that the LTTE supremo, Velupillai Prabhakaran, had sustained injuries in the air strikes carried out by four fighter aircraft of the Sri Lanka Air Force on a bunker complex in Jayanthinagar, Kilinochchi around 5.25 pm on November 26."
The LTTE has however rubbished the report as, it is believed, it fears the demoralising effect the news could have on its cadres - coming as it does on the heels of the killing of its political head Thamilselvan in another air force raid last month.
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LTTE trying to smuggle out injured Prabhakaran
The LTTE is trying to sneak its leader Velupillai Prabhakaran out of Sri Lanka for treatment abroad following severe injuries he is said to have sustained in an air raid last month, a government-owned newspaper claimed on Friday.
The Daily News also claimed that 116 of the 200 guards protecting the LTTE Supremo had died in the recent attack by the Sri Lankan Air Force, in which Prabhakaran was said to have been injured.
The LTTE, which has denied reports of injury to Prabhakaran, could not be contacted for its comments on the latest Daily News claim.
A senior Defence Ministry official said that since intelligence reports have "confirmed" that Prabhakaran sustained injuries on November 26, there could be an attempt by the Tiger leader to go to India for treatment if the medical facilities in Killinocchi or Mullaithivu were not sufficient to treat him.
"But India will not provide any facility for Prabhakaran and we will not allow him to leave the country and will maintain strict vigilance on the LTTE movement," the official felt.
The newspaper said the condition of Prabhakaran, a diabetic, has worsened and the LTTE is looking at prospects of taking him out of the country for treatment.
"Intelligence reports indicate that the top Tiger has sustained injuries or fractures in his arm and a leg. Since the Tiger leader is already suffering from diabetes, the situation has got worse and the LTTE is making attempts to evacuate him to a foreign country for further treatment," the newspaper said.
(http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
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LTTE trying to take Prabhakaran abroad for treatment: report
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has been attempting to smuggle its chief, Velupillai Prabhakaran, out of Sri Lanka to treat the injuries he suffered when the air force busted his bunker last month, the media reported Friday.
According to the government-owned Daily News, intelligence reports say that the Tiger chieftain might have suffered fractures in his arm and leg when his bunker in Jayanthinagar, northern Sri Lanka, was destroyed by the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) on Nov 26.
'Since the Tiger leader is already suffering from diabetes, the situation has got worse and the LTTE is making attempts to evacuate him to a foreign country for further treatment,' the paper said.
The Colombo-based daily said 116 of the 200 bodyguards of the Tiger chieftain were killed in the air raid.
The SLAF's MIGs and Kfirs fighter bombers, which struck the bunkers, had used a sufficient number of bombs to destroy the kind of bunker Prabhakaran would hide in.
'The pilots who carried out the task observed that anti-aircraft guns at the location were activated once the target was hit precisely. That confirmed that the Tiger leader was definitely there at the time of the raid.
'The Tiger leader has around 200 guards around him all the time. The SLAF has received reliable information that 116 of Prabhakaran's bodyguards also perished in the air raid.'
According to information available, the LTTE removed rubble from the location to save the life of Prabhakaran who had been trapped inside a destroyed bunker, the report added.
However, a senior Tamil journalist working in north Sri Lanka discounted the story.
'Prabhakaran's wife, Mathivathani, would never have participated in a public function in Kilinochchi last Sunday (Dec 16) if her husband was in bed with a grievous injury. Also, she would never have attended a public function if the security situation was so bad,' the journalist, who did not want to be identified, told IANS.
(http://www.earthtimes.org)
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Prabhakaran lives more than 40 ft underground
Tamil Tiger leader Velupillai Prabhakaran lives more than 40 ft underground in a massive, well provided, and seemingly impenetrable bunker complex hewn from rocks in the middle of a thick jungle in northeast Sri Lanka.
