List of people assassinated by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam explained

The following is a list of notable people assassinated by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, commonly known as Tamil Tigers or as LTTE.^{[1] [2]} The LTTE was a militant organisation that was based in northern Sri Lanka, which fought for a separate Tamil state in the north and east of Sri Lanka between 1983 and 2009.^[3] The LTTE was decisively defeated by the Sri Lankan Military in May 2009 and it has been banned by 33 countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, India, Malaysia, Sri Lanka and the 27 member nations of the European Union.^[4] At the height of its power, the LTTE possessed a well-developed militia and carried out many high-profile attacks, including the assassinations of an Indian prime minister, Sri Lankan president and several other high-ranking Sri Lankan politicians.^[5] Some of the notable people who survived the assassination attempts of LTTE, are also included at the bottom of this list.

Heads of state and government

• Ranasinghe Premadasa – President of Sri Lanka^{[6] [7]}
• Rajiv Gandhi – Former Prime Minister of India^{[8] [9]}

Government ministers

• Lalith Athulathmudali – Former Sri Lankan Cabinet Minister of Trade, National Security, Agriculture, Education and Deputy Minister of Defence; DUNF MP^[10]
• Gamini Dissanayake – UNP presidential candidate; Leader of the Opposition; Former Sri Lankan Cabinet Minister of Irrigation, Power, Highways, Land, Land Development, Plantation Industries, Mahaweli and Mahaweli Development; Former Chairman of the Sri Lanka Cricket Board; UNP MP^[11]
• Ranjan Wijeratne – Sri Lankan Cabinet Minister of Foreign Affairs, Plantation Industries and Minister of State for Defense; UNP MP^{[11] [12]}
• Lakshman Kadirgamar – Sri Lankan Cabinet Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka; Prominent Tamil diplomat; lawyer; SLFP MP^{[13] [14]}
• Jeyaraj Fernandopulle – Sri Lankan Cabinet Minister of Highways & Road Development; Chief Government Whip of the Parliament of Sri Lanka; SLFP MP^[15]
• C. V. Gunaratne – Sri Lankan Cabinet Minister of Industries Development; SLFP MP^[11]
• Weerasinghe Mallimarachchi – Former Sri Lankan Cabinet Minister of Food, Co-operative, and Janasaviya-Poverty Alleviation; SLFP MP^[11]
• G. M. Premachandra – Former Sri Lankan Cabinet Minister of Labour and Vocational Training; Former UNP MP^[11]
• D. M. Dassanayake – Former Sri Lankan Non-Cabinet Minister of Nation Building; SLFP MP^[16]

Members of Sri Lankan parliament

• Ossie Abeygunasekera – Former Chairman and Leader of the Sri Lanka Mahajana Pakshaya, 1988 SLMP presidential candidate; UNP MP^{[11] [17]}
• A. Amirthalingam – Former Leader of the Opposition and Leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front; TULF MP^{[18] [19]}
• A. Thangathurai – TULF MP for Trincomalee District.^[20]
• Alfred Duraiappah – SLFP MP for Jaffna District and Former Mayor of Jaffna.^[21]
• M. Canagaratnam – TULF MP for Pottuvil^[22]
• A. L. Abdul Majeed – Independent (formerly SLFP) MP for Mutur^[23]
• S. Shanmuganathan – PLOTE MP for Vanni District^[18]
• Nimalan Soundaranayagam – TULF MP for Batticaloa District^[24]
• Sam Tambimuttu – EPRLF MP for Batticaloa District^[25]
• Neelan Tiruchelvam – Scholar, international activist, legislator, lawyer, social scientist and politician. TULF MP from National List^{[26] [27]}
• G. Yogasangari – EPRLF MP for Jaffna District^[28]
• V. Yogeswaran – Former TULF MP for Jaffna district

