Velupillai Prabhakaran facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Velupillai Prabhakaran
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| வேலுப்பிள்ளை பிரபாகரன் | |
Prabhakaran in 2006
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| Born | 26 November 1954 Valvettithurai, Dominion of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka)
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| Died | 18 May 2009 (aged 54) Mullaitivu, Sri Lanka
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| Cause of death | Killed in action on 18 May 2009 |
| Other names | Karikalan
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| Occupation | Founder & Leader of the Tamil New Tigers in 1972 and Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. |
| Known for | Tamil nationalism, National Leader of Tamil Eelam, Military Tactics. |
| Criminal charge(s) | Planning assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in 1991 Colombo Central Bank bombing of 1996 |
| Criminal penalty | Arrest warrant issued by Colombo High Court Death warrant issued by Madras High Court, India. Sentenced to 200 years in prison by Colombo High Court. |
| Spouse(s) | Mathivathani Erambu (1984–2009) † |
| Children | Charles Anthony (1989–2009) † Duvaraga (1986–2009) † Balachandran (1997–2009) † |
Velupillai Prabhakaran was a key figure in the history of Sri Lanka. He was a guerrilla leader and a strong supporter of Tamil nationalism. He founded and led a group called the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). This group wanted to create an independent Tamil state in the northern and eastern parts of Sri Lanka. They believed this was needed because of how Sri Lankan Tamils were treated by the government.
The LTTE fought a war in Sri Lanka for over 25 years. Their goal was to create a separate country for the Tamil people. Prabhakaran was born in 1954 in Valvettithurai, a town on Sri Lanka's northern coast. This area, Jaffna, was a center for Tamil culture. Many Tamils there felt they were being treated unfairly by the Sinhalese majority after Sri Lanka became independent in 1948.
The LTTE became well-known in 1983 after they attacked a group of soldiers. This event, along with violence against Tamil civilians, is often seen as the start of the Sri Lankan Civil War. After many years of fighting, the conflict stopped for a while in 2001. By then, the LTTE, also known as the Tamil Tigers, controlled large areas of land. They acted like a separate government with Prabhakaran as their leader.
Peace talks eventually failed, and the Sri Lankan Army started a new military effort in 2006. Prabhakaran had once said he would rather die with honor than be captured. He was killed in fighting with the Sri Lankan Army in May 2009. His son also died in the fighting. The conflict ended after his death was reported.
Many Sri Lankan Tamils see Prabhakaran as a hero. However, others point out that he led a very strong and sometimes harsh group. Some of his methods were later used by other groups around the world. Prabhakaran believed that fighting was the only way to achieve his goals. He felt that peaceful protests had not worked. He was inspired by Indian leaders like Subhas Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh.
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Early Life and Early Actions
Velupillai Prabhakaran was born on 26 November 1954. He was the youngest of four children. His family lived in Valvettithurai, a town on the northern coast. His father, Thiruvenkadam Velupillai, worked for the government. His family was well-known and owned important Hindu temples.
Prabhakaran was upset by the unfair treatment and violence against Tamil people. He joined a student group called the Tamil Youth Front (TYF). In 1972, he started his own group, the Tamil New Tigers (TNT). This group continued the protests against how the country was being run. They felt that the Tamil minority was being treated unfairly by the Sinhalese majority.
In 1975, Prabhakaran became very involved in the Tamil movement. He was part of the first major political killing by a Tamil group. He killed Alfred Duraiappah, the mayor of Jaffna. This was done because Duraiappah was seen as responsible for the deaths of Tamils in 1974.
The Tamil Tigers
Forming the LTTE
In the early 1970s, the government changed university admission rules. It became easier for Sinhalese students to get into universities than for Tamils. Many Tamil student groups formed to protest this. Prabhakaran left school at age 15 and joined a group led by Kuttimani and Thangathurai.
In 1973, Prabhakaran and others formed the Tamil New Tigers (TNT). Their first major action was trying to kill the Jaffna Mayor, Alfred Duraiappah. They tried to use a bomb at a stadium. When that failed, Prabhakaran shot and killed Duraiappah in July 1975. Duraiappah was seen as a traitor by many Tamils.
On 5 May 1976, the TNT changed its name. It became the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). This group was commonly known as the Tamil Tigers.
The First Eelam War
By the 1980s, the LTTE carried out more attacks against police and military. On 23 July 1983, the LTTE attacked an army patrol. They killed 13 Sri Lankan soldiers. In response, there were terrible anti-Tamil riots known as Black July. Many Tamil homes and shops were destroyed. Hundreds of Tamils died, and over 150,000 became homeless.
Because of these riots, many Tamils joined the LTTE. This marked the start of the Eelam War I. Prabhakaran became the most wanted person in Sri Lanka. In 1984, he said he would rather die with honor than be captured. In 1987, Prabhakaran gave his first public speech. He spoke to over 100,000 people at the Suthumalai Amman temple. This speech was a big moment for Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism. Around this time, magazines compared him to famous revolutionaries.
