KP and the SL government must tell the truth

by S Mohammed from Kuala Lumpur

(August 27, Kuala Lumpur, Sri Lanka Guardian) The LTTE’s arms procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan known as KP is currently fully engaged with the government of Sri Lanka enjoying the luxuries facilitated to him by the defence establishment.

He has made some irking revelations recently, causing political stir for the Sri Lanka government’s opponents including some of the Tamil Nadu politicians. He has reproved many of his staunch enemies with the publicity provided by the government of Sri Lanka.

In the serious of interviews, he has casually mentioned about his arrest in Malaysia, but has still not revealed the facts or the secret behind the operation to take him to Colombo by the intelligence sleuths of the Defence Ministry.

According to a senior Indian official specialising in Sri Lanka matters, who wanted to maintain anonymity, KP’s arrest was well co-ordinated conspiracy between the Sri Lanka government and KP himself. He confirmed KP is playing a double role since he was re-engaged to procure arms for the LTTE after a lapse of time during the ceasefire time.

He said KP was a frustrated man when his role of arms procurement and head of international affairs were taken away from him after the ceasefire agreement in 2001. He was found suicidal and did not know where to turn. His anger towards LTTE’s Veerakulasingham Manivannan alias Castro who took over his role following the ceasefire agreement was so strong that KP confirmed to some of his close friends that he has lost faith in the movement. KP has further stated his Thalavar (Pirabakaran) had let him down badly when he removed him from his position without giving proper reasons.

Anger and frustration lead to KP establishing contacts with the intelligence service of Sri Lanka. The Indian Official confirmed there is credence in the news about Sri Lanka Army Intelligence Unit chief Major General Kapila Hendavitharane, meeting KP in Bangkok. KP also had secret talks with the controversial former LTTE man Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna (who is now a government minister) in the jungles of Thailand during peace talks to take forward his anti-LTTE agenda. An intelligence officer- a Muslim by the pseudonym name Sam and his associates played the role to link up Gen Kapila with KP in Thailand.

According to the official, KP had established fairly close relationship with the Defence Ministry officials at the time Prabakaran reengaged him to undertake arms procurement for the LTTE after the disastrous efforts of Castro that lead to high profile international arrests of inexperienced arms procurers.

The official said KP had obediently executed the arms exports for the LTTE. Ships loads of arms were sent, but he also discharged his anger by passing the information about the movement of the ships to the defence officials in Colombo. Defence Ministry was highly thrilled when they got the precise information and went ahead with the precision attack in the mid seas, thus debilitating the arms supplies to the movement at the crucial time of the war.

Major General Hendavitharane and Rajapakse & Co were the happiest as things were moving smoothly for them with the help of KP.

The deal stuck with KP was to allow him to enter Sri Lanka and play a political role in the country.

The Indian official said ‘KP’s kidnap in Malaysia was a pretty drama to make political mileage out of his arrest’. He confirmed that Malaysian government was not involved in the arrest of KP. KP was said to have been taken into custody secretly with the help of paid Malaysian men and a dramatising story was released to the press involving Malaysia to make political mileage. KP was said to be fully aware of the drama to be executed and contributed effectively as planned. He was silently put in the plane without media glare and flown to Colombo. There was not even a scratch mark on his body when he was allegedly taken away by force.

KP is said to be the most valuable source that helped Sri Lanka to bring down the LTTE, even out-beating Col Karuna. Privileges provided to him are not accorded to the retired General Sarath Fonseka who is currently in military custody. He led the military victory against the LTTE.

The official was assertive, it was the information about the LTTE ships that played a vital part to annihilate the LTTE and the government is doing everything to return in kind by ensuring the safety of KP and finding avenues for him to play a political role to help the government.

Both KP and Retired General Fonseka will be crucial witnesses to the Sri Lanka Reconciliation Committee and both are kept away due to Defence Ministry manoeuvrings.

Questions are being asked within the concerned circles as to why LTTE’s non-arm carrying political wing leaders like Balakumar and Yogi were tortured and killed in military custody post victory over the LTTE in May 2009, whilst the most wanted KP was accorded scratch less treatment by the government.

KP is also carrying out his political campaign work by contacting selective individuals in the Tamil Diaspora and playing a vital role to break the back bone of the remaining international LTTE network for the Sri Lanka government.