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‘This
is our country’ "Why are you coming to our country?" asks a girl at the 'visa section' of the LTTE checkpoint enroute to Kilinochchi. She asks the question in Tamil and her tone is friendly. After we state our reason we retort that this is still one country. The smile stays fixed but she repeats, this time in halting English, "no, no, not one country. This is Tamil Eelam. This is a separate country." Three hours later, waiting for the Special Airforce helicopter to land with the Norwegian delegation last Thursday at the Killinochchi grounds, the LTTE Peace Secretariat general secretary S. Pulidevan repeats in an official tone the same words of the smiling LTTE employee who was distributing passes to visitors. What was earlier said half in jest, the LTTE peace secretariat secretary general now repeats in dead earnestness. Compared to previous comments made by members of the LTTE, this is the first time that any member had referred to the north eastern territory controlled by them as a 'separate country'. Mr. Pulidevan who was a member of the LTTE team that toured Geneva and other European countries last month said that they had clearly told officials of those countries that there were two countries and not one. "If they did not know earlier now they know for certain that there are two different armies, two different legal structures, two different police units and two entirely different governments," said Mr. Pulidevan. He said the LTTE had also impressed upon officials in European and Scandinavian countries they visited that it was only the LTTE which was concerned about the welfare of the Tamil people. "We want the international community to be aware that we have our own country. This was the purpose of our visit. We also wanted to inform them that rehabilitation work in the region of Tamil Eelam is only carried out by us. These officials now know that there two different countries with two different governments," Mr. Pilidevan said. When we asked about the ISGA and the government's position that there is only one country, he quipped dismissively, "That is for Chandrika." He said the LTTE delegation had briefed the international community about the "gross lack of attention by the government to the humanitarian needs of the Tamil people." "We have reiterated that this is why we backed out of the peace talks with the government in April last year. We told them how much we are doing for the Tamil people," he said claiming that the LTTE was 'well received' by the European offcials. When we asked Mr. Pulidevan to specify the kind of humanitarian work that was being carried out by the LTTE he said they were encouraging NGO projects in the area. However, The Sunday Times learnt that the LTTE is in control of the finances of these NGO projects. The LTTE has stipulated that funds allocated by NGOs for projects should be sent to the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation, an NGO said to be run by LTTE members. It is the TRO that distributes money for the projects. This strategy by the LTTE gives them control of the funds without involving the LTTE officially. With financing for the LTTE being banned in many foreign countries, the LTTE is said to be using the TRO as a front to canvass or receive funds from expatriate Tamils. "This way no one can pin down the fact that any country was directly funding the LTTE although the money finally goes into LTTE coffers," a resident involved in the financial administration of a local NGO said. "Without the government even noticing it, the LTTE is edging on a financial warfare", an official in Kilinochchi affiliated to a foreign NGO said adding that the number of local NGOs spearheaded by the LTTE were increasing but without any document or evidence to prove that the LTTE was managing the financial matters. One glaring factor that we noticed was the increased number of vocational training centres and educational centres that had sprung up in the area. Meanwhile, LTTE's 'Judicial' Administrative head, Pararajasingham said the LTTE 'Law college' declared open last Wednesday by Adele Balasingham and built at a cost of seven million rupees, was a part of the LTTE master plan to "make Tamil Eelam fully self reliant. Mr. Pararajasingham, a former EROS member of Parliament in 1987 and now regarded by the LTTE as the 'Minister' of Judicial Affairs in Kilinochchi, says, the LTTE's next step is to build a legal library at a cost of Rs. three million to hold about 3000 law books that the LTTE possesses. "It is crucial that we develop our legal framework because it is an important aspect to establish our authority and power of administration," said Mr. Pararajasingham claiming that the LTTE would soon setup its own prisons complex. Mr.Pararajasingham also said that they were using the money collected from taxes of the North-East people to finance the various legal projects. "The same rule is applied for the construction of police complexes. For these constructions we do not utilize the funds allocated from organizations such as the TRO Mr. Pararajasingham said claiming that those funds were only used for humanitarian and rehabilitation work. With the seven million rupee worth 'law college' completed and a three million rupee library in the making Mr. Pararajasingham claims that the LTTE is now equipped to dispense justice of the most universal kind having conscientiously studied the various legal structures of the world. He also pointed out that the LTTE develops new laws almost every month with the latest law pertaining to the environment and the illegal felling of trees. When asked what kind of democracy was in store for the Tamil people under the proposed ISGA compared to the present situation where ordinary Tamils cannot criticise the LTTE, Mr. Pararajasingham said, "the people are happy with the state of things."
