Election 2015:

Former Tigers in the fray

Plan to contest as an independent group in Jaffna, welcomed by JHU, JVP and TULF:

by Ranil Wijayapala and Manjula Fernando

The last batch of the ex-LTTE cadres who were rehabilitated at the Sri Lanka Air Force Trikonamadu rehabilitation centre.  Pic: airforce.lk

Nadesapillai Vithayatharan Pic: newindianexpress.com

Former Tiger 'terrorists' as candidates for Parliament? Has the story of Sri Lanka's ethnic conflict come full circle back to a peaceful co-existence between communities that were once embroiled in bloody war? Leaders of both the Sinhala nationalist Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) and the one-time insurgent Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) seem to think that the initiative by some ex-LTTE militants to contest the forthcoming general election is a positive step in that direction.

A few hundred LTTE ex-combatants and ex-activists, having completed their post-war rehabilitation, have now formed the group 'Crusaders for Democracy' and several of them hope to stand as candidates for election to Parliament. A senior newspaper editor and one-time peace negotiations intermediary has come forward to coordinate this effort by ex-Tiger cadres many of whom come from impoverished rural backgrounds but are determined to give political leadership to their community.

These, yet youthful, budding political activists come from among over 12,000 ex-LTTE cadres who underwent rehabilitation after the defeat of their violent secessionist movement and were then re-integrated with society.

Having fought a ferocious war against the Sri Lankan State, they now want to represent their people as legislators of that very same State. Come Monday, some of them will sign their nomination papers to stand for election in Jaffna. They will contest that district as an independent group.

And N. Vithyatharan, himself a veteran of reporting the conflict as well as negotiating the peace, is confident that they have the gumption to do it. 'Vithy', as Vithyatharan is popularly known in the journalistic community, told the Sunday Observer that he has faith that the 'Crusaders' will do a better job with the ballot than the bullets they resorted to in their war-like past.

Vithyatharan, speaking on behalf of Crusaders for Democracy, sees this initiative as an important step in building reconciliation between communities. "They are now ready to continue their struggle in a democratic way for the rights of their people after denouncing violence. It is their right. I think they are genuinely interested in getting involved in the main stream of democratic politics," he argued.

Request rejected

As the Crusaders for Democracy is not yet registered as a political party with the Elections Commissioner, they had to find a way to contest the elections after having discussions with other Tamil political parties, Vithyatharan explained, adding, "Since the TNA was once close to the LTTE, their first choice was TNA. But the TNA leadership was reluctant to absorb them into that party. They treated us as a kind of untouchable people."

He said he had, together with six Crusader members representing ex-LTTE cadres in six districts, met TNA chairman R. Sampanthan and other TNA leaders but that they had point blank rejected their request. After that, though other political groups such as the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) and the ex-militant Eelam Revolutionary Organisation of Students (EROS) had offered to accommodate our members, the Crusaders had finally decided they should contest as an independent group, Vithyatharan explained.

"The Crusaders will go to the people as they are still live in the minds of the people. They sacrificed their interests for the interests of the Tamil people. So they think that they can win the votes," he said.

The Crusaders strategy is to contest only in the Jaffna district so as not to split the Tamil community vote in those other districts which have multi-ethnic populations.

"So we avoided Ampara, Batticaloa and Trincomalee. However, the Vanni is yet under discussion and we will decide it soon before handing over our nominations on Monday," he explained.

Vithyatharan said that as a group, the Crusaders now reject the separatist project. "We have no such agenda. We simply want to represent our people and their needs in the national legislature," he disclosed.

According to Vithyatharan, the Crusader membership currently amounts to a few hundred ex- LTTE combatants. "We hope other rehabilitated ex-combatants will eventually join us.

They have been under many pressures and they still have fears after five years of challenging experiences. So it will take time."

No charges against them

Asked whether they have sought rehabilitation certification to select their candidates to contest the election, he said that had not been necessary because the authorities know that they have all either undergone rehabilitation or been released directly without any rehabilitation as they didn't have any charges against them.

"Other than me, they all are ex-cadres. There is no age limit for them. Even the older people are coming forward. Ex-militants, their supporters, their well wishers, their family members, members of martyr's families are all supportive of the Crusaders," he explained.

Vithyatharan rejected as baseless and unfair the TNA's speculation that some of the ex-cadres could be spies for government intelligence. The same could be said about the TNA, too, he argued. "All these days the TNA used the name of the LTTE. Now they fear that with the original LTTE people denouncing violence and entering politics, they may get replaced by these new activists," he added.

"After the election, whether we win or lose, we will definitely work with groups in the south, even up to Hambantota," he said, adding, "Tamils overseas as well as the international community are amazed and pleased that these people have the courage to come to parliament and that they are ready settle for a united Sri Lanka. I think people are appreciating that."

JVP leader and former MP Sunil Handunnetti told the Sunday Observer that he welcomed the Crusader initiative.

"We should treat all of them equally. So, if the ex-LTTE combatants decide to contest the election we should respect their right. They have been punished or rehabilitated for whatever the wrong things they have committed in the past. We have to consider them as citizens of the country but not as strangers. After all, we have others with records as drug dealers, rapists, criminals and fraudsters now engaged in politics," he pointed out.

TULF leader V. Anandasangaree noted: "The TNA once recognised LTTE as the sole representative of Tamil people. They helped the TNA to come to power." The veteran politician said the ex-cadres attempt to enter democratic mainstream renouncing violence was a positive development and the Tamil political parties must encourage their effort. JHU National Organiser Nishantha Sri Warnasinghe said his party had no reservations about rehabilitated LTTE cadres entering the fray. "Anyone has a democratic right to contest an election. Even ex-LTTE leaders or operatives should be allowed if they renounce violence, Tamil racism and separatist ideologies," he said.

Noting that the JVP once practiced violence but today it was a mainstream political party represented in Parliament, Warnasinghe said, he was of the view that the main political parties should accommodate them and give them a chance to contest the elections.