Chennai (AsiaNews) – India’s Tamil’s do not believe that the supreme chief of the Tamil Tigers, Velupillai Prabhakaran, is dead. Images of the dead body of the LTTE leader have travelled the world, but among refugees who live in India there are those who speak of the Colombo government’s “machinations in an attempt to psychologically destroy rebels and annihilate Tamils”. Many prefer to believe LTTE version which broadcast ahead of the announcement of his death that “the leader is well and safe”. Even V Gopalaswami, leader of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (Mdmk), a local party in Tamil Nadu, has rejected the Colombo government’s version on the fate of the LTTE chief.
Speaking to AsiaNews, Tamil refugees in India have not wanted to reveal their identities because they feel betrayed by the entire International Community which is guilty of “having allowed the genocide of Tamils”. Even the New Delhi government is the target of their recriminations, guilty of “having supported the Buddhist and Sinhalese project for dominion in Sri Lanka through their inaction”.
The rumour machine is at work through the internet. The Tamil Diaspora in England and Canada is shocked with disbelief. It cannot believe that at home celebrations for the defeat of the Tigers are ongoing across the country, while the plight of the thousands of refugees and the problems of the Tamil population remains unresolved.
Meanwhile UN Secretary General, Ban Ki Moon, expected on the Island on May 22nd has renewed his appeal to the Colombo government to allow humanitarian through to refugees. Ban also spoke of “grave and persistent violations of international humanitarian law, which will have to be investigated”.
Tamil Nadu and Kerala, the Indian states with are separated from Sri Lanka by a few kilometres of sea, have launched a security alert, fearing violent demonstrations by Tamil minority groups. The alarm has also been sounded in Karnataka and along the coast of Andra Pardesh. The Indian Ministry for Defence has deployed the navy along the waters of the Palk Strait that divides the two nations to block boats carrying Tiger rebels from reaching shore.
In Chennai, the capital of Tamil Nadu, police have been deployed to protect possible targets such as the Sri Lanka Deputy High Commission, Bank of Ceylon, Maha Bodhi Society and the offices of Sri Lankan Airlines from attacks. Checks have also been intensified in the districts of Coimbatore, Erode, Tiruchi, Madurai and Pudukottai; where in the recent past demonstrations in support of the LTTE have taken place.