Tamils in Denmark marked the 31st death anniversary of Sathasivam Krishnakumar alias Colonel Kittu earlier this week. Colonel Kittu, and nine other LTTE cadres, committed suicide after being surrounded by Indian navy warships in 1993.

The nine other cadres who passed away with Col. Kittu were:

• - Lt.Col. Kuttisiri: Rasaiah Sri Ganesan from Suthumalai, Jaffna

• - Sea Tiger Captain Jeeva: Nadarajah Mark Jeyarajah from Pashaiyoor, Jaffna

• - Sea Tiger Captain Gunaseelan: Segan Cruz Michael Jeeva from Maniam Thottam in Jaffna

• - Major Malaravan (Velan): Suntharalingam Suntharavel from Viyaparimoolai, Point Pedro

• - Sea Tiger Captain Rosan: Ratnalingam Arunarajah from Nallur, Jaffna

• - Sea Tiger Captain Nayagam: Sivalingam Seharan from Polikandy in Point Pedro

• - Sea Tiger Lt. Thuyavan: Mahalingam Jeyalingam from Kandy Road, Jaffna

• - Sea Tiger Lt. Amuthan: Aloysius Johnson from Navanthurai, Jaffna

• - Sea Tiger Lt. Nallarasan: Sivagnanasundaram Ramesh from Columbuthurai, Jaffna

At the event, the Tamil Eelam flag was hoisted, flowers were laid and candles were lit to remember Colonel Kittu's sacrifice. The commemoration took place on Sunday, in Kerning and Kolbæk, Denmark. The ceremony concluded with the rousing slogan of the Tamil mantra “Tamizharin Thakam Tamil Eelam Tayakam”.

Col. Kittu rose to public prominence as the LTTE’s Jaffna Commander from 1985-1987 and was based in the Paduvankarai region during the first phase of the armed conflict. He was later appointed head of the LTTE’s International Secretariat in London and was on his way home from the UK when his ship was intercepted.

“The former Jaffna Commander of the LTTE was on his way to meet the LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran to brief him on the latest peace proposal arranged with the assistance of certain European countries to find a solution to the ethnic crisis in Sri Lanka,” said a statement from the LTTE, released after his death.

“Kittu had explained to the navy officials, who surrounded him, but they had rejected his explanation and had taken the LTTE ship by force to the shores. Following this action by the Indian navy Kittu and nine of his comrades committed suicide to prevent themselves from becoming prisoners of the Indian government”.