UKTamilNews.com

“New” Information Given by Lasantha’s Brother for Further Investigation

• A politician had given the contract to kill Lasantha to Kalu Thushara.
• The “hit” was monitored by Lakshman Kumara from within the prison by using cellular no 07163…..
• The weapon used to kill Lasantha was sourced from Vavuniya.
• Minister who master-minded the operation had visited Lakshman Kumara in prison that night in a special room and gave him biriyani and Rs. 1.8 million for a job well done.”

Mr. “X” as I would call him had been released from Welikada Prison on an amnesty granted to prisoners on Independence Day in 2009. He was sentenced for embezzlement of state funds. Whilst in prison he was sharing a cell with a few others. Amongst those incarcerated with him were convicted murderers. He heard an inmate convicted for murder talking to another about a contract undertaken by him to kill someone and that the job was done on that day and had bragged as to how the operation was conducted. He said that this murderer had organized a “hit” on someone called Lasantha and a sharp instrument was used to carry out the task.

At that point he did not know who this “Lasantha” was, but learnt later when he was watching Sirasa news on TV that night. He said that he had met Lasantha once when he had a problem with higher authorities at the Buddha Sasana Ministry when he gave an interview to The Leader……………..  http://transcurrents.com/tc/2010/03/new_information_given_by_lasan.html#more

Was Sarath Fonseka Involved in Murder of Lasantha Wickrematunge?

A high profile investigation into the murder of Lasantha Wickrematunge and the attacks on Editors Upali Tennekoon, Keith Noyahr and Namal Perera is underway as senior sleuths attached to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) and the Terrorist Investigations Department (TID) sift through a smattering of leads which may eventually pinpoint who were responsible for these attacks on journalists at the height of the war against the LTTE.

Sinhalese Journalist Up In Arms Against GTF

Most of the Sinhalese journalists look on the Sri Lankan ethnic problem with skewed eyes and write as if the Tamils can exist in Sri Lanka only as creepers on a Sinhala tree. They have no right to self determination or a homeland, although they had lived in a Tamil kingdom from time immemorial in the Northeast until the British unified them with the rest of Ceylon in 1833. Here is a Sinhalese response to the GTF meeting in London last month. Please read on.

Daya Gamage – US National Correspondent Asian Tribune
Washington, D.C. 02 March (Asiantribune.com):

Senator Robert P. Casey at the conclusion of its inaugural meeting of
the Global Tamil Forum, then titled “World Tamil Forum” at the Crown
Plaza Hotel in London on 26 March 2009 a resolution was adopted which
said “Recognizes that the Tamil people have mandated the establishment
of a free, sovereign state of Tamil Eelam (in Sri Lanka) as the only
enduring solution” and that this conference “Recognizes that the
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) are the authentic
representatives of the Tamil people”.

The current web site of the GTF reiterates the sentiments reflected in
the March 2009 resolution as “To use all resources available to the
Tamil Diaspora to establish the Tamil people’s right to
self-determination and their right to re-establish their nationhood
which was taken away by force from them by the succeeding colonial
powers including the Sri Lankan government”.

The GTF – which is coordinating global efforts with the Provisional
Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam floated end of last year by
the New York-based attorney Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran, and United
States Tamil Political Action Committee (USTPAC) which maintains a
close rapport with State Department officials to influence
policymakers of Western nations with heavy diplomatic discourse – is
on the path of creating a ‘Kosovo-type psychology’ to achieve a
separate, independent and sovereign state for the 12% minority Tamils
in the northern and eastern provinces of Sri Lanka.
Recent demographic statistics reveal that 54% of the minority Tamils
live in Sinhalese majority districts outside the north and east of the
nation – two provinces the GTF and LTTE declare as Tamil homeland.

It is to this Global Tamil Forum that the top leadership of the
British Government, Foreign Secretary Miliband giving the keynote
address and Prime Minister Gordon Brown gracing the occasion, gave its
blessings at the just concluded London summit, an obvious signal to
the Sri Lankan authorities that the British government endorses the
political discourse of the GTF.

In support of the GTF agenda – bifurcation of Sri Lanka – Chairman of
the United States Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near
Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs Robert Casey gave his
blessings sending a congratulatory letter read at the inaugural
meeting 24 February (2010) which said in part “I want to thank the
Global Tamil Forum for its efforts to support the democratic process
in Sri Lanka, especially during this difficult time in the country’s
history. I hope that the Sri Lankan people will be able to come
together and focus on a common future that moves beyond war, terrorism
and violence as means of political expression. I also want to applaud
the work of the U.S. Tamil Political Action Council. USTPAC has raised
awareness of the humanitarian crisis facing the Tamil people in Sri
Lanka and has played a constructive role in educating U.S.
policymakers”.