Peace Talks
Prabhakaran held his first and only major press conference in Killinochchi on 10 April 2002. Over 200 journalists attended. They had to go through a long security check. At the event, an LTTE leader introduced Prabhakaran as the "President and Prime Minister of Tamil Eelam."
Journalists asked many questions about the peace process. Prabhakaran and another LTTE leader answered them. They were asked about the Rajiv Gandhi assassination. They called it a "tragic incident" and asked the press not to focus on it.
Prabhakaran said that the time was not right to give up the demand for Tamil Eelam. He explained that three things were essential: a Tamil homeland, Tamil nationality, and the right for Tamils to decide their own future. He said if these demands were met, they would consider giving up the idea of a separate state. He also said that Tamil Eelam was not just the LTTE's demand, but the demand of all Tamil people.
He also said that the LTTE was truly committed to peace. He insisted that the ban on the LTTE by Sri Lanka and India needed to be lifted. He believed this was necessary for peace talks to begin.
His Final Days
In the last days of the conflict in 2009, the Sri Lankan military moved quickly into LTTE-held areas. Prabhakaran and his top leaders went to Vellamullivaikkal, Mullaitivu. There was intense fighting between the LTTE and the Sri Lanka Army. On 18 May 2009, Prabhakaran's son, Charles Anthony, tried to break through the army's defenses but failed and died.
Later that day, reports came out that Prabhakaran had been killed. This rumor was soon proven false. Fighting continued into the evening. A group of 30 loyal bodyguards, including Prabhakaran, tried to escape. The next morning, on 19 May 2009, the army found and fought this group. All the LTTE fighters died in the battle.
A soldier reported finding a body that looked like Prabhakaran's. It was later confirmed to be him. Items found with the body included pistols, a rifle, a satellite phone, and medicine for diabetes. The army commander officially announced Prabhakaran's death on TV. His identity was confirmed by a former LTTE member and through DNA tests.
Claims of Survival
Even though his death was announced, some groups have claimed that Prabhakaran survived. In 2009, a Tamil website showed a picture of Prabhakaran watching a news report of his own death. However, this photo appeared to be edited. In 2010, another website claimed the body shown was a Sri Lankan soldier who looked like Prabhakaran.
Some politicians also support the idea that Prabhakaran is still alive. In 2023, an Indian activist claimed that Prabhakaran was "still alive and doing well." He said he had been in contact with Prabhakaran's family. However, Sri Lanka rejected these claims. They stated that Prabhakaran's death was confirmed by his close friends and by DNA testing.
His Ideas and Beliefs
Prabhakaran was inspired by Indian leaders like Subhas Chandra Bose and Bhagat Singh. These leaders fought against the British Empire. Prabhakaran did not write down a detailed philosophy. However, he said his goal was 'revolutionary socialism' and creating a fair society.
His ideas came from Marxist-Leninist thinking. The Tamil Tigers were not focused on religion. Their main goal was to create an independent Tamil Eelam. Prabhakaran is often seen as a martyr by Sri Lankan Tamils. He believed that an armed struggle was the only way to fight against a stronger government.
He argued that peaceful methods had not worked. He pointed to an event where a Tamil leader named Thileepan died after a hunger strike in 1987. This protest had no effect. Prabhakaran was known for his military skills. He was described as someone who was "very alert" and could use advanced weapons. Some experts called him a "military genius."
Personal Life
Prabhakaran married Mathivathani Erambu on 1 October 1984. In May 2009, the military said they had no information about his family's whereabouts. It is believed that his entire family died. The bodies of his wife, Mathivathani, and two of his children, Duvaraga and Balachandran, were reportedly found near where Prabhakaran's body was discovered.
Prabhakaran's parents, Thiruvenkadam Velupillai and Parvathi, were found in a camp for displaced people. They were in their 70s. The Sri Lankan military said they would not be harmed. They were held by the military until his father died in January 2010. Prabhakaran also had a sister named Vinodini Rajendaran.
Other Names
Over the years, Prabhakaran built the LTTE into a strong movement. He gained the title of “Thesiya Thalaivar,” meaning "leader of the land." Older Sri Lankan Tamils called him thambi, which means "younger brother." This was also his nickname because he was the youngest in his family. Younger members and Tamils called him Anna or Annai, meaning "elder brother."
Prabhakaran was also called "Karikalan" because of his bravery and leadership. This name refers to Karikala Chola, a famous ancient king. Some of his followers even called him “Sooriyathevan,” meaning "God of the Sun."
Images for kids
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The LTTE's Sea Tigers wing, which was their naval force.
See also
In Spanish: Velupillai Prabhakaran para niños
- LTTE Commanders
- Nadarajah Thangathurai
- Ponnuthurai Sivakumaran
- Selvarajah Yogachandran
