But, he never mentioned the rebel leader in his speech. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa while addressing the nation told the Parliament that Sri Lanka has been liberated from terrorism. "We categorically reject this and wish to inform the Tamil community to be vigilant and to exercise maximum restraint whilst grieving for the loss of Tamil civilian lives in the barbaric conduct of the final chapters of this battle," he said. Pathmanathan said the Sri Lankan army and government deliberately came up with the story detailing the demise of the leader of the LTTE. The army had claimed Prabhakaran and his top aides came out of their last hiding place in a small convoy of van and an ambulance and tried to drive out of the war zone, but were gunned down. The website, however, did not give the details of Prabhakaran's location. "He (Prabhakaran) will continue to lead the quest for dignity and freedom for the Tamil people," he said. "I wish to inform the global Tamil community distressed witnessing the final events of the war that our beloved leader Velupillai Prabhakaran is alive and safe," LTTE's international relations head S Pathmanathan was quoted as saying by the website, which usually puts out the rebels' version on the battle with the Sri Lankan armed forces. We told them that he is our leader and why shouldn't we put a banner for our leader," said Pulendran, another Sri Lankan refugee.Ī pro-LTTE website,, on Tuesday claimed that the Tamil Tigers supremo Velupillai Prabhakaran is still "alive and safe", a dayĪfter Sri Lankan army announced that it has killed the top rebel leader. Suddenly the police entered into our amp and damaged the banner and warned us not to fix any banners like this. "We are confident that he is alive and to show this to the people today we fixed a banner of Prabhakaran's image saying "Prabhakaran is alive". They put up some posters which were torn off by the local police and warned the refugees against doing any such thing.
Many refugees are hopeful that Prabhakaran will invite them to the motherland with a separate Tamil Eelam state. "We are confident that Prabhakaran is alive Hundreds of refugees offered special prayer in churches for safe and good health of Prabhakaran," said another refugee. We had just came from Sri Lanka three years before only," said Deepa, another refugee. Earlier also, many a times such stories ave been floated about our leader by Sri Lankan government," said UdayaRaja, another refugee. We will not go to our motherland on the invitation of Sri Lankan President Rajapakse. We are very much sure that when we go to our motherland, our leader Prabhakaran will welcome us. Something has been done to the body shown yesterday with plastic surgery and termed it Prabhakaran's body. "We don't believe that our leader is dead. Many of these refugees allege that the story has been spread by the Sri Lanka government for publicity. He will get us a separate Ezlam state and for this only we are waiting here," said Indrani, one of the refugees. The news that the troops have killed our leader is a false campaign. In past 37 years he has faced many number of troops and nobody can destroy him. We are confident that a separate Eelam will settle us one day. If he is not alive, there is no life for Tamil people in Sri Lanka. He is the only one to fight for our rights. We are very much upset hearing all this for the past three days. "We are upset by reports of Prabhakaran's death. Many of these people even say it's nothing but computer trick on graphics and plastic surgery. Thousands of Srilankan refugees in Coimbatore still believe that Prabhakaran is alive and safe. The refugees are not willing to subscribe to the Sri Lankan Government's view that Prabhakaran has been killed.
Though the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam's chief Vellupillai Prabhakaran's dead body was shown all over media channels on Tuesday by Sri Lanka Army, many Tamil refugees in the State don't accept that he is dead.