The ‘democratic process’ which GTF endeavors to give effect in Sri
Lanka is the establishment of a separate nation in the northern and
eastern provinces, one third of the land mass and two thirds of the
maritime facility, to which the now defunct LTTE was on an adventurist
path for 26 years.

The “democratic process” the GTF envisages to take is not the violent
path the LTTE took but the diplomatic path to create the Kosovo-type
psychology.
Is Senator Casey so ignorant about the political agenda of the GTF or
does he and other senior senators like Mr. Patrick Leahy along with
the officials of the State Department have a different agenda for Sri
Lanka?

In the same congratulatory note to the GTF Mr. Casey did not fail to
‘solute’ the USTPAC for making him aware (as if that is a crime) of
the situation in Sri Lanka. The USTPAC, an umbrella organization of 16
Tamil expatriate organizations in the United States, has already
convinced Mr. Robert Blake and others in the State Department that the
only redress the Tamil minority could get is by achieving
‘self-determination’ of the Tamil people and self rule. When the
representatives of the US Tamil Political Action Council (USTPAC) met
State Department officials on August 11 (2009) in Washington Asst Sec
Blake said that the US is a strong supporter of devolution of power in
Sri Lanka and a measure of autonomy for the Tamils in the areas they
predominate.

Senator Casey is U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s point man
for this Asian Region in the Congress maintaining frequent contacts on
issues of this volatile region, and has established a close rapport
with Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs Bureau
Robert Blake.

Mr. Blake, Rudrakumaran, USTPAC and other members of the U.S. Tamil
Diaspora who maintained close contacts with Sri Lanka’s separatist
outfit the Tamil Tigers constantly exchange views on Sri Lankan
issues. All of them have access to the chief of staff of Senator
Patrick Leahy, the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and Chairman of
the Sub-Committee on Foreign Operations, State Department and Foreign
Assistance who was responsible in suspending military aid and
drastically reducing economic assistance which includes the removal of
the Millennium Grant to Sri Lanka two years ago.

The Global Tamil Forum, Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran and the USTPAC were
for some time have been conditioning the mind-set of influential U.S.
Congressmen, policymakers and State Department officials to bring
pressure on the Sri Lankan administration on many fronts.

The United States and the United Kingdom have now taken a further
significant step in associating with groups whose main agenda is the
bifurcation of Sri Lanka.
GTF has openly declared its intention, and Rudrakumaran and USTPAC are
endeavoring to build a favorable global diplomatic atmosphere toward
that end.

Are the Senators and State Department officials unaware – as the Web
Portal of the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) declares – this conglomeration
of LTTE activists/professionals is working toward to “Help empower
Tamil people in Sri Lanka to take control of their destiny and clearly
formulate and promote the benefits of freedom for all in the pursuit
of sustainable growth and prosperity in the self-governing nation of
Tamil Eelam.”

Is it difficult for these gentlemen to understand the similarity
between what the GTF has declared and the ultimate goal of the LTTE?
Bridging the void the LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran left with his demise
at the battle field in May 2009 the November 2009 ‘Maveerar Day’
(Heroes Day) message of Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran, Coordinator of the
Committee for the formation of Provisional Transnational Government of
Tamil Eelam, was clear about the establishment of a separate state in
Sri Lanka:

(Begin Quote) Tamil Ealam National Leader Hon. Veluppillai Prabaharan,
in his last Heroes’ day address, said that more than 60 years have
passed in our struggle to make our right to self determination a
reality. He also said that during this historic period our struggle
has taken various forms and grown to maturity.
“Because of the political vacuum in Sri Lanka, and the uncivilised
acts of Singhala chauvinism and lack of will to offer and implement
any solution of international acceptance to solve the national
problem, the struggle which commenced through parliamentary politics
and as non violent means, evolved as a military struggle in accordance
with the international norm.

“The military strength of the Tamil nation and the Tamil Ealam
government formed as a result of it, opened new vistas in reflecting
the political aspirations of the Tamils, and shaping the right to self
determination and exercising self rule for them. The Heroes who
devoted their lives for these objectives will be ever remembered by
the Tamil people.

“Today various countries, for various reasons, joined the Singhala
communal Government in destroying the Tamil Ealam Government and
weakening the military strength of the Tamil nation. Under these
circumstances, it becomes necessary to form a Provisional
Transnational Government of Tamil Ealam outside to safeguard the basic
right to live and to exercise self determination and self rule.
Transnational Government attempts to take forward this political
struggle. It will be a non- violent political struggle consistent with
the internationally accepted laws and order. As told by our national
leader at the Suthumalai conference on August 1987, even if the mode
of struggle varies the aim would be the same. (End Quote) (Isn’t the
above a statement of fact? The Tamils faced a barbaric government
which wanted to enslave its own people, and yet force them to live in
a unitary state. What options did the Tamils have – give up the fight
and live as slaves?)

