Claim and challenge

in Colombo

THE new chief of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Selvarasa Pathmanathan, or KP, stunned the e and the e-lam world on July 29 with his disclosure that days before his death in Eelam War IV, Velupillai Prabakaran and other Tiger commanders had taken a decision at Mullivaikkal in Mullaithivu district to give up armed struggle and take recourse to political and diplomatic moves to achieve the goal of a separate Tamil homeland, or Eelam. This was not KPs first public utterance since the death of Prabakaran. Living somewhere in South-East Asia and wanted by Interpol on myriad charges, KP has been in the limelight since January when he was pulled out of his semi-retired life as a Tiger veteran and appointed by Prabakaran as head of the LTTEs International Relations Department.

There are two significant aspects to the July 29 statement of KP made known through his newly created blog on the LTTEs international relations website (https://ltteir.org/). One is that KP gave credit to the LTTE for the decision to silence the guns and adopt the political and diplomatic route. The second and more important aspect is that this was perhaps the first pronouncement by KP that was not denounced by any section of the Tamil diaspora and Tamils within Sri Lanka.

His statement on May 24 confirming that the LTTE supremo had attained martyrdom in combat, within six days after claiming that Prabakaran had survived Eelam War IV and would re-emerge at an appropriate time, was ripped apart by influential elements of the Tamil diaspora and a section of leaders in the Indian State of Tamil Nadu. He was virtually branded a turncoat and a traitor to the cause espoused by Prabakaran. He was even accused of resorting to cheap tactics with ulterior motives.

KP has since travelled a long way in the cyber world and in the minds of the Tamil diaspora. The July 29 statement demonstrates the success he has achieved in bringing a semblance of unity among the various factions in the LTTE in the post-Prabakaran era and in buying peace, although tenuous and temporary. It is considered a remarkable achievement for a man who is officially declared an absconder in Sri Lanka and has Interpol hot on his heels.

As things stand, it is a tribute to KPs persuasive skills and extensive contacts within and outside the diaspora. But how did he manage to bring his detractors on board within such a short period of time? Therein lies the significance of the blog he started in the second week of July.

Obviously, it was hard labour involving elaborate discussions with diaspora leaders of all hues. In the entry Pathmanathan Pages posted on the blog on July 8, KP took enormous pains to establish his credentials as a trusted aide of Prabakaran and his desire to carry forward the struggle of his leader without any personal motive. Key paragraphs from the entry are in order. He wrote:

My leader must have felt that the right time had come; on the first day of 2009 he appointed me as the head of international relations of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. On the 12th of January that year he informed the world leaders that I will take responsibility, as head of the unit, for all future diplomatic moves, as the spokesperson and as the primary foreign relations delegate.

I wish to share with our people the letter and its translation that our leader had sent the world leaders.

Copy of letter (please click here).

There are two important statements in the letter that are noteworthy. Our leader had established a new department for international relations. This was the first time our movement established an international relations department. Our leader had felt the need to fill the gap that had been left after the demise of our political ideologue Anton Balasingham.

Prior to announcing my appointment, my leader had discussed many important issues with me in detail. He emphasised the importance of international support for the victory of our freedom struggle. We discussed the challenges associated with this in detail. Many more details, including the situation on the ground at the time of my appointment, the approach the international community had taken in this problem and the choices that were available in front of our leader during the final stages of the war will all be discussed next week (15.07.2009).

KP went on to say:

It is already 33 years since I joined in the Tamil freedom struggle. I have been a part of this struggle, joining forces with our leader since 1976. I have been a close support to him during very crucial periods. In 1984 when our leader got married, I had the good fortune to be his best man. This long association is indescribable by words. Through this long heart-felt relationship, I have followed our leader as an older brother, as a guide and as a friend. I have exchanged freely with him the things I felt were right or wrong and continued my role in pursuit of freedom. Understanding the critical geographical and regional implications that our freedom struggle will encounter well ahead of time, our leader had entrusted me with a strategic role that was critical to the struggle. As a result, even with other responsibilities at hand, I had to engage with the internationally dispersed Tamil diaspora.

The role of the diaspora is an important one in the period after 1995. The work carried out in the international arena was directed by me in the period between 1996 and 2002. Prior to this, since the mid-1980s, I have worked hard amongst the diaspora to establish the organisational structure that was needed to fight our freedom struggle by visiting them from house to house and country to country. The people who had worked for a long time in our freedom struggle and the early supporters know my role and involvement very well. Some Tamil people are confused about the identities of KP and Selvarasa Pathmanathan and state Selvarasa Pathmanathan is a new face but KP is an older, senior member. Please do not be confused; both KP and Selvarasa Pathmanathan are the same person.

