26.11.2007
 |
| Prabakaran
lighting oil lamp in an undiscovered hideout in Vanni,
to mark the official opening of the Heroes Day Celebrations
in Vanni |
Velupillai Prabhakaran, the leader of the internationally
banned LTTE, celebrates his 53rd birthday today. This aging
leader's birthday will be celebrated in Vanni and by his
loyalists in the Tamil diaspora abroad.
According
to reports, yesterday he lit the oil lamp in an undisclosed
destination in Vanni to mark the commencement of the three
day official 'Heroes Day Celebrations'.
Prabakaran
yesterday paid his respects to Lt. Sankar who died on
27 November 1982.
Tiger communique released yesterday said that 19,887 Tamil
youths died have died in the battle for a separate state
waged by Prabhakaran.
He
is expected to make his annual Heroes' Day speech tomorrow.
This will be the first time he will be making his annual
speech from some jungle hideout without a script prepared
by Anton Balasingham.
This
year's speech is expected to be no different from his
previous speeches. The same rhetoric of his commitment
to a solution that suits his agenda will be reiterated.
He is also expected to blame the Mahinda Rajakase government
for his failure to attain his political goals. He will
push his political claims, as before, in the name of the
Tamil people who are deserting him both in the Tamil diaspora
and in the Vanni where he has set up his headquarters.
He will also blame the war on the Mahinda Rajapakse government.
It
is unlikely there will be any sensational stuff in his
address. It is said that it would to be a vituperative
rhetoric full of threat of the continuation of waging
the battle with the Sri Lankan Government armed forces
and intimidations similar to that of earlier ones.
However,
it is highly unlikely Parabhakaran would come up with
any substantive peace proposals. Without his two able
assistants -- Balasingham and Tamilselvam -- he will be
a lone figure, who had lost some of is trusted cadres.
Each
year since 2004 when Karuna Amman quit accusing him of
discrimnation against the Tamils of the east he has been
losing territory, cadres and his key men.
Besides,
with the military balance tilting in favour of the Sri
Lankan force he is not in a position to dictate terms
or to boast as he did in the past. He will threaten no
doubt, but how effective will those threats be with him
losing his grip on the military situation.
Right
on the eve of his Heroes' Day his central satellite station
was hit in the Vanni. It not only took is voice away,
but also marked the fact that he has to be in hiding for
a long time, if he not taken out earlier.
Political
analysts are of the view that Prabakaran would be making
his annual speech after being defeated and chased out
of the East. After Thoppigala he has not shown any credible
capacity to reverse the trend going against him. As his
military strategists claim he is now waging a defensive
war to protect what little he has left.
Though
he has been weakened his intransigence remains unchanged.
His speech tomorrow is expected to confirm this.
With
each day he has been forced to dig deeper into his Mohole
to escape the heavy bombs targeting Tiger strongholds
and hideouts.
Prabhakaran's
25 miniutes address in Tamil language would be broadcast
from an undisclosed destination from 5.40 PM to 6.05 pm
tomorrow.
Courtesy - Asian
Tribune