And, The United States and United Kingdom along with some European
nations (rightfully) openly flirt with them.

The South and Central Asian Affairs Bureau of the U.S. State
Department headed by Robert Blake cannot declare ignorance to the fact
as to the political line adopted by the GTF on the Tamil issue in Sri
Lanka.

Anyone who has some insights to the operating style of the State
Department and the conduct of its overseas diplomatic missions
regarding their covert and overt monitoring of internal affairs of
host countries is confident that Mr. Blake and others in the State
Department and their diplomatic representative in Colombo Patricia
Butenis are knowledgeable of the immediate and long-term goals of the
GTF, USTPAC, Provisional Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam and
V. Rudrakumaran.

State Department has the best resources in Washington and overseas to
gather information, data, interpretations and access to firsthand
knowledge of organizations, individuals, political formations, behind
the scene maneuvering, probable developments and their effects which
facilitate U.S. Government agencies and Congressional committees to
formulate policies.

Despite the understanding of the scenario the State Department is
flirting with groups, organizations and individuals of the Tamil
Diaspora in the U.S. and other Western nations whose avowed agenda is
the bifurcation of Sri Lanka.

The single conclusion that one could arrive observing and assessing
their association with these global separatist movements is the State
Department’s displeasure with the Rajapaksa administration in Sri
Lanka which in recent years moved out of the U.S. orbit and its
lecture circuit for her own national interest, and that it doesn’t
mind these Western-based separatists working toward the bifurcation of
Sri Lanka, another US-backed Kosovo in South Asia.

Can there be normal relations between Sri Lanka and the United States
under these circumstances? (At what price do they expect these
countries to have normal relationship with Sri Lanka? Have they to
pander to the genocidal whims and ethnic cleansing of the Sri Lankan
government? Haven’t they done enough of that already?)

Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations sub-committee on South Asia
Bob Casey at the Senate hearing on February 25, 2009 – which he
chaired – expressed the following sentiments which were very clear
that Prabhakaran’s Tamil Tiger outfit was fighting for the rights of
the Tamil people.

Senator Bob Casey called for both sides in the conflict to come to a
political settlement. “Should the war end and the broader Tamil
population continue to face systemic discrimination by and inadequate
representation in the Sri Lankan government, the Tamil Tigers may once
again be driven underground to carry out acts of terror, perpetuating
another go-around in this vicious cycle of violence. So far, there are
few indications that a political deal is imminent. The government of
Sri Lanka will not negotiate directly with the LTTE, but it does not
appear the government has much interest in finding alternative Tamil
interlocutors, nor have the Tamils presented credible alternatives to
the LTTE,” he said.

Do the State Department officials, some senior U.S. Senators and House
Members extend moral support to these ‘global separatists’ who have a
political agenda to create a Kosovo-type psychology with the aim of
establishing a separate state in Sri Lanka?
Sri Lanka domestically defeated the Tamil Tiger outfit but it has a
looming threat internationally with powerful forces aligning to
destabilize this South Asian nation.
Genocide, human rights, rule of law, governance, and war crimes are
handy weapons to effect this destabilization process.

The irony is that a country which recently exonerated the culprits who
were responsible for the implementation of torture, degrading
treatment of prisoners, war crimes, water boarding (simulated
drowning) and excessive interrogation techniques violating the Geneva
Convention is sitting on judgment how Sri Lanka should handle
insurrections, terrorism and national security.

The above is the type of negative journalism the Sinhalese engage in
and Daya Gamage is not much different from any of them. He has
conveniently ignored the fact that President Rajapaksa is yet to
present any blueprint on how he intends to solve the ethnic problem.
Everything has to wait until the election is over and he is in control
of the parliament.  The Tamils had spent sixty years fighting to
regain their rights; the only reward they got so far was blood, sweat,
rape and murder. Expecting the Tamils to wait for another sixty years
for some sanity to dawn in the Sinhalese mindset is stretching their
patience beyond the limit.

Daya Gamage couldn’t help giving a swipe at US policies when he
mentioned about US torture and water boarding. He failed to realize
that US is a super power that can get away with murder. Sri Lanka is a
dot in the Indian Ocean and it cannot flex its muscles beyond what its
flimsy bones can hold. It didn’t click his perverted intelligence that
raping, torturing and murdering its own citizens and insisting they
live in a unitary Sri Lanka is demanding far too much from the
International Conscience. Sri Lanka has its own inbuilt capacity for
self-destruction and you don’t need an external force to do that.

Visvanathan