Former LTTE Women’s Political Wing Leader Thamilini’s husband claims his life is at risk

By Shanika Sriyananda

Jeyakumar Mahadevan, the husband of the former Head of the Women’s Political Wing of the LTTE Subramaniam Sivakami alias Thamilini, whose book gives a strong insight into the final war between the Government forces and the LTTE in 2009, said his life was now at risk as some sections of the Tamil diaspora had threatened him.  

Jeyakumar, a Sri Lanka born British citizen, who published Thamilini’s controversial 268-page book ‘Under the Shadow of a Sharp-Edged Blade,’ said that those who were the brokers of the LTTE were badly affected by Thamilini’s revelation sabout the LTTE.

He said they had organised propaganda campaigns and LTTE Heroes’ Days and raised funds for the LTTE earlier and were now trying to revive the outfit through false propaganda saying that Pottu Amman, Head of the LTTE’s Intelligence Unit, was alive to lead the outfit.

He said, however, that there was no chance to revive the LTTE internationally as the educated section of the Tamil diaspora was now more aware of what had happened during the last phase of the final battle between the Government forces and the LTTE.

After the release of the book ‘Oru Koorvaalin Nizhalil’ in Tamil, the pro-LTTE Tamil disapora has started attacking him and criticising the book through social media. Jayekumar said that this was because their vested interests had been impacted with the release of her book, which also criticises Pottu Amman’s contribution to the downfall of the LTTE.

According to some media reports, the book, which has stirred a hornet’s nest, is banned from sale in Tamil bookshops in Europe and a campaign has also been started to destroy all copies of the book.

“When I was in the UK, several propaganda campaigns were carried out by LTTE brokers asking people to join the LTTE. They said that Pottu Amman had made calls and requested people to join the LTTE,” he said.

He said that most of them are uneducated Tamils, working for those who own the LTTE’s funds which were raised earlier. “They want to revive the LTTE for their own interests. Though official records state Pottu Amman is dead, these people want to make average people believe that he is leading the LTTE from a hideout. But the analysis given in Thamilini’s book about Pottu Amman will affect ordinary people’s faith in his leadership. This has badly affected them and that is why they are attacking me and Thamilini,” Jeyakumar claimed.

He also said that when they say Pottu Amman is alive, nobody questions them about the money they had collected in the name of the LTTE.

Her book was translated into Sinhala titled ‘Thiyunu Asipathaka Sevana Yata’ and was released in Colombo recently.

“Those who are furious about the book have questioned why it was released after her death and have questioned our marriage while attacking our personal lives. One person had posted a comment on social media saying Thamilini was raped by the military but when strong protests poured in from Tamils around the world, he was forced to remove the post,” Jeyakumar said.

He said during their marriage he was busy taking her to the Maharagama Cancer Hospital and taking care of her during her illness.

“Even after her death, I was emotionally down. Finally I thought I should publish the book as the truth should come out one day. But my efforts to find a publisher initially failed as all the Tamil publishers I approached refused to print the book. At last, Dharmasiri Bandaranayake, one of my friends, agreed to take on the task,” he said.

Jeyakumar said that the response to the two editions of the book was encouraging and the local Tamils and educated Tamil diaspora had welcomed it positively.

The Sinhala translation of the book has already sold 1,500 copies and the Tamil edition over 800 books. The money collected from the books will be donated to the children’s section of the Maharagama Cancer Hospital on a request made by Thamilini.

Meanwhile, Jeyakumar, who wants to fulfil Thamilini’s aspiration of revealing the truth of the final battle, is now in the process of translating the book into English.