Senior military and police officers

• Admiral Clancy Fernando – Former Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy
• Lieutenant General Denzil Kobbekaduwa – General Officer Commanding, Northern Sector, Sri Lankan Army
• Lieutenant General Parami Kulatunga – Deputy Chief of Staff, Sri Lankan Army^[29]
• Lieutenant Generall Nalin Angammana – General Officer Commanding, 3rd Army Division, Sri Lankan Army^[30]
• Major General Lucky Wijayaratne – Former Commander, 22 Brigade, Sri Lanka Army
• Major General Larry Wijeratne -Former Brigade Commander, 51-4 Brigade^[31]
• Major General Lakshman Algama – Former Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army^[32]
• Major General Vijaya Wimalaratne – Former Commander of Jaffna, Sri Lanka Army
• Major General Percy Fernando – Former Deputy General Officer Commanding, 54 Division, Sri Lanka Army^[33]
• Major General Ananda Hamangoda – Former Brigade Commander, 51-2 Brigade, Sri Lanka Army^[34]
• Major General Susantha Mendis – Former Brigade Commander, 51-4 Brigade
• Major General Janaka Perera – Former Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army, Former High Commissioner to Australia & Ambassador to Indonesia, Former opposition leader of the North Central Provincial Council^[35]
• Rear Admiral Mohan Jayamaha – Former Commander, Northern Naval Area, Sri Lanka Navy^[36]
• Air Commodore Shirantha Goonatilake – Former Commanding Officer of No. 1 Flying Training Wing, Sri Lanka Air Force^[37]
• Colonel Tuan Nizam Muthaliff – Former Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion, Military Intelligence Corps, Sri Lanka Army^{[38] [39]}
• Senior Deputy Inspector General T. N. De Silva – SDIG, Colombo Range, Sri Lanka Police^{[40] [41]}
• Senior Superintendent of Police Chandra Perera – Former SSP, Jaffna^[42]
• Assistant Superintendent of Police Ivan Boteju – Former Assistant Superintendent, Kalmunai, Sri Lanka Police^[43]

Prelates

• Kithalagama Sri Seelalankara Thera – Chief incumbent of the Dimbulagala Raja Maha Vihara, former Chief Sangha Nayake of Northern and Eastern provinces^[44]
• Hegoda Sri Indrasara Thera – Chief incumbent of Vidyananda Maha Pirivena – Ampara, former Chief Sangha Nayake of Northern and Eastern provinces^[45]
• Sivashri Kungaraja Kurukkal – Former head pandit of the Koneswaram temple of Trincomalee^[46]
• Selliah Parameswaran Kurukkal – Chief Pujari of the Santhiveli Pilleyar Kovil, Batticaloa^{[47] [48]}

Activists and journalists

• Chelvy Thiyagarajah – Founder of feminist journal called Tholi, International PEN award winner in 1992^[49]
• Balanadarajah Iyer – Sri Lankan Tamil activist, writer and poet^{[50] [51]}
• Kethesh Loganathan – Tamil political activist, Human Rights advocate and deputy secretary general of the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP).^[52]
• Rajani Thiranagama – University lecturer, Tamil human rights activist and feminist^[53]
• Relangi Selvarajah – Tamil broadcaster and actress.^[54]

Others

• C. E. Anandarajah – Sri Lankan educationist and former principal of St. John's College, Jaffna.^[55]
• V. M. Panchalingam – Leading Sri Lankan Tamil civil servant and former District Secretary of Jaffna^[56]
• S. Nadarajah – Sri Lankan Tamil lawyer, politician and former member of the Senate of Ceylon.^[18]
• Sarojini Yogeswaran – Former Mayor of Jaffna^[57]
• Gopalaswamy Mahendraraja – Former Deputy leader of the LTTE^[58]
• Uma Maheswaran – Founder of the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam.
• Kumaraswamy Nandagopan – Former president of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal^[59]

Attempted assassinations

• Chandrika Kumaratunga – President of Sri Lanka^{[60] [61]}
• Maithripala Sirisena – Future president of Sri Lanka; Minister of Health and Agriculture^{[62] [63]}
• Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka – Eighteenth Commander of Sri Lankan Army^[64]
• Gotabaya Rajapaksa – Future President of Sri Lanka; Secretary of the Ministry of Defence^{[65] [66]}
• Douglas Devananda – Leader of the Eelam People's Democratic Party^{[67] [68]}
• Nimal Siripala de Silva – Minister of Housing^[69]