Adele Balasingham, the Australian-born wife of the late Anton Balasingham, the LTTE's ideologue, describes Prabhakaran's office cum residence in the Alampil jungles, in her book "The Will to Freedom".
"Our cadres led us down the steps into a room about thirty to forty feet underground. To our amazement, we could see that this subterranean haven of tunnels and rooms had been chiseled out of the underground rocks. Our room had been carved out, high enough to stand up in and move around comfortably."
"Prabhakaran's room was even deeper underground than ours," she writes.
"Low lying roofs constructed over the bunkers, and banks to divert water, prevented the monsoon rains from pouring in and flooding the bunkers."
"Stronger than concrete, this underground granite structure stood up to the heavy downpour of the monsoon rains when the entire jungle turned into a muddy quagmire."
"Since we were deep into the earth, where the sun's heat has no access, the room was absolutely freezing, particularly at night. My bones ached from the cold and I wondered how it could be endured over a sustained period of time. But obviously it had been, and without any ill-effects," she notes.
The expansive complex was more like a village than a camp. It had been cleared of virgin jungle. The LTTE's cadres had pulled out rocks and cleared the foliage except the giant trees, which gave it good cover. Sixty to seventy feet wells had been dug, only to find that there was no water!
Since the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) was on the prowl in the Mullaitivu jungles at that time she was referring to, keeping "Base One Four" supplied with food and other necessities was extremely problematical.
From 1987 to 1990, the IPKF was fighting the LTTE as the latter had refused to comply with the India-Sri Lanka Accord on the ethnic question and lay down arms.
Under these difficult circumstances, the LTTE's cadres in Base One Four had to survive on rice and dhal without salt, Adele says.
The routes of the food suppliers had to be changed frequently to avoid being detected by the IAF's MI-24 choppers and the IPKF's foot patrols. Mines had to be detected and dodged.
Though the camp was visible from the air, and the IAF's choppers could swoop down, the casualties in Base One Four were minimal, Adele notes.
The place had, however, been very well defended on the ground by a network of mines, booby traps and snipers, as the IPKF learnt to its discomfiture when it attempted an air borne assault on Alampil in the latter stages of the war against Prabhakaran.
At the present time, Base One Four will surely have a ring of anti-aircraft guns as the Jayanthinagar camp had when the SLAF struck it on November 26.
Military analysts here say that Prabhakaran will be in danger of being hit from the air, not when he is in Base One Four, but when he ventures out to meet his cadres or attends functions outside.
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Prabhakaran limits public appearances
On the 16th of this month, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam opened what it said was an Elder's Home in Kilinochchi. Usually, these types of events are inaugurated by LTTE leader Velupillei Prabhakaran. In this instance however, it was his Wife Mathivathani who attended the event (See Photo - Source Tamilnet). With the recent publicity given to the air raid which destroyed part of Prabhakaran's underground bunker, many began to speculate that he did not attend the event due to the injuries received in the incident. Latest Military intelligence reports suggest otherwise.
Apparently, LTTE's intelligence service (TOSSIE) has warned Prabhakaran of a plot to assassinate him in a public meeting by assassins disguised as civilians. As a result of this warning, LTTE leader has avoided attending several public functions recently with the latest one being the Elder's Home opening. It is still not clear if the warning mentioned the army's Long Range Reconnaissance Patrol (LRRP) or a rival faction within/outside the LTTE. LRRP has penetrated deep into LTTE controlled territory and so has intelligence cadres from the breakaway Karuna faction (TMVP).
Meanwhile tension prevailed in Kilinochchi on the 18th when hundreds of civilians staged a protest against a LTTE leader who allegedly raped a 13 year old schoolgirl. The angry mob is said to have damaged several vehicles belonging to the tigers. According to MI, LTTE leader in question and several protestors have been detained by LTTE's de facto police.
