Diaspora (Commonwealth Union) _ Velupillai Manoharan, the elder brother of LTTE founder leader Velupillai Prabhakaran, has taken a firm stand against a fraudulent scheme targeting the Tamil diaspora. Manoharan revealed that certain individuals within the diaspora have been deceitfully claiming that Prabhakaran and some of his family members are still alive, exploiting these falsehoods to manipulate emotions and extract money from unsuspecting Tamils.
“My brother Prabhakaran and his entire family have passed away, achieving martyrdom. It is crucial to acknowledge this truth. I urge you not to be deceived by these fraudsters posing as my brother’s family. They are manipulating your sentiments and exploiting my brother’s legacy for their own benefit,” Manoharan cautioned.
In an interview with Jaffna Monitor magazine, Manoharan disclosed details of the scam, emphasizing his responsibility to end what he termed as “nonsense.” He explained that a section of the Tamil diaspora has been perpetuating a huge scam by insisting that Prabhakaran and some family members were still alive, thus cheating money from unsuspecting Tamils.
Manoharan, who resides in Denmark, recounted to Jaffna Monitor that he maintained telephone contact with Prabhakaran until late 2008, a few months before Prabhakaran was killed in May 2009. He shared that Prabhakaran had acknowledged the overwhelming difficulties but never admitted that the LTTE’s war was nearing its end.
Manoharan specifically highlighted a recent case involving a young Tamil woman in the West falsely claiming to be Prabhakaran’s daughter, Thuvaraga (Dwarka), deceiving the diaspora out of millions of dollars. “As Prabhakaran’s elder brother, I have a responsibility to reveal the truth about what happened to him and his family. If we do not speak out, these false narratives will dominate, and everyone will believe this nonsense,” he stressed.
He accused two well-known Tamil diaspora organizations and certain individuals in the West of propagating lies about Prabhakaran’s family to swindle money. According to Manoharan, these individuals have orchestrated a complex network to exploit the emotional and financial support of the Tamil diaspora by falsely claiming that Thuvaraga is alive. This claim is used to siphon funds from supporters who believe they are aiding Prabhakaran’s family and the Tamil cause.
Manoharan named Sritharan as one of the key figures involved in the deceit, recalling an incident in 2004 where Sritharan brought a man claiming to be from Sri Lanka, needing help. Manoharan later discovered that the man was actually from Italy, not Tamil Eelam, and had informed Prabhakaran about this deceit.
Manoharan also mentioned the difficulties he faced in maintaining contact with his parents after they crossed into military-held territory at the end of the war. Attempts to seek assistance from Tamil nationalist MPs were met with indirect demands for money, which Manoharan refused to name, as they are still in Parliament.
In his message to the Tamil diaspora, Manoharan emphasized that the best way to honor Prabhakaran’s memory is by focusing on helping war-affected Tamils in Sri Lanka who continue to live in abject poverty. He urged channeling efforts and resources towards rebuilding the lives of these individuals, thus keeping Prabhakaran’s legacy alive by working towards the betterment of the Tamil community and ensuring those who have suffered do not continue to live in hardship.
