Channel 4 interview in UK:

KP contradicts himself

Walter Jayawardhana

Kumaran Pathmanathan who helped the world's most ruthless terrorist group, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to build their military might and their vicious suicide bomber network made self-contradictory statements in an interview with London Channel 4 Television news.

The man accepted as a leader of a section of some expatriate members of the banned terrorist organization told the news program that since the international community wanted them to do so they have decided to achieve a separate country by dividing Sri Lanka by peaceful means when he was interviewed at an undisclosed place outside Sri Lanka.

The news channel also failed to report that KP's claimed leadership is being challenged by other sections of the outfit. He said some 1500-2000 armed cadres are still hiding inside the Sri Lankan jungles to rekindle their armed struggle at his behest if President Mahinda Rajapaksa does not release the Tamil civilians from the welfare camps.

The interviewer, Jonathan Miller, did not ask him about the blatant contradictions.

The man who claimed they have accepted a non-violent new policy for the LTTE told the versatile news channel of London, "We silenced the guns. They have accepted my leadership.

They are waiting for my next instructions. But military sources in Colombo said the LTTE has no military capability in Sri Lanka.

Meanwhile the Eelam Revolutionary Organization (EROS) in a statement said, KP claims that the LTTE is prepared to strike is ludicrous. As far as the now defunct LTTE is concerned we are dealing with two fundamental issues here.

Firstly the LTTE were militarily defeated by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces in May leading to the death of their leader Prabhakaran which was much to the relief and joy of the Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora who are now experiencing the euphoria and meaning of true liberation from the clutches of the Tamil Tigers after nearly three decades. Secondly, KP is not recognised amongst the fast dwindling international support base of the now defunct LTTE as their leader or representative.

The statement has been signed by Nesan Shankar Raji and EROS is a smaller moderate Tamil political party.

KP also told the Channel 4 interviewer that he was a member of the inner circle of the LTTE and a very close friend of the late LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran.

But he said it was wrong for the LTTE to take children and made them into child soldiers.

The interviewer did not ask why he did not try to change the policy of Prabhakaran's blatant child kidnappings from the parents and stop the practice using his immense influence on his dead leader.

Evidence show even during the last crucial days when the LTTE was surrounded by the Sri Lankan troops, the terrorist group, as a last resort, was engaged in recruiting child soldiers for their protection.

The LTTE reneged an agreement they entered with the United Nations to stop recruiting child soldiers. But the new leader, in his interview with Jonathan Miller of Channel 4 said, Sorry for that. I never agreed to accept the child soldiers.

The channel 4 did the interview more in propagandist style and dared not ask any embarrassing questions from him.

Channel 4 continually broadcast LTTE propaganda as hard news.