LTTE overseas hardliners see KP as a failure
Manjula FERNANDO
The following is an interview with an expert on LTTE Affairs and the
Head of International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism
Research of the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Prof. Rohan
Gunaratna.
Q: A one time LTTE operative in Colombo, now in detention, in
an interview with a newspaper confessed that he received instructions,
the funding and motivational feedback from a foreign source. In this
context shouldn’t we be more concerned about the LTTE’s declaration of a
provisional transnational government?
Prof. Rohan Gunaratna. ANCL file photo |
A: The LTTE failed to establish a Government in the North and
East of Sri Lanka. As a result of this failure, it is now trying to
establish a Government in exile. This too will be a short lived dream.
The desire of Prabhakaran to create an imaginary state is still being
advocated by those who funded, procured weapons, managed ships and
indoctrinated Tamil youth to continue the journey. Main Tamil leaders
who are moderate and tolerant must now step in and appeal the Tamil
Diaspora to give up violence and develop the North and East.
KP should be arrested and extradited to Sri Lanka, any government,
any institution or any individual working with KP should be
investigated.
Q: But shouldn’t the Sri Lankan Government take this
declaration seriously?
A: The Sri Lankan Government should have three pronged
approach to reduce this threat to our country. First is to continue the
mopping up operations in the North and East and elsewhere in Sri Lanka.
Two is to prevent the emergence of another Prabhakaran from the Tamil
community either in Sri Lanka or overseas. Three is dismantling the LTTE
international network, this is still intact.
Although the LTTE has been vanquished in Sri Lanka and its leadership
decapitated, the LTTE is very active overseas. Unless the Government,
especially the Foreign Affairs Ministry gears up to meet this challenge,
the LTTE will grow overseas and the threat will affect Sri Lanka’s
national security. The Foreign Ministry should take the lead in the next
phase of the battle to counter the propaganda and dismantle the overseas
network. Police both through interpol and unilaterally should work to
arrest and extradite known the LTTE leaders and operatives. To protect
the future of the country the battle must be taken overseas.
Q: This will be harder than the ground battle?
A: The international battle will be long and hard.
Q: KP who was the LTTE’s chief international procurer is now
the self proclaimed leader of the LTTE. Has the outfit’s international
network accepted this in unanimity or are there any other hidden
players?
A: KP’s authority as successor to Prabhakaran is being
challenged. Prabhakaran relied on KP to lobby the international
community to intervene during the last phase of the campaign. However,
KP failed leading to the death of Prabhakaran and almost the entire
leadership. A man who failed in this very important LTTE mission will
not be accepted by the LTTE hardliners overseas.
Furthermore KP will not be accepted by the International community
because of his past life as the chief procurer and shipping officer of
the LTTE.
Q: It has been nearly two months since the elimination of the
LTTE Leader and the liberation of the North by the Security Forces. How
do you assess the strength of the LTTE’s intelligence network within Sri
Lanka?
A: The LTTE’s intelligence network has been dismantled just
like its military and political structures.
However, there are a few people that are unaccounted for. They are
still in IDP camps hiding among civilians, operating in the jungles of
Sri Lanka or overseas. The Government has done a remarkable job but they
will need to continue to work hard to counter the residual threat.
Q: What happened to Pottu Amman?
A: It is very likely Pottu Amman committed suicide.
His wife certainly committed suicide.
Although his body was not recovered, there is information that he
took cyanide and drowned himself in the Nandikadal lagoon.
Q: How do you view the restriction of movement in IDP camps?
A: The President was correct when he said that there are
important LTTE leaders in IDP camps.
Some of them hiding among the civilians have committed massacres and
were involved in other terror activities.
They must be found out and arrested. Because of the huge LTTE
infiltration, I would estimate that at least 10 percent of the IDPs in
the camps have been radicalized through LTTE training.
Q: What happened to the LTTE’s famous shipping fleet?
A: The shipping fleet has been destroyed by the Navy. Admiral
Karannagoda is a very innovative commander and a brilliant strategist.
However, the LTTE is still maintaining a few ships. Those ships are
currently non operational and do not pose a threat to Sri Lanka.
Q: Who are the prominent LTTE international players?
A: The campaign to tarnish Sri Lanka’s image and reputation
including the disruption of aid assistance is strategized by KP followed
by LTTE activists in number of countries.
They include Mrs. Balasingham in London, Rudrakumaran in the US and
others who continue to lobby Human Rights organizations, the UN and
certain Governments in the West.
Q: There are many speculations as to the LTTE’s post-war
operational base, what is your opinion?
A: Malaysia. The State of Penang is the key centre for LTTE
operations. KP has shifted from Thailand to Malaysia. Unless the Sri
Lankan Government works very closely with the Malaysian counterparts,
the LTTE is likely to re-structure, re-organize and pose a threat to
country’s security in the coming months.
Q: The LTTE and violence cannot be separated, if the LTTE is
still active in the international scene how would you suppose that it
will perpetrate violence and live up to their name as the world’s most
ruthless terrorist organization?
A: A very senior officer of the US Government once ranked the
LTTE the A-team together with Al Qaeda and Lebanese Hisbullah.
As long as the group uses the term LTTE and has ‘The thirst of Tamil
Tigers is Thamil Eelam’ as its motto, the LTTE will pose a threat to Sri
Lanka and other countries.
The LTTE has committed terror acts in other countries. They
assassinated Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi and will not hesitate to
kill again if necessary.
The LTTE has also emerged in credit card, bank and cheque frauds as
well as other forms of organized crime such as human smuggling,
defrauding social security and federal funds.
However, the biggest contribution of the LTTE to international system
has been the introduction of maritime terrorist operations and suicide
attacks.
Until Prabhakaran watched the movie ‘Death wish 2’ and developed the
suicide jacket to kill Rajiv Gandhi, no terror group used human borne
suicide jacket.
KP recently articulated, Tamils whether they are in Fiji, Mauritius,
Africa, Europe, North America or Asia, they must link up. Unless the
LTTE form of highly destructive Tamil nationalism is contained, it is
likely that the LTTE’s mindset of intolerance of other communities
spreads among the Tamil people. |