Eelaththu Nilavan
(A response rising for the memory of Tamil Nationalism)
When a Nation’s Memories Are Erased
“Do you want to destroy a people? First, erase their memories.”
This is not merely a phrase — it is a deeply rooted principle followed by imperial powers for generations. What defines a nation is its language, culture, history of resistance, and its lineage of leadership. All these converge into what we call collective memory.
In today’s geopolitical world, wars are not waged only with guns and bombs, but also with psychological weapons designed to erase collective identities. For the Tamil people of Eelam, such a war has been ongoing. A subtle yet devastating psychological war is being waged by both Indian and Sri Lankan intelligence agencies — with memory erasure at its core.
Memory Erasure – A Strategic Intelligence Doctrine to Undermine Tamil Nationalism
Memory erasure is not an accidental byproduct of modern statecraft — it is a deliberate, systemic, and long-term intelligence operation. Agencies such as India’s Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), Sri Lanka’s State Intelligence Service (SIS), the Military Intelligence Directorate (DMI), and the Terrorism Investigation Division (TID) have all worked under a common doctrine:
To completely dismantle the Tamil national liberation movement by attacking its memories.
The objectives behind this doctrine include:
Confusing and disorienting the historical narratives of the Tamil liberation movement
Erasing the sacrifices and discrediting the original leadership
Introducing false narratives to manipulate the youth
Deconstructing Tamil national consciousness
Memory erasure is being implemented not just through censorship but through emotionally manipulative techniques, fake political activism, online disinformation campaigns, and intelligence-sponsored social media influencers.
Deep Operations Behind Memory Erasure
(A). Semantic Manipulation
Images of fallen heroes, flags of Tamil Eelam, photographs of Maaveerar, and speeches of the late Hon. Leader V. Prabhakaran — all these are being deployed in controlled ways to simulate support while distorting their original meaning. This kind of false sentimentalism is used to build political confusion among Tamils.
It is a calculated operation to present fake nationalistic aesthetics that dilute the true essence of the liberation movement.
(B). Opportunistic Journalists and Politicians
Many self-proclaimed Tamil nationalists publicly glorify Maaveerars (fallen heroes) while secretly collaborating with Indian or Sri Lankan state institutions. These individuals are not merely hypocrites — they are part of a broader network of intelligence influencers. Their work includes:
Diverting focus from real political goals
Legitimizing government narratives under the guise of nationalism
Fracturing Tamil solidarity through controlled dissent
(C). Infiltration via Cultural and Alternative Movements
Many “cultural revival centers,” “heritage research institutions,” or “non-violent resistance groups” are covertly controlled by intelligence agencies. These fronts aim to:
Sideline real fighters and original leadership
Replace the existing revolutionary symbols with passive cultural imagery
Plant pseudo-leaders to reshape public perception of Tamil identity
These are the new avatars of controlled nationalism, working hand in hand with psychological operations units.
Hon. Leader V. Prabhakaran – As a Symbol of Memory
Hon. Leader V. Prabhakaran remains the most powerful symbol of Tamil nationalism. He is not just a leader — he is the very embodiment of the Tamil liberation ideology. But today, his legacy is being subjected to a dangerous duality by the memory erasure campaigns.
Some claim:
“The leader is still alive,” others claim, “he has died.”
Conflicting claims and twisted video footage are circulated to confuse and distract the public.
Fake successors are promoted using the selective use of his speeches and visuals.
This is part of a “leader replacement” strategy, designed to weaken the identity and unity that the memory of the leader provides. This effort reflects the broader memory war — where even remembrance is weaponized.
Historical Evidence of India–Sri Lanka Intelligence Collaboration
Since the 1980s, Indian and Sri Lankan intelligence agencies have collaborated in operations aimed at dismantling the Tamil liberation struggle. Key examples include:
In 1987, India’s IPKF operated in Tamil Eelam based on intelligence from RAW, launching attacks on the Tamil Tigers.
Between 2006–2009, RAW provided surveillance, technical support, and satellite data to Sri Lanka’s military during its final offensive.
After the war, joint initiatives like “Counter-Tamil Radicalism” were launched in 2010, fostering sustained information sharing between RAW and SIS.
In the 2020s, many Tamil-speaking media platforms and YouTube channels are covertly managed or influenced by these same networks, often masked under cultural themes.
This intelligence collaboration did not end with the war; it transformed into a long-term psychological containment strategy aimed at the Tamil people.
The Psychological Dimension – Memory as Identity
A memory is not just a personal experience; it is a social construct, deeply embedded in identity. For the Tamil people, memory takes the form of:
Photos of martyrs
Commemorative events like Maaveerar Naal
Stories of heroism in battle
Video recordings of speeches, battles, and sacrifices
Oral traditions and survivor testimonies
In psychological warfare terms, these memories are emotional anchors — core parts of collective identity. The intelligence operations are designed to:
Break these emotional bonds
Replace real narratives with fragmented stories
Introduce manufactured sentimentality
This is called mnemonic warfare, where memory itself becomes the battlefield.
The danger lies in narrative disruption — once the real story is forgotten, lies can fill the vacuum. This is how an entire generation is taught to forget what their ancestors died for.
The True Resistance to Memory Erasure – Telling the Truth
The only effective countermeasure to memory erasure is truth-telling and documentation. The Tamil people must:
Record every name, photograph, and story of the fallen
Publish the structure and movements of the liberation military
Document war crimes, prison torture, and the final hours of the war
Archive videos, audio speeches, and command documents
Teach the youth about the historical roots of the struggle
These acts are not just preservation — they are acts of resistance. Every photograph uploaded, every article written, every documentary published becomes a direct blow against the erasure project.
To Preserve Memory Is to Preserve a Nation
The pillars of the Tamil liberation struggle — memory, leadership, sacrifice, and history — are being dismantled, not with bullets, but with lies, distractions, and manipulation. But as long as Tamil people write, remember, speak, and teach the truth, the memory war will fail.
> “A people without memory is a people without a soul.”
– Patrice Lumumba
Every line we write today becomes the conscience of the Tamil nation tomorrow. Let us be the memory that survives the erasure — and the resistance that rises from it.
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The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Amizhthu’s editorial stance.
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