(http://defencenet.blogspot.com)
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Prabhakaran did receive minor injuries in air raid - Military Intelligence
Several days ago, an article written by D.B.S Jeyaraj suggested that the LTTE leader received minor injuries in a SLAF Air Strike. However the Sri Lankan military did not issue any statement regarding this incident as ground based intelligence sources had not confirmed the news. So many factors suggested that the story was based on rumors and speculation and was a false lead. However, according to latest intelligence reports, LTTE's seemingly invincible leader is confirmed to have received minor injuries in the said air strike.
The air strike which is said to have caused the injuries involved three Israeli built ground attack aircraft of the 10th fighter squadron. They dropped 12 MK80 Series bombs near Jeyanthi Nagar in Kilinochchi district on the 28th of November. One or more bombs that were dropped had hit the bunker in which the LTTE leader was residing at the time. He received minor injuries to the right shoulder when parts of the underground bunker crumbled upon impact. Although Prabhakaran's injuries were in no way life threatening, he was immediately evacuated to a secret LTTE installation where he was inspected by several doctors who declared the wounds and bruises were nothing of serious nature.
(http://defencenet.blogspot.com)
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Prabha Injured?
Journalist D.B.S. Jeyaraj has claimed that LTTE Supremo Velupillai Pripaharan was slightly injured in an aerial attack in Kilinochchi in November. He claims that this injury has gone below the radar of the Sri Lankan Security Forces. The situation as we know it is as follows;
Sri Lanka Air Force launched a series of attacks on identified targets in the last week of November. They destroyed a suspected safehouse of the LTTE leader (which was reported by DW) in an area called Iruthirapuram (also called Uruthirapuram), a suburb of Kilinochchi. The safehouse was completely destroyed and contrary to what Jeyaraj says, no underground concrete bunker was observed. Although it is possible for Prabha to have been injured in any of these attacks, ground intelligence sources have no credible information about Jeyaraj's claims. If the SLA sources are accurate enough to discover his safehouse, they can also be reasonably expected to obtain information regarding his injuries.
Although we dismiss Jeyaraj's claims, several things can be ascertained as truth in this matter. Firstly Prabha is trapped in the general area Kilinochchi-Mullaithivu. Secondly, it is also true that he prefers to hide in densely populated areas and avoids LTTE camps like the plague. Thirdly, Military Intelligence has LTTE spies trailing him. Fourthly, he IS susceptible to attack and assassination like any of his victims. Fifthly, it would deal a severe blow to LTTE's morale. But most importantly, the government and the Security Forces are proactively seeking his elimination before his next birthday.
(http://defencewire.blogspot.com)
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Prabha's Injuries Now Confirmed
According to the latest information received through Ground Intelligence, LTTE Supremo Velupillai Pripaharan has received minor bruise and cut injuries to his right shoulder in an Air Force bombing in November at Iruthirapuram (Uruthirapuram).
According to Military Intelligence a trunk of a Palmirah tree used as part of a camouflaged bunker at his safehouse situated in a housing scheme in Iruthirapuram had hit Prabha on his right shoulder. The man in some degree of discomfort had been taken to a secret location for treatment by his bodyguards. It is also possible that Pripaharan was in a state of shock at the time.
Confirmation of this news was being awaited by the Military Intelligence long before journalist D.B.S Jeyaraj's report to The Nation newspaper.
(http://defencewire.blogspot.com)
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Prabakaran to be smuggled out for treatment – a report
Press Trust of India in its reports citing Sri Lanka Government owned newspaper, revealed that LTTE is trying to sneak its leader Velupillai Prabakaran out of Sri Lanka for treatment abroad following severe injuries he sustained in air raid last month.
"Intelligence reports indicate that the top Tiger has sustained injuries or fractures in his arm and a leg. Since the Tiger leader is already suffering from diabetes, the situation has got worse and the LTTE is making attempts to evacuate him to a foreign country for further treatment,” PTI reported, citing Sri Lanka’s Government owned Daily News newspaper
The Indian news agency added , “The Daily News also claimed 116 of the 200 guards protecting the LTTE Supremo had died in the recent attack by the Sri Lankan Air Force, in which Prabhakaran was said to have been injured.”