In the period between 1996 and 2002, we were able to deliver 20% more than what was expected from our leader. It was heart-warming to know that we too [played] an important part for the proud victories that were achieved to the astonishment of Tamil Eelam nation and the world during this period. After 2002, it was the wish of my leader to coordinate all activities from our homeland. He felt the need for all leaders responsible to operate in close proximity to him. He beckoned me too. As I was getting ready to go, understanding the difficulties in mobility too well, he wanted me to be patient until he was able to make suitable arrangements for travel.

In a new twist to LTTE politics in the post-Prabakaran era, the crux of his July 29 statement titled What are the fundamentals for the next phase of our struggle? reads:

I had also stated that this conclusion was reached on the basis of the current difficult situation our people face, taking into account the massive setbacks our freedom struggle had encountered in recent times, existing international environment, regional restrictive circumstances and the external factors that influence the existential realities in Tamil Eelam.

In accordance with the resolution that our leader had taken in Mullivaikkal, I had said that the next steps of our journey to win our goal of freedom will continue with silenced guns and through political and diplomatic means. I also stated that this political position was an important one in the next steps of our struggle and that we will further explore this in this weeks pages.

KP said that after he had announced the new diplomatic path, some readers asked him two intricately linked questions, Can we not continue the guerilla warfare while we continue a diplomatic pursuit? Would that not create greater pressure on Sri Lanka and assist in the diplomatic process?

KP asserted that after the incident at Mullivaikkal, the decision on a political and diplomatic path was not taken by him alone but was made in consultation with the military commanders who were in the field at that time and with other divisional cadre.

In the context of todays world order, to pursue a military option while pushing forward with a political and diplomatic option is contrary to each other, similar to travelling in two different directions. This will cause many practical obstacles in moving to the next stage [of] our freedom struggle that seeks to centralise the welfare of the people.

He argued that if the LTTE were to take forward the guerilla warfare, it would only expedite the genocide of the Tamil people by the Sri Lankan government and that its immediate impact would be negatively reflected on the safety of the 300,000 war displaced.

The safety of the more than 10,000 freedom fighters who are being held, isolated and tortured in violation of all international protocols will become a question, he said.

The eelam struggle under Prabakaran, he said, could not make much headway because of the geopolitical interests in the regions of South Asia and the Indian Ocean and because India, the U.S. and China opted to safeguard their interests by keeping Sri Lanka as a single territorial entity.

To travel through the path of politico-diplomacy is also not easy. This is a very long journey that needs to be travelled with immense patience, confronting many challenges. The political working programme needed for this journey is very important. We will meet again next week (05.08.2009) to discuss these points.

As KP himself acknowledges, he has not been successful in persuading some of his critics and those who feel betrayed and anguished. The responses of Sri Lankans on D.B.S. Jeyarajs website are illuminating and provide hope that a change in the mindsets of both the majority and minority communities could happen. One readers response to one of KPs blog entries is an extreme case of scepticism. But such an opinion is more of an exception than the rule. The post, by a reader identified as Ganesh on July 27 at 7:49 p.m. (GMT), reads:

I dont think KP can lead neither any Eelam Tamils nor the diaspora Eelam Tamils. When interviewed by some international media we should be very proactive. But KP failed to do so. Look at him, how nerve he is!

That is because Interpol is seeking him. He cant hide very long. He needs to face justice (in that case I respect VP, as he usually gave speeches on martyrs day in front of the public). Holding 23 passports worldwide, he is unable to even speak proper English and that proves us how much money he gained from poor Eelam Tamils back home and overseas. Do you guys think how this transnational government is gonna work out? Believe me, there are no base for it. Even KP is living hiding out. A man should stand as a man, and he is not. At some point he will be killed .

Question #1: Why this KP pooped-up now?

Question #2: Why he is hiding into the international media and lying about child soldiers?

Question #3: Why does he need 23 passports?

Question #4: Why he cannot face the Interpol?

Question #5: Is he leading us into another bloody war in Sri Lanka?

