LTTE under KP

If the Prabhakaran doctrine can be abandoned so rapidly by KP, he would have been happy to see the end of Prahakaran.

By Gomin Dayasri

(May 27, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The exit of Prabhakaran has brought about wierd consequences; a meeting of minds between the government and Tamil Net. Both deem K.Pathmanathan(KP) the anointed heir apparent. Nothing could have been further from Prabhakaran’s mind. He did not foresee or foretell a life for the LTTE after him. He was larger than the LTTE and he presumed there was no existence for the LTTE after his death. He was immortal, at least, until Elam was achieved.

In the small world of the LTTE, probably Prabhakaran was correct. But the Diaspora cannot afford to give up, because of the funds available. There are no replacements to find in the refugee camps. Operations have to originate from an overseas base from where terrorism has to be exported to Sri Lanka to activate the few sleepers currently anaesthetized.

In a nutshell, Puttikudirippu has to be located on foreign soil, Tamil Net registered as an overseas edition and the emerging leader needs to have an address abroad. In the foreign circuit who else is there, but KP? Like Prabhakaran, wanted by Interpol and India.

KP ruled over the waves and emerged as the superstar in the LTTE foreign complex through the tangled web he wove. The LTTE merchant fleet under South American flags still carry legitimate cargo on international shipping lanes with local captains navigating crews quarter full with cadres. He was respected in the arms bazaar as an un-defaulting paymaster. Payment was in hard currency.

He impressed Prabhakaran by delivering hardware to the doorstep accompanied by foreign instructors to assemble and demonstrate or to repair and fabricate. In the last days of the retreating empire there were more arms and ammunition on display than men to carry them. It was Prabhakaran who failed to find the replacements in manpower to man the sophisticated fire power provided by KP.

Carrying as many passports as aliases KP is slick and smart – he was too smooth and sophisticated for an introvert jungle Tarzan like Prabhakaran.

Coastal cousins from Vellivettithurai and Vadamaratchchi were the rankers in the circuit of the Sun God, as was KP leading the pack in unhygienic operations relating to narcotics, arms trafficking and money laundering. He played in the high society of the international criminal fraternity for high stakes. This earned him a red alert from Interpol and was wanted for Rajiv Gandhi’s death.

Prabhakaran was conscious of KP’s many talents but had reservations about his access to and influence over his LTTE foreign flock.

KP became over confident when he recruited his own agents from the new generation in the Diaspora to head outfits in many capitals. True, they were professional and proficient but were not babes of Prabhakaran’s. Being loyal to KP was not a virtue. Stories reached the ear of the Supremo of the network created by KP which did not please him. Yet, KP was not replaceable.

Prabhakaran felt the time was ripe to bring KP down a few pegs and removed him from his many involvements in overseas financial management and management of foreign outposts which he assigned to his trusted allies based in the Wanni, Aiyanna and Manivannan and Castro over whom he had greater control, being in closer proximity.

The LTTE kitty was bulging, profits alone accounted for USD 320 million annually. Cash flow for the LTTE was from the Diaspora and Prabhakaran wanted them to honour him, not KP, as he like Moses was taking them to a Promised Land. Prabhakaran never shared the spoils with another-he was the ultimate outlaw.

"Did KP deliberately mislead Prabhakaran by holding out false hopes of a rescue by the international community that made Prabhakaran delay his efforts to escape that made him a sitting duck for any gunman?"
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This was a blessing in disguise for KP. He was now free to be the superstar in a field he excelled. The LTTE was a mega corporation, profits flowing from investments till recession struck. Much of it was under KP’s purview for procurement.

There were many captains of the LTTE on either side of the Atlantic. Though the Fat Cats competed, they were coordinated and held the padlocks to the money bags and secret numbers to the safe vaults. One thing was for sure -many did not sail with KP. It was probably green eyes; he circled in an orbit above theirs. So when KP fell a mere foot they cheered, as they became inches closer to the Wanni Man.

KP was still the LTTE’s prime international player to whom many doors opened in the corridors of power. He was a travelling salesman not making a legendary niche for himself like Balasingham from a ghetto in London. He was on first name terms with men who matter carrying their roaming telephone numbers in his pocket book. He wormed his way by contributing lavishly to their slush funds.

Prabhakaran in his final desperate 100 days needed the Big Boys in the West to throw a lifeline to save him as his military machine was being demolished. The best sleuth in the flock was KP as he had excellent credentials with the establishments in the West. KP was elevated to the position of Head of LTTE International Relations, primarily to pressurise the international players to come to the assistance of the LTTE.

The elevation of KP to a prime position was the last act of Prabhakaran, making the office still more sacred. KP is claiming he was made the uncrowned chieftain by the crowned chief in his final appointment. Many in the Diaspora assert KP is attempting to strenghten his claim by selling dummies.

Most in the Diaspora would love to be led by their own man especially as the LTTE is an overseas operation. So will the government of Sri Lanka because of KP’s criminal track record he cannot surface openly being on the wanted list and never can step on local soil without an amnesty that will not be forthcoming. For the LTTE to be led by a shady silhouette existing on pseudonyms with a shifty past was comforting to Sri Lanka.

The night of the long knives will soon arrive as KP is not an undisputed leader. If terrorist financing is to continue, many in the Diaspora would want to finger the till. To the Diaspora, it is not the private property of KP.

It will be the beginning of a new chapter. Terrorism for a while will flourish more on LTTE turf in foreign territory. Rival fractions will re-enact the glories of those early days when they destroyed each other in the name of Eelam with the fittest to survive.

Keep a look out for LTTE incorporated overseas with commercial attaches. Much blood will spill in cobbled streets in the fight for the legacy un-bequeathed. For the moment, they are following the footsteps of the late leader; striking Sinhala Buddhist targets across the seas.

KP can never reign supreme till he sets foot on local territory; so he has to beg for an amnesty to come clean to make a soft landing in Sri Lanka. On the pro LTTE Channel Four, KP has jettisoned Prabhakaran’s concepts and made the first overture to reinvent himself in an interview to Alex Thompson

AT: "Do you say that LTTE will continue fighting by other means, guerrilla war?

KP: " I believe that over 30 years we fight and only the civilian and human life are everyday dying……in another 30 years will continue we don’t believe that-we believe in peaceful way for solution for Tamil people".

This is the sharpest indictment on Prabhakaran originating from the man who is alleged to have replaced him! Probably the Diaspora wanted to take over the organization knowing the days of the local outfit is over, having destroyed the fighting formations. Eelam is to be achieved through a peaceful political process. Is the Diaspora on a fast track to back-track on the policies of Prabhakaran?

Did KP deliberately mislead Prabhakaran by holding out false hopes of a rescue by the international community that made Prabhakaran delay his efforts to escape that made him a sitting duck for any gunman?

If the Prabhakaran doctrine can be abandoned so rapidly by KP, he would have been happy to see the end of Prahakaran. Was a destroyed man handed a dead rope to hang himself? Did KP provide the rope? Nobody gained so much from the death of Prabhakaran as KP - the beneficiary to a vast fortune. Commercial minded KP is capable of making it a successful moonlighting business venture. To make the money travel distances he searches for peace.

Were all the contributions of the Diaspora made over the years worth the price they paid to install K.Patmanathan? The divisions within the Diaspora may be accelerated with KP’s lust for power and position.

Dead men tell no tales but Prabhakaran let his satellite phone fall into the hands of the Forces. The last few calls made with the contacts in the Diaspora will have much to reveal who assisted in the elimination of Prabhakaran. He always feared those within his charmed circle.

-Sri Lanka Guardian