The remains of Colonel Ramanan, the most senior Tamil Tiger officer killed by Sri Lanka’s military since the February 2002, were buried with full military honour at the Thandiyady military cemetery last Wednesday.
Col. Ramanan, deputy head of the LTTE military forces in Batticaloa district, was shot and killed by a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) sniper whilst he was inspecting LTTE positions at the Vavunativu Forward Defence Line (FDL) on Sunday May 21.
Whilst several hundred people, including leading citizens, LTTE cadres and residents of Amparai and Batticaloa districts attended the military funeral, in Vanni, northern Sri Lanka, senior LTTE officers addressed memorials at Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi.
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Mr. P. Ariyanenthiran, LTTE Batticaloa district Commander Colonel Banu, Batticaloa Political Head Thayamohan, Women Political Head Kuveni, Commander Piraba, Chief of Head Office Amuthan, Head of Rajan College Keethan, LTTE Division Commanders, Tiger soldiers and several hundred civilians watched the final rites.
Black flags were flown along streets, and shops, schools, offices and other institutions in Batticaloa Amparai districts were closed as the districts residents paid respects to the senior Commander Ramanan, a native Pallukamam in Batticaloa.
The events in Vanni paying homage to Colonel Ramanan were held at in Kilinochchi and Puthukudiruppu.
At both events, Thamilarasan, Col. Ramanan’s brother and Odduchuddan Regional Head of the LTTE, lit the lamp before the late officer’s portrait while another brother, Parathan, an LTTE cadre, garlanded it.
Colonel Ramesh lit the flame of sacrifice at the Puthukudiruppu event and garlanded Col. Ramanan’s portrait. He was joined by Colonel Jeyam, senior LTTE member Mr. K. V. Balakumaran, Peace Secretariat Director, Mr. S. Pulidevan, Mr. Illanthirayan (Marshall) of the Peace Secretariat, Mr. Seeralan, Deputy Head of the political wing in Batticaloa District and Mr. S. Selvanayagam, the principal of the Maha Vidyalam.
Colonel Jeyam addressed the event (see separate story), along with the other senior officials.
Mr. Illanthirayan, former head of the LTTE Political Wing in Batticaloa, following Col. Jeyam, hailed the personal qualities of Col. Ramanan
“Martyr Ramanan, knew every one in the southern Tamil Eelam and everyone there knew him. He was a master in translating our movement’s leader’s political and military strategies into skilful techniques in practice,” Mr. Illanthirayan said.
“It was Colonel Ramanan who surmounted the efforts by the traitor Karuna to split the LTTE through the wedge of regionalism. Though he is no more with us, the techniques and tactics Colonel Ramanan developed will be with us in our struggle to achieve our desired goal,” said Mr. Ilanthirayan.
Colonel Ramesh said: “All his feats in the struggle are not known because the victories he reaped and the way in which he achieved them cannot be openly revealed now. He was a great source of strength and a talented fighter in southern Tamil Eelam and he was killed precisely for these incredible qualities.”
In Kilinochchi, Colonel Balraj, addressing the people gathered to pay respects to Ramanan said the late officer was a gifted planning officer skilled in handling information.
Meanwhile, the LTTE Intelligence Chief Pottu Amman, in an interview to National Television of Tamil Eelam (NTT) Wednesday revealed that Ramanan was a key strategist behind the weakening of the Razeek paramilitary group in Batticaloa.
Ms. Thamilini Head of the LTTE Women political wing said: “Each tragic loss in our struggle for liberation leaves us injected with fresh vigour and determination. Col. Ramanan is not dead. He is here with us in the numerous combatants in whom he had instilled all his talents and tactics.”
Kandiah Ulaganathan, alias Ramanan, born in 1966, is from Palukamam, 21 km south of Batticaloa. He was enrolled for training in LTTE in 1986 after completing GCE (A/L) at Palukamam Kandumani Maha Vidyalayam.
Ramanan emerged as a talented military leader during the LTTE’s war with the Indian Army. He served in Jeyanthan Brigade, one of the most feared infantry formations of the Liberation Tigers. His contribution was high in the Unceasing Waves operations against the Sri Lanka Army launched Jeyasikurui operation that was routed by the Tigers in Vanni.
He was appointment as Chief of Intelligence Wing in Batticaloa and Amparai districts after Lt. Col. Nizam was killed in a Claymore attack.
Commander Ramanan’s decision to leave the renegade LTTE commander Karuna was a major setback for the renegade’s plans to hold his ground in the east.
He was appointed the Commander of Mavadimunmari division and later as Deputy Head of Batticaloa Amparai Military Wing of the LTTE under Special Commander Col. Bhanu.
The day after the funeral, Sri Lankan commandos of the Special Task Force (STF) troopers went around the markets in Arayampathy and Kalavanchikudy areas in Batticaloa district assaulting many traders and forcing them to close their shops for five additional days, as punishment for their current two day voluntary shop shut down as a mark of respect for Col. Ramanan.
The STF soldiers who regularly harass and attack Tamils civilians in the Batticaloa district had been infuriated by the successful hartal and the respect shown by local residents to the late Col. Ramanan, reports said.
International ceasefire monitors of the SLMM who went to Arayampathy and Kalavanchchikudy regional markets following the complaints, subsequently inquired the STF, who denied any wrong doing. The SLMM has asked the traders to resume their usual business activities from Friday.
