Introduction
On August 4, 1987, the historic “Suthumalai Proclamation” took place in the northern town of Suthumalai, Jaffna. It stands today as a defining political moment in the Tamil national liberation struggle. The leader of the Tamil Eelam Liberation Tigers (LTTE), Velupillai Prabhakaran, delivered a direct and powerful speech to the Tamil people — an event that came to symbolize Tamil resistance, political clarity, and international outcry against Indian hegemony.
✦. The Indo-Lanka Accord: A Geopolitical Design by a Regional Power
On July 29, 1987, Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and Sri Lankan President J.R. Jayewardene signed the Indo-Lanka Accord, advertised as a peace agreement. In reality, it was India’s strategic attempt to:
● Pull Sri Lanka away from Pakistan and Chinese influence
● Secure Tamil-dominated regions under Indian military control
● Disarm liberation movements like the LTTE and prevent an independent Tamil Eelam
The agreement was formulated without the participation or consent of the main stakeholders — the Tamil people or their representatives. The LTTE, being the most prominent resistance group, was excluded from negotiations, exposing the top-down authoritarian nature of India’s regional ambitions.
✦. The Political Weight of the Suthumalai Speech
Velupillai Prabhakaran’s speech contained several politically crucial points:
● Assertion of Self-Determination:
“When a mighty power decides the political fate of our people beyond our capacity, what choice do we have?” – This line captured the helplessness forced by India’s actions and articulated the Tamil people’s right to determine their own political future.
● Handing Over Responsibility to India:
“The moment we surrender our arms… the Government of India must take full responsibility for the protection of our people.” – This remark placed India under international legal and moral responsibility for the safety of Tamils post-disarmament.
● Trust and Misplaced Hope:
“We trust the integrity of the Indian Prime Minister.” – Despite strategic misgivings, the LTTE placed faith in India’s promise of safety, a trust that history would soon show to be misplaced.
✦. Disarmament and Betrayal: The Collapse of Trust
Following the speech and in accordance with the Indo-Lanka Accord, the LTTE agreed to hand over its weapons to the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF). What followed was betrayal:
● IPKF launched military offensives in Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Vavuniya, Mannar, and Batticaloa
● Thousands of civilians, especially women and children, faced sexual violence, torture, and massacres
● The Indian army, originally sent to “keep peace,” transformed into an occupying force repressing Tamil resistance movements
This operation shattered the LTTE’s hope and exposed the Indian government’s true intentions.
✦. The Indian Army’s War Against the Tamils
From 1987 to 1990, the Indian Peace Keeping Force committed gross human rights violations in the Tamil homeland:
● Over 5,000 Tamil civilians were killed (based on UNHCR and Human Rights Watch data)
● LTTE was targeted in a full-scale war rather than being treated as a partner in peace
● Villages were burned, elders were tortured, women were raped, and children were killed
The Indian state, which claimed to act in Tamil interests, had in effect waged war against the Tamil people.
✦. International Law, Responsibility, and Evidence of Atrocities
As mentioned in the Suthumalai speech, India’s role carried international legal implications:
● Geneva Conventions – Protocol I (1977): Any actions taken by foreign military forces over civilian populations during a peacekeeping mission fall under the responsibility of the sending government.
● UNHCR 1991 Report: Urged a formal investigation into India’s role in Tamil civilian deaths and displacement
● Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International independently documented multiple war crimes and abuses by IPKF forces
These actions contradicted the Indo-Lanka Accord’s supposed humanitarian premise and exposed India’s imperial behavior.
✦. The Suthumalai Proclamation: A Cornerstone in Tamil Political History
The Suthumalai Proclamation is not just a speech. It is a:
● Political manifesto affirming Tamil nationhood
● Legal record entrusting India with the responsibility for post-disarmament safety
● Historical indictment of India’s duplicity and colonial-style tactics in Eelam
To this day, it remains a guiding text for Tamil political consciousness, embodying the dignity and clarity of a people asserting their right to freedom.
✦.Conclusion:
The Suthumalai Proclamation stands as a deeply political and historical statement. It highlights:
︎ Tamil aspiration for self-determination
︎ The betrayal by India under the mask of peacekeeping
︎ The transformation of trust into resistance, and resistance into legacy
It remains a cornerstone in the history of the Tamil Eelam liberation movement, exposing Indian strategic hypocrisy and reaffirming the legitimacy of Tamil resistance.
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『 Written by
Eelaththu Nilavan 』
04/08/2025
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Amizhthu’s editorial stance.
