Commander Kittu On 2 August 1987, during the Tamil month of Avani
Commander Kittu On 2 August 1987, during the Tamil month of Avani
Commander Kittu On 2 August 1987, during the Tamil month of Avani, Kittu returned to the battlefield from India together with the Leader. Before the outbreak of the Indo–Tamil Eelam War, however, he returned to India once again. Consequently, when the war began, he was not on the front lines.
During the period when the Indo–Tamil Eelam War was being fought with great intensity, Commander Kittu was placed under house arrest. Nevertheless, even while confined to his residence, he actively engaged in peace initiatives aimed at bringing the conflict to an end.
Despite these efforts, Kittu’s attempts at achieving peace ultimately failed because of what he regarded as the Indian government’s lack of sincerity and its political “peace drama.” Speaking to me later about these events, he said:
“The Leader never believed that it would be possible to negotiate a peace agreement with the Indian government that would genuinely fulfil the aspirations of the Tamil people. Even so, he did not stand in the way of my efforts. In the end, my peace initiative proved that the Leader’s assessment had been correct.”
During his stay in India, Commander Kittu and several other LTTE fighters were arrested and imprisoned. Declaring that the Indian authorities should either specify the crimes they were alleged to have committed or send them back to join their fellow fighters in Tamil Eelam, Kittu began a hunger strike, pledging to continue it until death if necessary.
As a result, Kittu and the other imprisoned fighters were eventually transported by the Indian authorities back to Tamil Eelam. There, Kittu and a small number of disabled or seriously wounded fighters (I do not recall the exact number) were released, while the others remained imprisoned in Indian detention facilities established on the soil of Eelam.
There was, however, another dimension to Kittu’s release.
The headquarters of the Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF)—which at that time was operating as a proxy force—was located in the Ashoka Hotel. Instead of handing Kittu and the other released fighters over through the normal procedures, Indian soldiers simply dropped them off on the road in front of Jaffna Hospital, only a short distance from the hotel.
It is possible that the Indian side expected the EPRLF to eliminate them after they had been abandoned there. Normally, released prisoners were handed over to representatives of civilian organizations. In Kittu’s case, however, this procedure was not followed.
Instead, the people themselves became his shield. Among those who protected him was Dr. Nachchinarkkiniyar, the Liaison Officer at Jaffna Hospital. Thanks to their protection, Commander Kittu was able to rejoin his fellow fighters.
On that occasion, India’s alleged plan failed because of the people.
This time, however, it would be in the middle of the sea…
In 1989, I heard that Commander Kittu had arrived in London, and I contacted him by telephone. We spoke at length about the state of the liberation struggle. It was the first opportunity I had had to speak with him since 1987—nearly two years earlier. During that conversation, I realized how much broader and more mature his political outlook had become.
Commander Kittu’s international work was of immense importance. After the outbreak of the Second Eelam War on 11 June 1990, many international organizations and prominent individuals who wished to communicate with the LTTE regarding peace initiatives found his involvement invaluable. His work also gave encouragement to efforts aimed at finding a peaceful solution.
Kittu devoted considerable energy to securing international recognition for the Tamil Eelam liberation struggle. His mind was constantly occupied with ideas about what the movement itself needed to do in order to achieve that objective. He believed that if another opportunity for peace negotiations arose, the movement had to secure a diplomatic victory. He possessed both a clear strategic vision and practical plans for achieving that goal.
In addition to maintaining contacts with foreign governments and international organizations, Commander Kittu devoted considerable attention to connecting the Tamil diaspora with the Tamil Eelam liberation struggle.
He was deeply interested in harnessing the technology, expertise, and resources available in Western countries and applying them in ways that would accelerate the development of Tamil Eelam. He firmly believed that everyone who was capable of contributing to the liberation struggle should be brought into it and encouraged to play a role.
Kittu held great respect for individuals of talent and ability in every field. As an example, one may point to the admiration and respect he had for Thaseesius, one of the foremost theatre directors of Tamil Eelam. During the periods I spent with Kittu, I witnessed this respect firsthand.
