Strategy pays dividends, says expert on terrorism:

Govt commended for KP's transformation

(August 09, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) An international expert on terrorism, Prof. Rohan Gunaratne commended the Government on its success with KPs complete transformation from an ex-terrorist to a key stakeholder in the post conflict humanitarian activities.

"I must congratulate the Sri Lankan Government, first of all for capturing KP and bringing him to Sri Lanka and secondly, for ensuring that he was not put in prison.

If he was (jailed), he would have been just another prisoner," said Professor of Security Studies Rohan Gunaratna at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies of the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.

Delivering the Prof. Nandadasa Kodagoda memorial oration at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute (SLFI) last week, he said the Government's decision to treat KP differently and engage him to harness his support to win the Tamil Diaspora has paid dividends. "Rehabilitation has worked for him and today he plays a key role in engaging the Tamil Diaspora towards humanitarian activities.

If KP can be transformed, a very large number of people who worked against Sri Lanka can also be transformed," he said and added that he was making this statement after meeting KP twice, once last year, shortly after the arrest and then again this year.

Prof. Gunaratna said although enforcement is the best strategy to fight terrorism, engagement is the best strategy to dissuade support for terrorism and ensure genuine transformation.

"To disband the LTTE's highly destructive ideology, the Government must create platforms for former militant leaders such as KP who repent to articulate their point of view publicly."

He said those who hold extreme views regarding the conflict, on both sides of the divide, neither understand nor endorse such a strategy.

In Sri Lanka where 'the culture of confrontational politics dictates', the political opposition may not support this strategy. Therefore, to prevent, such a situation, the Government should adopt a 'bipartisan approach' when taking the process forward, he said.

Prof. Gunaratna referred to the transnational government as an attempt by 'LTTE residue' to suffice a political platform for overseas LTTE activists to retain their identities and continue harness Diaspora resources.

He said this is not a 'recognised concept in public international law' and even LTTE theoreticians were aware of this.

He warned that there was still a tiny segment of 'indoctrinated-hardcore-Diaspora' who wish that the LTTE is reconstituted and witness Sri Lanka's return to violence. "Until a terrorist attack is carried out in Sri Lanka, they feel deeply unhappy" he said.

Courtesy - Sunday observer