Tamils celebrate Pirapaharan's 50th birthday

[TamilNet, Friday, 26 November 2004, 11:53 GMT]
Tamil people in the NorthEast and countries across the world are celebrating the 50th birthday of the Leader of Liberation Tigers, Velupillai Pirapaharan, Friday, 26 November. There were special prayers in churches and temples. Pirapaharan has led the Tamil struggle through three Eelam wars since he founded Tamil New Tigers in 1972, at the age of 18, and later renamed the organisation as Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) in 1976.



Widely regarded as an accomplished political strategist and military tactician even by his opponents, Pirapaharan emerged as the Tamil National Leader through 32 years of liberation struggle.

Annually he outlines the policy of his movement in his annual speech that falls on Martyrs Day Saturday.

Sources close to the LTTE said that their head office was receiving greetings wishing the LTTE leader's 50th birthday from across the North East, South and from the Tamil diaspora.

Pongal Pandals for birthday celebrations in Chavakachcheri	Sinhala travellers enjoying birthday sweets at Pallai

International Federation of Tamils, a consortium of expatriate Tamil organizations based in Geneva, issued a press release on this occasion. Fulltext of the press release follows:

"The International Federation of Tamils, IFT, proudly joins hands with the Tamils, spread the world over, in felicitating Hon. Velupillai Pirapakaran, the national leader of Tamil Eelam, on the occasion of his fiftieth birth day, expressing solidarity with him.

From time immemorial, according to a belief that prevails among the Eastern nations, a true leader will emerge to redeem his people, during a period of ecliptical calamity. It becomes incumbent on the people of that nation to distinguish the true, impeccable leader from the selfish, opportunistic fakes. Any nation that expunges fakes and follows the true leader in his struggle for emancipation, will be triumphant in the end. The Bible and Indian epics bear testimony to this belief. Whether we quote from the ancient history of the Jewish nation that had its long march led by Moses, or from the modern history of Lenin's Russia, Mao's China, Gandhi's India, Ho Chi minh's Vietnam or Mandela's South Africa, it is clear that the people in each of these countries had identified its leader and stood firm, supporting him through thick and thin.

The people of Tamil Eelam, both at home and in exile, have identified their genuine leader. They have entrusted into his care their future and their destiny. The IFT, while saluting the national leader on this occasion, commends the Tamil nation on its ingenuity in trusting their leader.

Velupillai Pirapakaran who inculcated the spirit of Tamil Eelam into the minds of his people, has gradually emerged as the indisputed national leader of Tamil Eelam. Instilling the spirit of nationalism in the hearts of Tamils across the world, he has come to be honoured as the Tamil national leader.

It is natural for a dynamic leader to attract followers who inevitably become his generals and soldiers in carrying out military or peace missions. Tamil Eelam is blessed with these committed followers, ready to serve its leader with his vision of building up a nation, sharing harmony and peaceful co-existence in the region.

The IFT wishes the national leader and his followers well."