Bala blasts proposed defence pact with India Mr. Balasingham in an interview with The Sunday Times says he believes that "nothing good will come out of the Joint Agreement with India." He says it is uncalled for and sees the agreement as something negative. Excerpts: Would you describe Thursday's meeting between the LTTE leader and the Norwegian Foreign Minister Jan Petersen as a step that will take you closer to talking with the government? We have conveyed our stand to President Kumaratunga in a confidential document through the Norwegian Foreign Minister. Whether anything significant comes out or not will depend on the response given by the President to our communiqe. Could
you state the nature of the communiqe? What
will the LTTE's next step be to pursuade the government to accept
the ISGA? But
has the LTTE in anyway changed its stand that the ISGA has to be
institutionalised before the LTTE approaches the peace table ? In
your news conference on Thursday you said that the LTTE was looking
at getting its constitutional experts and other intellectuals to
look into the ISGA proposals for a possible amendment. Is this an
indication that the LTTE is giving in to the pressures of the government?
Could
you comment on the LTTE fears of the establishment of the defence
pact between India and Sri Lanka ? Do
you think the Defence agreement with India will distance any chance
of the government accepting the ISGA proposals of the LTTE ? But
under this agreement there is indication that there will be a heightened
role played by India with regard to the rehabilitation of the North
East. How do you view this aspect ?
But the proposed pact with India does not involve the presence of
the Indian military in Sri Lanka, so how could one compare it with
the IPKF presence under the earlier Indo Sri Lanka accord ?
One clause in the agreement states that there is to be a road named
after the late Indian Prime Minister, Rajiv Ghandi who was killed
by the LTTE. How do you see this initiative ?
You have stated that peace talks are not possible under the government
of President Kumaratunga. Could you specify further ? In
your news conference you said the ceasefire had lasted for three
years 'without any killings being carried out'. Could you comment
on the spate of mysterious killings of non LTTE supporting Tamils,
military intelligence officers and anybody who dared to criticise
the LTTE, for which the LTTE has not taken responsibility? (interruption)
- But is this not a rather lame excuse? Or do you feel it justifies
the LTTE's description as a terrorist organisation? Do
you mean that these killings are carried out by the LTTE although
not admitted and that these killings are justified because other
Tamil groups are also killing opponents? Both
student and principal Achudan who passed out as an LTTE law student in 1997, has been Principal of the LTTE law college for the past five years. Then it was housed in a non descript building. Today, it is a sophisticated building and has a name board in bright silver lettering annoucing that it is the law college of Tamil Elam. Achudan sits proudly in the brand new office of the 'head of department's office' in the Law College. The job earns him Rs. 10,000 and free time to further his education at the government-run technical college. Achudan who claims to have passed his GCE A/Level is the highest qualified LTTE 'lawyer' having passed out from the LTTE Law College as 'batch top'. "It's an easy job. It is more of a supervisory role and seeing to that lectures are conducted properly. There are only 25 students," quips the young principal of the law college. LTTE:Neither
good nor bad With an LTTE cadre lending an interested ear to our conversation, Sebastian wisely changes the topic of conversation to Attanagalla, his hometown. He says in lucid Sinhalese that he had tilled land and had moved to the North -East 28 years ago soon after his marriage. He does not say that he regrets his decision but merely says that he did not know that the situation would change 'so much'. |
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