Commenting on a response by D.B.S. Jeyaraj, a reader named Kumar wrote on July 30 at 3:52 a.m. (GMT):

All this would not have happened if they [Tigers] listened to you earlier starting with [1987] Indo-Lanka Accord and ending with the Karuna saga and elections boycott [LTTE directive on the eve of November 2007 Sri Lanka presidential election paving the way for the election of Mahinda Rajapaksa by a margin of below 1.5 per cent]. From now on advise the Tamils every step of the way. We cant afford to make anymore mistakes. Let those who dont agree with you have constructive debate on your blog. The KP fellow is intelligent and clever and most importantly does not seem to be the obdurate type, but I can see he has a lot of problems from within.

With regard to the apology I feel it may be unnecessary. Why start digging up the past. Let the past, including pogroms against Tamils, be once and for all buried and let us start a new book. The British, Germans and French massacred each other in the millions, but they did not apologise. Instead they have buried the past and become the E.U.

In response to a query by a reader as to who is responsible for the current tragedy and travails of the Tamils, DBS says, The LTTE hierarchy, particularly its supreme leader Velupillai Prabakaran, is to blame for its downfall and destruction. The Tigers were not betrayed by others. They brought about their own decline gradually. They did not listen to any well-meaning advice urging a course correction and went ahead on their march of folly. Hubris and Nemesis! Such arrogant stupidity had a predictable end. The LTTE betrayed the Tamil people. History will determine that the greatest traitor to the Tamil cause was none other than Velupillai Prabakaran himself.

The challenges before KP, assuming he is sincere about his intentions, are Herculean. The Tamil diaspora would have to stop ranting and raving against India. They cannot have the cake and eat it too. Further, as a blogger put it, first thing, KP and his team need to spend the money they have gathered for the final war from [the] diaspora on the people who lost their relatives and wealth in the final war. It is time KPs team worked on the plans and initiatives towards rehabilitation of the people who are in need. By this way, the LTTE can earn good reputation from all people around the world. The second step is, work with the diplomats to pursue a political solution for Tamils. These are the essential works needed to be done quickly. Power gaining among the LTTE [leaders] is not important at this time.

A Sinhalese blogger, R.S. Wickramasinghe, lamented, There is one thing that separates some Tamils from Sinhalese, and that is the love for Sri Lanka [SL]. There are some Tamils who are very happy when something bad happens to SL. Diaspora Tamils are always trying to undermine SL in the international community. They are even trying to stop aid to SL, including the IMF loan. Only Tamil diaspora has got this problem and hatred for SL. They are obsessed with hatred for SL. There are Burghers, Malays, Muslims, etc. who had lived overseas more than 50 years and still love SL and like to see SL doing well whether it is in sports or whatever. Other than this above mentioned difference, Tamil and Sinhala are the same. We look the same, and just like the Mossads said when they came to train SLA [Sri Lanka Army] and the LTTE to kill each other, we are all apes.

To this DBS responded, Have you thought about why some Tamils feel like that?

I try to read stuff from the Tamil diaspora and local Tamils about how they feel. Many of the concerns I share, but some I think are actually a bit racist and undemocratic. Sri Lanka is still a multiethnic society, but a lot of what I read lately is about Tamil nationalism and Tamil self-determination along racial lines. As in, theres nothing there to speak to people who may not be Tamil, or are perhaps only Tamil speaking, or who are just human. I guess where I differ is that I want reconciliation and harmony within Sri Lanka.

Whatever is wrong with Sri Lanka, no one is calling for a Sinhala state. This may be the appearance or effect of some misguided policies, and I dont deny that minorities get shafted in many ways. However, no one is calling for a Sinhala state. This is rightly called Sinhala chauvinism. In fact, the constitution and all major policy speeches are pretty clear about inclusion of all races. In practice, however, it is more difficult to get proper service in Tamil at a cop shed or whatever and Tamils are disproportionately checked. However, the thing is not rotten at its core.

I think all races on this island can work together towards common, human, Sri Lankan goals. Better governance, less corruption, better education, health care, etc. I think wed all benefit from full implementation of our Constitution and language policies. I think regional autonomy for any region under the 13th amendment is good. I mean, its cool for any province to be able to control its own police force and have some local power, but its not necessarily a racial issue.

I cant get away with calling for Sinhala nationalism or Sinhala-only issues, I would be considered racist and quite rude by my multiethnic family and friends. Why is it OK for Tamils? Or, to put it simply, cant we all get along? Does it really have to be about race? Cant it be about the more important issues we have in common as Sri Lankans and human beings?