Having been actively involved in international affairs and having gained practical experience of the complexities of international politics, Kittu hoped to return to Tamil Eelam as an envoy in a future peace process—one that would incorporate the views and advice of foreign governments and international organizations. He wished to meet with the Leader and the other commanders, discuss these matters with them, and help chart a path toward a brighter future for the people of Tamil Eelam. It was with this heartfelt hope that he continued his journey.
Even after members had left the movement and returned to private life, Commander Kittu believed they should continue to live as disciplined, capable, and principled individuals. He believed that life within the movement should have shaped them into complete human beings.
For this reason, if a former member committed a wrongdoing, Kittu was often more critical of that person than he would have been of others. Yet his criticism was never limited to rebuke alone. It was accompanied by sincere guidance, practical advice, and genuine concern.
His views regarding those who had left the movement were equally clear.
He once told me:
“Although they have now left the movement, there was a period in the struggle for the liberation of Tamil Eelam when they were prepared to dedicate themselves completely and stand on the battlefield. Even today, we regard that commitment as a valuable contribution to the struggle.”
At the same time, he was deeply concerned that many of those who had left the movement had also withdrawn from liberation-related activities after settling abroad. He made considerable efforts to encourage many of them to become involved once again in work supporting the struggle and, in numerous cases, he succeeded.
Yet one cannot help but wonder what joy he might have experienced had he lived long enough to set foot once more in Tamil Eelam.
Like every human being, Commander Kittu had both strengths and weaknesses. That was only natural. My purpose here, however, is not to analyse his personal qualities. Rather, I wish to record the contribution made by Kittu the leader to the Tamil Eelam liberation struggle and to preserve the memories associated with him.
Nevertheless, I believe it is appropriate to recount something Kittu once said about himself. It concerned the conflict with India and reveals that he was a leader who constantly examined and questioned his own abilities.
He said:
“When the war with India began, I did not believe we would emerge from it successfully. At the same time, I was convinced that it was essential to resist Indian hegemonic domination. The Leader, however, had complete confidence that we could overcome this crisis. By following his plans, we emerged from that difficult period stronger than before. It was then that I truly understood the importance of leadership. I may have been able to become a good fighter, but to become a truly great leader required much more growth on my part.”
Throughout the Tamil Eelam liberation struggle, Commander Kittu left his mark in many different capacities: as a freedom fighter, a military commander, a strategist, a diplomat with deep political insight, a photographer, an artist, a writer, and a perceptive critic. Above all, in our eyes, he was an outstanding leader.
The contributions he made will remain an enduring part of the history of the Tamil Eelam liberation struggle and, in the Tamil Eelam that was envisioned, his memory would forever endure.
Among the many accusations levelled against the Tamil Eelam liberation struggle and the LTTE, one of the most frequently repeated is that they rejected democracy. In this regard, I believe that what Commander Kittu wrote on the subject is particularly significant.
With these words, I conclude my reflections on Commander Kittu.
“We respect everyone’s freedom and democratic rights—but only so long as the exercise of those rights does not stand in the way of our people’s liberation.
Today, a revolution is taking place in our homeland. Under such circumstances, we cannot permit counter-revolutionaries or acts of betrayal.
Criticism of the Tigers is one thing; opposition to the liberation struggle itself is another. We have seen some people claim that they are merely criticising the Tigers, while in reality they have drifted into opposing the struggle itself.
We have also seen individuals who oppose the liberation of Tamil Eelam avoid expressing that position openly, choosing instead to attack the Tigers.
Let Tamil Eelam first be established. Then we will permit every opinion to be expressed. Let political parties be formed if people wish. Let associations be established if they wish. Let everyone say whatever they want. At that time, we must allow it.
Once liberation has been achieved, no opinion will be capable of undermining that freedom. It is ideas and the judgment of the people that shape the course of history. When Tamil Eelam is achieved, that is how our own history will move forward.”
— Thileepan
Translation by Hari
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