See also

• List of assassinations of the Sri Lankan Civil War

Notes and References

1. News: Rohan . Gunaratna . Intelligence failures exposed by Tamil Tiger airport attack . 2001-11-03 . Jane's Information Group . 2007-04-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070303021604/http://www.janes.com/security/international_security/news/jir/jir010903_1_n.shtml . 2007-03-03.
2. News: Audrey Kurth Cronin . Huda Aden . Adam Frost . Benjamin Jones . amp . CRS Report for Congress, Foreign Terrorist Organizations . 2004-02-06 . The Library of Congress . Bureau of Consular Affairs . 2015-04-29 .
3. http://www.irinnews.org/report/84146/sri-lanka-conflict-timeline Sri Lanka Conflict timeline
4. http://www.worldwatch.org/node/4373 The European Union Lists Sri Lanka's Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as a Banned Terrorist Organization
5. https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2008/january/tamil_tigers011008 Taming the Tamil Tigers
6. News: Sri Lanka assassination plot . . 27 July 1998 . 2014-03-03.
7. News: V. S. . Sambandan . Inquiries into Premadasa, Dissanayake killings closed . https://web.archive.org/web/20070301153730/http://www.hindu.com/2005/09/05/stories/2005090507041200.htm . dead . 1 March 2007 . . 5 September 2005 . 2014-03-03 . Chennai, India.
8. News: Tamil Tiger 'regret' over Gandhi . . 27 June 2006 . 2014-03-03.
9. News: On This Day 21 May - 1991: Bomb kills India's former leader Rajiv Gandhi . . 2014-03-03 . 21 May 1991.
10. Web site: Jane's Sentinel on LTTE success in resisting Sri Lankan forces . Tamil Nation . 4 September 2000 . 11 April 2014.
11. http://tamilnation.co/ltte/00jane.htm Jane's Sentinel on LTTE success in resisting Sri Lankan forces
12. News: On This Day 2 March - 1991: Sri Lankan hardliner among 19 killed in blast. . 2 March 1991. 2014-03-03.
13. Web site: The LTTE's war trap . https://web.archive.org/web/20070524024551/http://www.hindu.com/2006/08/17/stories/2006081706820800.htm . dead . 2007-05-24 . 2006-08-17 . . 2014-03-03.
14. News: Senior Sri Lanka minister killed . 2014-03-03. BBC News . 13 August 2005 . London.
15. Web site: BBCSinhala.com. 17 December 2014.
16. News: D.M. Dassanayake, a Sri Lankan minister, is killed by bomb. . 8 January 2008 . 2014-03-03.
17. Web site: Prominent Political Leaders Assassinated by The LTTE . South Asia Terrorism Portal . 11 April 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110617051821/http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/shrilanka/database/leaders_assassinated_byLTTE.htm . 17 June 2011 . dead .
18. News: D. B. S. Jeyaraj. Assassinating Tamil Parliamentarians: The unceasing waves. The Nation, Sri Lanka. 16 March 2008. 3 March 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140220083850/http://www.nation.lk/2008/03/16/newsfe1.htm. 20 February 2014. dead.
19. Book: Rajasingham, K. T.. SRI LANKA: THE UNTOLD STORY. https://web.archive.org/web/20020515215711/http://atimes.com/ind-pak/DE11Df02.html. unfit. 2002-05-15. Chapter 39: Amirthalingham eliminated.
20. Web site: Document - Sri Lanka: Tamil Tigers leaders should account for latest killings - Amnesty International. 21 July 1997 . 17 December 2014.
21. Web site: Welcome to UTHR, Sri Lanka. 17 December 2014.
22. Web site: SRI LANKA: THE UNTOLD STORY - Chapter 27 - Horsewhip Amirthalingham . https://web.archive.org/web/20020416074026/http://www.atimes.com/ind-pak/DB02Df03.html . unfit . 16 April 2002 . Asia Times . 2 February 2002 . 11 April 2014 . Rajasingham, KT.
23. http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2005/12/26/ltte-has-so-far-killed-25-parliamentarians LTTE has so far killed 25 parliamentarians
24. Web site: Special Report No 17 - Rewarding Tyranny: Undermining the Democratic Potential for Peace. University Teachers for Human Rights. 7 October 2003.
25. http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=35478 Batti political family scion beckons Tamils away from politics of hate
26. Web site: Suicide bomber kills Lankan MP . 3 March 2014 . 24 May 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090524222314/http://www.indianexpress.com/res/web/pIe/ie/daily/19990730/ige30066.html . dead .
27. News: Sri Lanka: Tamil politician assassinated . BBC News . 29 July 1999 . 2014-03-03.
28. Subramanian . T. S. . Chronicle of murders . . 14 August 1999 . 16 . 17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121110123525/http://www.hindu.com/fline/fl1617/16171020.htm . dead . 10 November 2012 . 0970-1710 .
29. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5115968.stm Sri Lanka general killed in blast
30. Web site: Passage - Died . https://web.archive.org/web/20120805212347/http://www-cgi.cnn.com/ASIANOW/asiaweek/96/0112/feat2.html . dead . 5 August 2012 . Asiaweek . 11 April 2014 .
31. http://www.infolanka.com/org/srilanka/issues/ut18.html Brigadier Larry Wijeratne's Legacy
32. Web site: The Island. 17 December 2014.
33. Web site: The fall of Elephant Pass . The Sunday Times . 1 September 2014.
