Revival of LTTE impossible
by Sarath WIJESINGHE
KP, chief financier and chief procurer of arms to the LTTE with a
barrage of names and identities was arrested and brought back to Sri
Lanka. He is the most wanted terrorist by the Interpol (International
Police), Sri Lanka, India and many other countries. He had multiple
passports of Sri Lankan, Indian, Swiss, Malaysian, Thai and Egyptian
identities and was born on April 6, 1955 in Jaffna and educated in
Jaffna University. The arrest was strategically a breakthrough for Sri
Lanka, South Asia and the civilized world threatened with drug
trafficking, illegal trades including human smuggling, arms deals, and
movements of various kinds the world over.
It has been “Masterminded by the Defence Secretary and the team
committed and dedicated. It reminds us of “Entebbe” but this
breakthrough is very much greater and important in a wider sense to
prevent further destruction of States, human lives, and the political
stability of many States including India and Sri Lanka. Thai attitude on
KP was amusing in refusing to admit his presence in the land, as he had
heavily bribed corrupt VVIPs worldwide. He carried armaments in
2006/2007 and 2009 in four registered ships and eight hijacked ships
operated in South Chile-Vessels owned by the LTTE and its front
organisations.
President Rajapaksa’s shuttle diplomacy and the Foreign Minister’s
hard work on Foreign Affairs contributed to the assistance and
cooperation of the members and officers of the world family and the
Interpol. The able Defence Secretary who masterminded the operation has
stated that it was a part of a longstanding plan and the Prime
Minister’s statement of the presence of the large haul of ammunition in
Colombo is frightening. Thai Judiciary has declined to give the Russian
drug Baron to Americans claiming he did not belong to a terrorist group,
indicates how smart our intelligence and mode of operation!
KP had 1582 bank accounts and - passports in addition to enormous
wealth obtained for him and the LTTE by illegal means and extortions of
his own community and cheating the world community pausing as a militant
freedom movement. He was in charge of the LTTE secretariat dealing in
human rights, settlement, rehabilitation, reconstruction, peace
building, development, negotiations, political actions, policy making,
public relations, media relations, resource movement, international
relations and many other areas with the enormous resources in hand and
close connections with his close friend and guru Prabhakaran. He was
wanted by the Interpol for the Rajive assassination and by Sri Lanka for
the Central Bank bombing and other atrocities against humanity. World
today awaits for KP’s secrets on the management of the LTTE funds and
the terrorist core and front organisations in the guise of Non
Governmental Organisations. No steps are taken by the British MIG,
Norway and the CIA who knew of KP’s presence and activities mainly due
to the availability of enormous funds freely circulated and made use of
to bribe them.
This indicates how powerful the capture to Sri Lanka, India and the
world over. LTTE has killed 10 times more civilians than the Al Qaida
movement and tops the list of terrorist organisations in the world as
the most ruthless, and organised terrorist outfit backed by many other
underworld organisations.
International Law and Judicial Process
International Law is not clear and certain on the arrest of
terrorists wanted by most countries and Interpol and leader of an
organisation which threatens world peace. In 1886, the US Supreme Court
dealt with the arrest of a person by the Chilean Military personally in
the case of Ker vs Illinois.
It was noted that it was not “Robbing” of the jurisdiction. According
to the United Kingdom and the world court “Carptus Bene Detention” rule
is acceptable in some states and rejected by others, which means that
there is no finality regarding the legal position on arrests of wanted
men in transit by the world and the world family. A question once arose
whether abduction bars a court from exercising jurisdiction and how a
person was brought was not the concern.
It is a smart move to bring without seeking jurisdiction of the
“captured country” and it is quite legal if the captured country has
cooperated with the “Host Government”. Principles of International Law
is to uphold the sovereignty of another country and to follow the
extradition treaty and the fundamental rights of a person based on the
principles of UNHCER that “ no one shall be subjected to arbitrary
arrest” in the normal circumstances. This is an abnormal circumstance
and the public are not aware of the facts of the steps taken in the
interest of the world community seeking peace and peaceful living. The
position is not clear when a person is arrested on transit or surrenders
voluntarily to the wanted country. Reparation to the captured country
and Restitution to the original position are alternative methods of
resolution when the sovereignty is at stake.
It is an irony that Solheim, the controversial Norwegian Minister met
KP the terror leader with two warrants from the Interpol which is a
blatant violation of International Law and is it only the Sri Lankans
who are expected to follow International Law! It is no secret that
Norwegian Government favoured LTTE over Sri Lanka for some unknown
reason, best known to them.
KP is the biggest human rights violator in Asia - a cunning man who
is capable of sending different messages to various audiences. LTTE
never stopped fighting and without KP, Prabhakaran would not made the
achievements as the wars are normally not fought and won on the ground
alone. It is the LTTE international that kept the war going. Had KP
continued, the LTTE international would have given life to the LTTE
domestic, being the most experienced man capable of propagation,
fundraising, procurement, shipping and all underworld dealings. Who will
take the reins of the LTTE and succeed KP is the question paused by
many. It is learnt the US based lawyer by the name Rudrakrishnan is
eying the position. Is it possible for him to rejuvenate the LTTE is a
moot question. Today, the LTTE is weak and feeble with no support of the
international community and the misguided Diaspora whose wealth Prabha
and KP swindled. It seems that there will be more arrests and surprises
once KP reveals all secrets and mode of operation in full. Prabhakaran
and K. Pathmanathan were inseparable to the extent that the two
complemented terrorist movement connecting the ground and international
networks. It is true in the modern E-com age without the support from
the outside world and modern technology any movement will be in
isolation. “Charles’ Brigade” was formed to fill the gap and to handover
the mantal to Prabha’s son to carry on the struggle in the second
generation.
Prabha and KP had long and strong bonds and complemented each other
in their respective areas of expertise.
The ability of Prabha was confined to the “ground” with his weakness
of the English Language, an ability which he did not want to improve,
thereby he was not able and capable to interact with the outside world
and the best and the most reliable person has been KP who has no
leadership qualities though he maintained bonds with all other terror
groups worldwide. He was dealing in the finance, and business of the
movement, which he was capable to handle.
KP was supposed to have spilled beans like a tamed mice when his
friend/leader tried to escape leaving his family and supporters and even
the capsule.
At the time President Mahinda Rajapaksa took the reins, the LTTE has
virtually won the political and military war on the ground except the
writ of the Sri Lankan Government which was confined to the demarcated
areas in the South to be ruled and managed by the Sri Lankan Government
according to the agreement entered into between Prabhakaran and Ranil in
dire circumstances where Ranil was almost forced to sign the agreement
already signed by Prabhakaran.
It is in this atmosphere that President assumed power on the vehicle
of Mahinda Chinatana. The world witnessed in disbelief the victory on
terror which lasted three decades ended in two and half years,
preventing any re- grouping either in Sri Lanka or worldwide and
destroying the power balance and international network of activism.
Revival of LTTE after Prabha-KP era is impossible as the entire
terror empire stood on these two individuals alone.
Now that President Mahinda Rajapaksa has won the war of terror and
entered the second phase of winning the Peace and Prosperity it is time
the entire Nation work as one in order to achieve this, shedding all
political and other differences.
Until the President and the group succeed in this achievement it is
the duty the citizen to let him flush the rest of terror, bribery,
corruption and bring back peace and prosperity.
The writer is a Solicitor in England and Wales - Chairman, Justice
and Equality and a past Secretary of the Bar Association.
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