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Analysis
KP Apprehension:
Blow to LTTE Revival?
by
Col. Rahul K. Bhonsle
The revival
of the LTTE suffered a sharp blow with the apprehension of Mr Kumaran
Pathmanathan popularly known as KP in Kuala Lumpur in what is likely to
have been a joint operation between the intelligence agencies of Sri
Lanka, Malaysia and India, though Indian role remains in the background
given the sensitivity of Tamil sentiment. KP had been nominated as the
secretary general of the post Prabhakaran LTTE and was increasingly
assuming prominence with a suave media and internet campaign to revive
the organization. These moves to revive the organization and the larger
struggle for Tamil Ealam have thus suffered a temporary set back.
While the Sri Lankan government was rejoicing victory over the LTTE with
the army commanders felicitated and the President planning a political
rout of sorts holding elections in the provinces and possibly for the
Presidency in early 2010, the LTTE diaspora was busy planning revival of
the organization. A factional fight between Sivaparan alias Nediyavan,
assistant of the political wing leader late Tamilchelvan, and KP was
settled in the latters favour and KP was nominated as the �Thalamai
Seyalar� (Secretary General) to lead the overseas LTTE organization.
Perinbayanagam Sivaparan alias Nediyavan, was a powerful overseas LTTE
intelligence operative who was possibly left with holding the crumbs and
may have been disgruntled.
The revived LTTE was to have a number of secretaries including human
rights, resettlement, rehabilitation, reconstruction, peace building,
development, negotiations, political action, policymaking, public
relations, media relations, resource management etc as per noted Sri
Lanka expert Col R Hariharan based in Chennai. Nediyavan was assuaged by
making him in charge of the Department of Diaspora Affairs responsible
for administration of the various LTTE branches and institutions of the
Tamil Diaspora. With these happenings it was anticipated that the LTTE
would soon start its agitations abroad and also re establish linkages in
Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka itself as the government there was diverted
towards other issues.
KP was the main supplier of arms and ammunition of the organization and
had an extensive network of legal as well as illegal businesses in South
East Asia where he operated with impunity despite two red corner notices
one by the Indian government for his role in assassination of former
Indian Prime Minister Mr Rajeev Gandhi. KP is alleged to have procured
weapons worth billions of dollars across Asia, Canada, US and Europe.
The Sri Lankan government was wary of such a happening and Sri Lankan
Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake had warned the Parliament that
"another person was trying to mobilise the LTTE cadres to regroup." and
that it would be dealt firmly.
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa brother of President Mahinda
Rajapaksa and a key strategist behind the defeat of the LTTE said that
though the organization had been military crushed, attempts were being
made to rescue hardcore fighters from refuge camps in the Vavuniya
region. He warned that this could be part of an overall strategy to
revive the organization in an interview with The Sunday Island. It was
therefore apparent that the government was aware of the moves to revive
the LTTE and was also possibly on the trail of KP.
KP was apprehended by intelligence agencies from a hotel in Kuala
Lumpur. Trailing KP was not very difficult as he had been openly giving
a series of interviews and was available to the media. He was meeting
some other LTTE diaspora members when he was ostensibly called out of
the hotel room and swooped away under circumstances which are not clear
at present except that he was immediately moved to Colombo indicating
that there has been cooperation at the intelligence and government level
between the countries.
Some reports say that KP was possibly betrayed by a rival faction who
was not happy with his dominating presence in such a short time. Other
reports indicate a tip-off from Indian intelligence agencies given their
interest in his case in the wake of his involvement in the Rajeev Gandhi
assassination. The expatriate Sri Lankan Tamil community in Kuala Lumpur
also indicated that KP was arrested by Malaysian agencies, whisked away
to Bangkok, and from there to Colombo. As a loyalist of Prabhakaran, KP
was seen to be well placed to lead the movement however his high profile
had also invited a number of enemies within the organization, leading to
disconcert.
There is no doubt that the apprehension of KP is likely to be a blow to
revival of the LTTE for he had the right number of contacts and the
financial clout to revive the organization in the diaspora community.
However given his life style of extravagance, openly reclaiming the
position while being hunted on red corner notices made him extremely
vulnerable, thus his apprehension was possibly inevitable, given that he
emerged from the role of an underground operative to that of a semi over
ground leader.
However this setback to the LTTE revival may be only temporary. For
there are other leaders as Nediyavan waiting in the wings who may have
even gone to the extent of giving out the location of KP to the
intelligence agencies to quietly settle their battle for supremacy in
the organization. Thus as far as leadership of the organization a new
one possibly, Nediyavan may now assume the mantle of the Secretary
General.
Two other factors are important for the organization to resume its
activities. Support from Indian leaders from Tamil Nadu as Vaiko who are
favourable towards the revival but have not indicated any inclination to
support any group so far and the recovery of the organization or its
political roots in Sri Lanka. The Tamil National Alliance the political
front supporting the LTTE is in disarray and would have to be
rejuvenated. This will be also followed up by possible regrouping of the
cadres of the outfit who are now in some of the camps and under
screening.
The elections to the Jaffna and Vavuniya Municipal councils held
yesterday (08 August) also indicated that the people have not fully
accepted the military verdict of defeat of the LTTE and there is support
for Ealam in a tacit form with voting registering a low 20 percent
possibly giving heed to the call by the held LTTE political head, Mr
Patmanathan for a boycott.
The results also indicated some support for the TNA affiliated parties.
While the ruling party United People's Freedom Alliance secured a
majority of 13 seats of the 23-member Jaffna Municipal Council receiving
50.67% votes, TNA constituent, Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) won
eight seats with 38.28% of the votes. In Vavuniya ITAK secured a
majority of seats in the Vavuniya Urban Council with 34.81 percent
votes.
Thus the Sri Lanka government would have to take notice of these trends
and settle for a swift political solution that may provide succor to the
Tamils taking away the urge for separatism, for KP or not, LTTE is
slowly but surely showing early signs of revival. A political solution
however appears to be a tall order at present as the government is
facing stiff resistance from the Sinhala community in the south.
August 9, 2009
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