34. http://www.sundaytimes.lk/960707/sitrep.html Situation Report 7 July 1996 - How 2 brave soldiers saved minister By Iqbal Athas
35. Web site: Maj Gen Janaka Perera and his wife killed in LTTE suicide attack in Anuradhapura . Asian Tribune . 1 September 2014.
36. Web site: Lt Gen Denzil Kobbekaduwa & Other Heroes Remembered at Araly . News.lk . 1 September 2014.
37. Web site: Harry Goonatilake, a true patriot . Daily News- Spice . 1 September 2014.
38. http://www.nation.lk/2009/05/31/news16.htm Fourth anniversary of Col. Muthaliff’s assassination
39. http://www.slnewsonline.net/LTTE_atrocities%20_Major_Nizam_Muthaliff.htm LTTE assassinates Major Nizam Muthalif
40. http://www.sundaytimes.lk/991219/frontm.html President survives assassination bid
41. Web site: Suicide Attacks by the LTTE . SATP . 1 September 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150924114749/http://www.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/shrilanka/database/data_suicide_killings.htm . 24 September 2015 . dead .
42. Web site: Murder of Brigadier Susantha Mendis . Lanka Library . Indian Express . 1 September 2014 . Subramaniam, Nirupama.
43. http://archives.dailynews.lk/2011/06/11/fea01.asp The Saddest Day in Police History
44. Web site: Chronology Of Ltte Terror - Part 57 . Daily News Online . Daily News Archives . 4 August 2009 . 28 June 2014.
45. Web site: Marking of Aranthalava massacre: Reminder of inhumanity of LTTE . 1 September 2014.
46. http://www.outlookindia.com/news/article/hindu-priest-shot-dead-by-suspected-ltte-amid-fierce-clashes/639109 Hindu Priest Shot Dead by Suspected LTTE Amid Fierce Clashes
47. http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-international/article1794432.ece Hindu priest shot dead
48. http://www.topssrilanka.com/article39775-kurukkal-gunned-down-by-ltte-trail-of-atrocities.html Kurukkal gunned down by LTTE : Trail of atrocities
49. http://www.uthr.org/Book/Forward.htm Foreword
50. Web site: The Sunday Leader Online. 17 December 2014. 21 August 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20140821223329/http://www.thesundayleader.lk/archive/20041017/focus.htm. dead.
51. Web site: Martyred Bala Nadarajah Iyer remembered in Toronto, Canada despite threats and intimidation. 17 December 2014.
52. Web site: Welcome to UTHR, Sri Lanka. 17 December 2014. 28 July 2011. https://web.archive.org/web/20110728152531/http://www.uthr.org/Statements/Ketheeswaran%20Loganathan%20Killed.htm. dead.
53. Web site: On the occasion of the release of No More Tears Sister, a film on the life and times of Rajani Thiranagama . University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna), Sri Lanka . 1 September 2014 . 28 November 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20161128152132/http://www.uthr.org/Statements/Release%20of%20Film%20on%20Rajani%20-%20No%20more%20tears%20sister.htm . dead .
54. Web site: 8th death anniversary of popular Tamil Broadcaster gunned down by LTTE . Daily News . 15 November 2013 . 1 September 2014.
55. News: Gautamadasa. Aravinda. Commemorating a slain principal. The Island, Sri Lanka. 2014-03-03.
56. Jaffna Govt. Agent Shot Dead. Tamil Times. May 1989. VIII. 6. 17. 0266-4488.
57. Web site: Assassination of Tamil Leader Appapillai Amirthalingam by the LTTE 25 Years Ago . 4 May 2015 . 7 December 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221207070137/https://dbsjeyaraj.com/dbsj/archives/32136 . dead .
58. Web site: Asia Times. https://web.archive.org/web/20021025020427/http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/DI07Df01.html. unfit. 25 October 2002. 17 December 2014.
59. http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/11/15/sec01.asp Eastern Province CM’s Personal Secretary, driver gunned down
60. https://www.wsws.org/en/articles/1999/12/blst-d21.html Sri Lankan President Kumaratunga narrowly escapes assassination by suicide bomber
61. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/sri-lanka/kumaratunga.htm President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga
62. http://www.asiantribune.com/?q=node/13616 Minister Maithripala Sirisena miraculously escapes
63. http://www.sundaytimes.lk/081012/Columns/sitreport.html Columns - Situation report
64. http://dailynews.lk/?q=local/former-army-commander-sarath-fonseka-promoted-field-marshal Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka promoted Field Marshal
65. https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSCOL66488 Attacks blamed on Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers
66. http://www.sundaytimes.lk/061203/News/n102.html Three-wheeler got closer and closer and then a bang...
67. http://www.asiantribune.com/node/8445 LTTE explodes a human bomb-targeting Minister Douglas Devananda
68. http://www.island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=57973 Attempt on Douglas Devananda’s life
69. http://www.sundaytimes.lk/960707/newsm.html#nimal Nimal: I'm going back to Jaffna