Eelam People's Democratic Party

The Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) is a political party and a pro-government paramilitary organization in Sri Lanka. It is led by its founder Douglas Devananda.

Background

Douglas Devananda was one of the founding members of the Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students (EROS), one of the earliest Sri Lankan Tamil militant groups. In 1980 EROS split into two as K. "Ranjan" Padmanaba (Pathmanaba) and Varatharajah Perumal broke away and formed the Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF). Devananda joined the EPRLF. By early 1986 disputes had arisen between Devananda and Padmanaba, the EPRLF's political leader. The EPRLF leadership split into two factions: EPRLF (Ranjan) and EPRLF (Douglas). In 1987 the EPRLF (Douglas) faction formally split from the EPRLF. Devananda initially formed the Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front (ENDLF) with a breakaway faction of the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam led by Paranthan Rajan. The ENDLF collapsed when Rajan started working with Indians - Devananda was opposed to the Indian intervention in the Sri Lankan Civil War. Devananda, now living in Madras, India, then formed the Eelam People's Democratic Party.

Kidnapping and extortion

The EPDP lacked funds and Devananda resorted to kidnapping and extortion of Sri Lankan Tamils living in Madras. In 1989 Devananda and 25 others were arrested for the second time by...
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