Col. Ramanan, deputy head of the LTTE military forces in Batticaloa district, was shot and killed by a Sri Lanka Army (SLA) sniper whilst he was inspecting LTTE positions at the Vavunativu Forward Defence Line (FDL) on Sunday May 21.
Whilst several hundred people, including leading citizens, LTTE cadres and residents of Amparai and Batticaloa districts attended the military funeral, in Vanni, northern Sri Lanka, senior LTTE officers addressed memorials at Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi.
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian Mr. P. Ariyanenthiran, LTTE Batticaloa district Commander Colonel Banu, Batticaloa Political Head Thayamohan, Women Political Head Kuveni, Commander Piraba, Chief of Head Office Amuthan, Head of Rajan College Keethan, LTTE Division Commanders, Tiger soldiers and several hundred civilians watched the final rites.
Black flags were flown along streets, and shops, schools, offices and other institutions in Batticaloa Amparai districts were closed as the districts residents paid respects to the senior Commander Ramanan, a native Pallukamam in Batticaloa.
The events in Vanni paying homage to Colonel Ramanan were held at in Kilinochchi and Puthukudiruppu.
At both events, Thamilarasan, Col. Ramanan’s brother and Odduchuddan Regional Head of the LTTE, lit the lamp before the late officer’s portrait while another brother, Parathan, an LTTE cadre, garlanded it.
Colonel Ramesh lit the flame of sacrifice at the Puthukudiruppu event and garlanded Col. Ramanan’s portrait. He was joined by Colonel Jeyam, senior LTTE member Mr. K. V. Balakumaran, Peace Secretariat Director, Mr. S. Pulidevan, Mr. Illanthirayan (Marshall) of the Peace Secretariat, Mr. Seeralan, Deputy Head of the political wing in Batticaloa District and Mr. S. Selvanayagam, the principal of the Maha Vidyalam.
Colonel Jeyam addressed the event (see separate story), along with the other senior officials.
Mr. Illanthirayan, former head of the LTTE Political Wing in Batticaloa, following Col. Jeyam, hailed the personal qualities of Col. Ramanan
“Martyr Ramanan, knew every one in the southern Tamil Eelam and everyone there knew him. He was a master in translating our movement’s leader’s political and military strategies into skilful techniques in practice,” Mr. Illanthirayan said.
“It was Colonel Ramanan who surmounted the efforts by the traitor Karuna to split the LTTE through the wedge of regionalism. Though he is no more with us, the techniques and tactics Colonel Ramanan developed will be with us in our struggle to achieve our desired goal,” said Mr. Ilanthirayan.
Colonel Ramesh said: “All his feats in the struggle are not known because the victories he reaped and the way in which he achieved them cannot be openly revealed now. He was a great source of strength and a talented fighter in southern Tamil Eelam and he was killed precisely for these incredible qualities.”
In Kilinochchi, Colonel Balraj, addressing the people gathered to pay respects to Ramanan said the late officer was a gifted planning officer skilled in handling information.
Meanwhile, the LTTE Intelligence Chief Pottu Amman, in an interview to National Television of Tamil Eelam (NTT) Wednesday revealed that Ramanan was a key strategist behind the weakening of the Razeek paramilitary group in Batticaloa.
Ms. Thamilini Head of the LTTE Women political wing said: “Each tragic loss in our struggle for liberation leaves us injected with fresh vigour and determination. Col. Ramanan is not dead. He is here with us in the numerous combatants in whom he had instilled all his talents and tactics.”
Kandiah Ulaganathan, alias Ramanan, born in 1966, is from Palukamam, 21 km south of Batticaloa. He was enrolled for training in LTTE in 1986 after completing GCE (A/L) at Palukamam Kandumani Maha Vidyalayam.
Ramanan emerged as a talented military leader during the LTTE’s war with the Indian Army. He served in Jeyanthan Brigade, one of the most feared infantry formations of the Liberation Tigers. His contribution was high in the Unceasing Waves operations against the Sri Lanka Army launched Jeyasikurui operation that was routed by the Tigers in Vanni.
He was appointment as Chief of Intelligence Wing in Batticaloa and Amparai districts after Lt. Col. Nizam was killed in a Claymore attack.
Commander Ramanan’s decision to leave the renegade LTTE commander Karuna was a major setback for the renegade’s plans to hold his ground in the east.
He was appointed the Commander of Mavadimunmari division and later as Deputy Head of Batticaloa Amparai Military Wing of the LTTE under Special Commander Col. Bhanu.
The day after the funeral, Sri Lankan commandos of the Special Task Force (STF) troopers went around the markets in Arayampathy and Kalavanchikudy areas in Batticaloa district assaulting many traders and forcing them to close their shops for five additional days, as punishment for their current two day voluntary shop shut down as a mark of respect for Col. Ramanan.
The STF soldiers who regularly harass and attack Tamils civilians in the Batticaloa district had been infuriated by the successful hartal and the respect shown by local residents to the late Col. Ramanan, reports said.
International ceasefire monitors of the SLMM who went to Arayampathy and Kalavanchchikudy regional markets following the complaints, subsequently inquired the STF, who denied any wrong doing. The SLMM has asked the traders to resume their usual business activities from Friday.
