SL initiates dialogue with Tamil diaspora

20 October 2012 02:41 am

The government is making headway in its dialogue with the Tamil Diaspora, Cabinet spokesman and Minister Keheliya Rambukwella claimed yesterday.

He told the weekly cabinet news briefing that the North Eastern Rehabilitation and Development Organisation (NERDO) Chief Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP was acting as the intermediary in this dialogue.

 The minister said it was a Government strategy to use KP to convince the Tamil Diaspora to end the disinformation and misinformation war against Sri Lanka. “We must take a positive view on the KP factor and use him for a constructive dialogue with the Tamil Diaspora and other detractors. We must compare the merits and demerits of using him as a tool to put an end to the proxy war against Sri Lanka by LTTE remnants. I am sure it will do a load of good to the country, the Tamils in particular and himself. Do not forget that former LTTE and JVP leaders

He made these comments when a journalist asked him about the government’s stand on the statement made by Mr. Hulugalla that no charges would be framed against the former LTTE arms have rehabilitated themselves just like KP,” the minister said.

Though separatism has been eradicated from Sri Lanka’s soil, yet terrorist and separatist sentiments are active outside Sri Lanka. It will be a plus factor for Sri Lanka if it can end this proxy war using KP’s experience and skills.

Government has been flexible in its procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP because there was no evidence or complaints against him.

“Perhaps it may have been a misinterpretation,” the minister said.( handling of KP by not giving him full freedom but giving him some kind of leverage to serve his own people in an appropriate manner.

“Do not forget that some 30 LTTE cadres were freed by courts. The sole objective of the government is to prevent seeds of terrorism being sowed on Sri Lanka’s soil again,” the minister said.He said the government has speeded up the reconciliation process and that was why the new initiative to reach a compromise with the Tamil Diaspora has shown encouraging results. (SAJ)