The Deification of Prabhakaran
Ruben Nagesparan Chandrakumar, BS
Throughout history, it has not been uncommon for influential historical figures to reach the pillars of mythological tales. It has also not been uncommon for communities to deify certain individuals to the status of a God. Within the culture of Eelam, there has been an unfortunate phenomenon where Vellupillai Prabhakaran, the long-time leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, has reached such a status. The rationale behind why this occurs is deeply rooted in human psychology and the religious impulse. The simplest explanation is that people begin to admire these individuals greatly and then eternalize them as part of the mythological narrative of the community.
In the case of Prabhakaran, Tamils saw him as a determined, strong, intelligent, courageous, and strong-willed man who was—almost singlehandedly—capable of protecting the Tamil people and the territories of Eelam. To many, he was the savior of the people and the country, and he was praised for his actions. This myth formed to make sense of a poorly organized and educated perception of the historical situation. By simplifying the situation based on the limited knowledge people had on the history of the conflict and Prabhakaran’s role in it, these individuals formed a heuristic that saw the Tamils as good people and the Sinhalese as bad people. All nuance and complexity were then not needed—along with the essential discussion to sort through the complexity.
To them, Prabhakaran was the hero myth embodied for the Tamil people; unfortunately, by deifying him, it became nearly impossible to criticize him and his obvious imperfections. Additionally, with his death, many Tamils felt—and continue to feel—as though all hope had been lost. His authoritarian tendencies and totalitarian rule provided a clear path, meaning, and rules to those who were craving such structure.
This archetype, this pattern of deification, can be traced back as far as the Pharaohs of Egypt—who were viewed as Gods themselves due to several reasons, including the role of the rulers in maintaining order, safety, and prosperity for the people. While much of the world has changed their philosophies to avoid deifying leaders, Eelam has not entirely rid itself of this propensity. There are very few examples in the modern era comparable to the phenomenon of deifying Prabhakaran, but perhaps the most apt one is the blind worship of the Kim family within North Korea. The way in which nonsensical ideology has been sustained within North Korea is through a brutal dictatorship that restricts information and punishes people for deviating from the collective norm. The mythology of the North Korean people that has been promulgated by the Kim family is not only patently absurd but also a severe impediment to the progress of the country’s philosophy, knowledge, and freedom. This is especially true given the gruesome and inhumane treatment of the North Korean people by the Kim family.
All of these things are reflected in the dictatorial rule of Prabhakaran. Even though he accomplished a great deal for Eelam and was able to win military victories no one thought possible, he was a deeply flawed man with terrible sins and mistakes. Without an analysis of how Prabhakaran was a monster that stole children from their families to fight in a war, encouraged suicide bombings as a heroic form of sacrifice, massacred innocent Tamils and Sinhalese, expelled and stole from the Moors, extorted Tamils domestically and abroad, and committed many more heinous actions, there will be no change in the cultural psyche, no change in the historical awareness, no change in the concept of right and wrong, and a continued justification for the atrocious behavior of Prabhakaran.
The individuals who worship Prabhakaran and deify him as Sooriyathevan, the Sun God, must look deeply at all the wrongs that the man committed and realize that he was no God. He may have had respectable traits and acted, at times, in deeply admirable ways, but that does not discount the many, many sins of which he is guilty. Until this belief, and the general ignorance around the brutality of Prabhakaran’s rule, is changed—Eelam will face a massive impediment to its cultural development, spiritual enlightenment, and political future.