Pottu Amman monopolised access to Prabhakaran

COLOMBO: The former head of the LTTE’s intelligence wing, Shanmuganathan Sivasankaran, alias Pottu Amman, had monopolised access to Tiger chief Velupillai Prabhakaran to such an extent that the latter had no inputs on the military and political situation other than what Pottu Amman chose to give him. This system resulted in the entire LTTE structure, including its leadership, falling in a heap, says D B S Jeyaraj, an LTTE watcher.

Over the years, Pottu Amman had made Prabhakaran paranoid about the Indian intelligence agency RAW. Later, the Deep Penetration Reconnaissance Unit of the Sri Lankan Army was added as a source of grave danger. Pottu Amman assiduously used the mounting paranoia to monopolise Prabhakaran and virtually dictate to him.

In the last few weeks of Eelam War IV, Pottu Amman’s proximity to Prabhakaran, and the latter’s penchant for Pottu Amman, created dissensions in the organisation, triggering a witch hunt, which in turn led to the execution of scores of cadre. Dozens fled to Tamil Nadu, Jeyaraj says in an article in Daily Mirror.

“Initially most intelligence department heads reported to Prabhakaran as well as Pottu Amman. Gradually Pottu Amman became the intermediary through whom everything was reported to the LTTE chief.

Prabhakaran was virtually inaccessible to senior leaders. Only Pottu Amman could see the chief at any time while carrying arms,” Jeyaraj writes.

POTTU RESPONSIBLE FOR ULTIMATE CRASH: “Despite these proclaimed successes, Pottu Amman and his intelligence division failed to forewarn the Tiger hierarchy of the consequences of its myopic policies. Well meaning advice was spurned. Even Balasingham’s warnings went unheeded,” reported Daily Mirror. Pottu Amman remained faithful to Prabhakaran till the very end but there was much dissension within Tiger ranks.”

RAW, the bogey

RAW as well as the Deep Penetration Squads were greatly fear­ed, says Jeyaraj. The fear of the enemy within made a paranoid Prabhakaran grow increasingly alienated from Tiger leaders and cadre, he added. “The suspected RAW operation of staging a jailbreak at Vellore prison and sending the escapee ‘Kiru­pan’ to assassinate Prabhakaran, was one attempt allegedly foiled by Pottu and Kapil Amman”

P K Balachandran