Earlier on last Sunday 16 December, DBS Jeyaraj, a veteran Tamil journalist was the first to reveal in his column in The Nation that Prabakaran injured slightly in the Air force bombing.
Subsequently in an interview with Asian Tribune Minister Dr. Keheliya Rambukwella, who is the Government spokesman for Defence and National Security, confirmed that Sri Lanka Army intelligence was aware that LTTE Leader was injured. Prabaharan is actively trailed and his activities in the jungle hideouts closely monitored
However, Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam has so far not come forward officially to deny the news report that Prabakaran being hit and injured, except for Uthayan a Tamil daily published from Jaffna which carried a meek denial, on 17 December.
Accordingly Uthayan reported “Vanni news sources totally denied the sensational news report from Colombo that Prabakaran was slightly injured recently in the aerial bombing at Jaeyanthi Nagar.
Uthayan’s Report further revealed that LTTE military spokesperson Rasiah Ilanthirayan when speaking to Uthayan said that it was the part of a psychological warfare let loose by Sri Lanka’s Defence headquarters. This report was put out to bring out an impression that Sri Lanka armed forces have closed on our leader Prabakaran with mischievous intent, Rasiah Ilanthirayan emphasized, reported Uthayan Tamil daily news paper.
In the meantime, PTI report further revealed that “A senior Defence Ministry official said since intelligence reports have "confirmed" that Prabhakaran sustained injuries on November 26, there could be an attempt by the Tiger leader to go to India for treatment if the medical facilities in Killinocchi or Mullaithivu were not sufficient to treat him.”
"But India will not provide any facility for Prabhakaran and we will not allow him to leave the country and will maintain strict vigilance on the LTTE movement, the official felt”, PTI said.
PTI also revealed of Prabakaran’s general health condition, the report quoting Daily news said that the condition of Prabhakaran, a diabetic, has worsened and the LTTE is looking at prospects of taking him out of the country for treatment.
Already Asian Tribune in its report on 03 July 2006 reported that Health Health card of Prabakaran is not so rosy as it ought to be.
Earlier Anton Balasingham, 64, and his Australian-born wife, Adele 52, escaped government forces in Sri Lanka by smuggling themselves by boat illegally entered Thailand in early 1999 to receive urgent medical treatment. After having his enlarged left kidney removed at a hospital in the capital Bangkok, the Balasinghams kept a low profile to avoid getting caught by immigration authorities and were contemplating their next move to London.
Adele in her book, "The will to freedom” wrote about the travails of Anton Balasingham, but the book does not name the country, but diplomatic sources confirmed that it was to Thailand the Balasinghams escaped.
(http://www.asiantribune.com)
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In a Desparate Move Prabhakaran Grooms His Wife As Successor?
The reportedly recently injured Prabhakaran broke his own embargo not to publish any photos of his family members by publishing his wife Mathivathani's photo on Sunday.
Many consider that to be a desperate move. Prabharana is groming his wife Mathivathani as his successor, they believe.
Her photograph has never been published until this week when she opened an elder’s home in Killinochchi. This is an unprecedented matter for Prabharakan to bring his hitherto secluded wife into the lime light according to most observers.
Is Prabhakaran aware that his days are numbered they asked. His son, Charleas Anthony was supposed to take the father's place. Even his photograph has also not been published.
Prabakaran and Mathivathani met during the time when she was a university activitist. Prabhakaran broke his own rule then that there should not be any romantic involvement among the LTTE cadres by marrying Mathivathani. They have a son and daughter.
The succession story is a big hassle to the LTTe with many senior cadres staking their positions. Putting Charles Anthony would cause a strike in their ranks. Having his wife succeed at least temporarily would avoid that conflict. We will have to wait and see how things turn according to most observers watching the stakes play out.
(http://www.asiantribune.com)
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