Adding to recent unsubstantiated claims by the Sri Lankan government that it is talking to the Tamil diaspora, the Minister Keheliya Rambukwella explained that it was a government strategy to use the recently freed former LTTE commander, Selvarasa Pathmanathan or KP to forge "constructive dialogue" with the Tamil diaspora.
Rambukwella said:
“We must take a positive view on the KP factor and use him for a constructive dialogue with the Tamil Diaspora and other detractors. We must compare the merits and demerits of using him as a tool to put an end to the proxy war against Sri Lanka by LTTE remnants. I am sure it will do a load of good to the country, the Tamils in particular and himself. Do not forget that former LTTE and JVP leaders"
"Though separatism has been eradicated from Sri Lanka’s soil, yet terrorist and separatist sentiments are active outside Sri Lanka. It will be a plus factor for Sri Lanka if it can end this proxy war using KP’s experience and skills."
"Government has been flexible in its procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP because there was no evidence or complaints against him."
“Do not forget that some 30 LTTE cadres were freed by courts. The sole objective of the government is to prevent seeds of terrorism being sowed on Sri Lanka’s soil again.”
The government's claims have been denied by mainstream diaspora organisations. The president of the democratically elected Norwegian Council of Eelam Tamils and GTF (Global Tamil Forum) board director, Dr Panchakulasingam Kandiah, told TamilNet on Saturday,
“We are in touch with almost all the democratically elected representatives belonging to country councils, transnational institutions and members of other time-tested organisations. There is no such move, ‘making headway’ as claimed by Colombo.”
“Even a person like Mr Sumanthiran of the TNA, working under gagged conditions in the island, and was arguing earlier in favour of negotiations for non-descript solutions, has come to the point of asking the question on Thursday that what hope is there in TNA participating the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) of Rajapaksa regime to discuss solutions, when there are no guarantees on the fundamentals, going beyond the majoritarian formula.”
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
