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Reducing Army presence will help living condition-KP

12 May 2013 09:18 am - 21     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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Former LTTE arms procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan also known as KP said that reducing the army presence in the war-hit areas in the country and introducing civil administration would help improve the living conditions of the people there.

“The army’s presence enhances safety at one level, but also intimidates people,” he told the Hindu newspaper in an interview.

He also said that in the 1970s, Tamil politicians brainwashed youngsters like him into joining the Tamil cause, he says the recent student protests in Tamil Nadu brought back those memories.

“Students should be left to study. Politicians there [TN] make it an emotional issue. They cannot do anything on their own for us, so they have to work with the Centre in India and help Sri Lanka.” Terming the attack on Buddhists monks in India “uncivil” and “inhuman”, he says such responses will only do more damage than good to the Sri Lankan Tamils. KP is not short of suggestions on the means to achieve peace and reconciliation: “The army’s presence enhances safety at one level, but also intimidates people.”

Attributing the violence — spurred by the arms struggle — to the lack of adequate education in the country, he says: “The last 30 years of war have pushed us educationally further behind.”
 
“If only I had taken education more seriously, I would have been able to evaluate situations better,” he says, leaning backward in his chair, at his office in Senchcholai Children Care Home –Kilinochchi.

Running this home for war-affected children, he talks only about education. The home is located near an army camp now, fuelling speculation about his proximity to the government. It has a few rooms, dormitories and an assembly hall.

Funding, says KP, comes from the Tamil diaspora.

Pausing for a few seconds, he fixes his gaze on a group of children playing about five metres away from where we are seated.

“Many of them lost their parents during the war, and some of them are injured or disabled. If they have to come out of this trauma, education is the only means and that is my vision now.”

As many as 300 children stay at the home and go to a nearby school. The home offers additional tuitions in the evening to help children who had dropped out of school during the war.
‘Instilling confidence’

“This is a community that had given up all hope over the years. Reviving that hope and instilling confidence is the greatest challenge at the moment,” he says

“Tamil politicians are obsessed with Jaffna and hardly engage with the people of the Vanni who are the real victims.”

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  Comments - 21

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  • firefox Monday, 13 May 2013 06:24 AM

    Who gave you the permission to talk?

    Nims Tuesday, 14 May 2013 04:25 AM

    He is a notorious terrorist becuase he moved away from the LTTE and accepted peaceful living of everyone. Would you tell the same if he is still on your side

    meenavan Monday, 13 May 2013 12:32 PM

    Notorious terrorist advising with the blessing of the rulers....miracle banana Island

    Minister Monday, 13 May 2013 09:30 AM

    Why not show yourself at the parade?

    antha modai Monday, 13 May 2013 08:19 AM

    well said brother

    AmilaG Monday, 13 May 2013 08:02 AM

    Reducing will help him reorganise.

    AmilaG Monday, 13 May 2013 07:59 AM

    If this man was in the west against the west he would have ended up in Guantanamobay.

    galapitamda Monday, 13 May 2013 07:11 AM

    I think this country shoud be given to our former colonial masters so that the present generations of all communities would come toghether again.

    King Kong Monday, 13 May 2013 06:46 AM

    His present Master.

    kumar Monday, 13 May 2013 06:44 AM

    That is true, But who are to tell that?

    arp Monday, 13 May 2013 06:37 AM

    It seems like a well prepared and rehearsed interview

    malli Sunday, 12 May 2013 10:08 AM

    Arms procurer for a terrorist organization is now giving advice to all of us! These kind of people are our political leaders!

    nilu Monday, 13 May 2013 05:58 AM

    Wow this is great, cat out of the bag, now what do you say,

    pasel Monday, 13 May 2013 05:29 AM

    since 2005 KP was with government

    Kumaran M Monday, 13 May 2013 05:16 AM

    i also dont like this guy..but pls listen we have to put more local police to look after law and orger .
    you can not easly reomve the fear from those poor tamil people. so pls keep Army away from those innocents.we should bulid a socity with police not with Army

    ling Sunday, 12 May 2013 04:46 PM

    so now the KP is showing his true colour. Rajapakse just want power at the expense of the country.

    Vaz Sunday, 12 May 2013 04:41 PM

    Is he a president advisor ??? Must be.

    ahamed Sunday, 12 May 2013 04:28 PM

    Potha Daanawa Chanda Ganna wow great idea, you are talking as advise by the.......

    ANTON Sunday, 12 May 2013 03:49 PM

    SHUTTING YOUR MOUTH WILL DO A LOT MORE THAN THAT

    Ratavasiya Sunday, 12 May 2013 11:03 AM

    Terrorist leader who did lots of damage to our country is free to do politics but the war wining General is barred from contesting elections.

    DXB Sunday, 12 May 2013 10:37 AM

    Looking at the post war happenings , It makes me to think that if It was not SF , these three brothers would have let live Prabaharan !!!


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