Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front

The Eelam People’s Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF) was created in 1979 when a faction of EROS, led by Douglas Devananda and others, broke away from the group due to an internal leadership dispute. EPRLF was committed to Marxist ideology and was mostly concerned with political mobilization and garnering grassroots support. After the 1983 anti-Tamil riots, however, the group’s military wing came to the forefront and EPRLF transformed itself into a militant group. Between 1985-1986, the EPRLF developed rapidly, surpassing its predecessor EROS and bringing it into direct conflict with the LTTE. In 1985, EPRLF joined forces with TELO, EROS, and the LTTE to form the Eelam National Liberation Front (ENLF) to participate in the Thimphu peace talks brokered by India. In late 1986, after the failure of the talks, the LTTE launched an all-out assault on the EPRLF, forcing most of its members to surrender and effectively disbanding the military wing of the EPRLF. After its defeat by the LTTE, EPRLF aligned itself with the IPKF and transformed itself into a minor political party.