Sathasiva Krishnakumar – Kittu
Sathasiva Krishnakumar (alias Kittu), born Jan 2nd 1960, quickly rose to rank as Colonel Kittu, and was the LTTE’s Jaffna Commander. He was well known for his determination, ferociousness and being a man of the people. He was always insistent on the freedom movement. He would urge the need to get to know people, move with them and go to their homes and communicate with them.
On March 13, 1987, while travelling in his jeep, he was fired upon and a grenade was thrown into his vehicle. His right leg was severely injured and had to be amputated. A few years later he was sent to London, England for further treatment of his amputated leg, and became the head of the LTTE’s International Secretariat in London.
The UK eventually banned him and he had to flee the country. He went to Mexico, where he would get ready to travel back to Tamil Eelam by boat. While travelling with nine other cadres, the boat was intercepted by the Indian Navy. Negotiations proceeded for three days, between the boat, the LTTE and the Indian government. Colonel Kittu and the nine Tigers decided the only way out was to blow up their boat, rather than getting arrested and becoming prisoners. On January 16th 1993, they sent non-LTTE crew members of the boat to shore, and blew up their boat while on it.
Today, we remember Colonel Kittu, who was an integral part of the LTTE’s early success against the oppressive and genocidal Sri Lankan state. He was active at a time where we lost important figures to the Sri Lankan government, and his assertiveness and courage brought revolutionary life into our movement.
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