Former LTTE combatant E. Kathir has announced plans to register the People’s Front of Liberation Tigers with the Election Commission of Sri Lanka to contest future polls independently.
Speaking at a press conference at the Jaffna Press Club on Sunday, Kathir declared himself general secretary of the new entity, which he described as the official political party of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
He said that the timing of the announcement was chosen because November is the month dedicated to commemorating fallen Tamil fighters.
Kathir said that existing political parties had failed to address the needs of ex-combatants since the end of the conflict in 2009, prompting the creation of a dedicated political vehicle.
He outlined plans for a national convention in January, noting that regional and district branches have already been established across the northern and eastern regions.
The general secretary said that the party intends to pursue self-determination and a federal solution for Tamils through strictly democratic and non-violent means.
He urged the Sri Lankan government not to hinder its political initiatives and called for international diplomatic backing.
Kathir previously served as secretary of the Crusaders for Democracy, an organization of former fighters that fielded independent candidates in the 2015 parliamentary elections after being turned down by the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).
His past political activity led to intense interrogation by the Terrorism Investigation Division in 2018 regarding his involvement in Tamil war commemoration events.
However, Kathir did not disclose specific dates for the official registration application or reveal the identities of other senior party members during the press briefing.
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