Sri Lanka warns of Tamil Tiger separatist revival

The island's intelligence services had picked up evidence of attempts to reactivate the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam separatist group which was defeated in May 2009 after a 30-year war, defence ministry secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said.

Although the LTTE's military force had been destroyed in the island, its global network was still active, with considerable funds and influence, he told a public forum on future national security challenges.

"That's why we must maintain a sizeable defence force as well as defence spending, although there are some people who question why the defence establishment is so large and the amount of money allocated for defence," Rajapaksa said.

"The re-grouping and re-organisation of Tiger separatists within Sri Lanka is still a threat to national security.

"It is only logical that the government take every precaution to guard against it by maintaining a sizeable military."

The military was setting up camps in strategic locations around the island, especially jungle areas that were former Tiger bases, to prevent the regrouping of the Tigers, he said.

The overseas Tigers were still trying to revive the struggle for a separate state for minority Tamils in Sri Lanka's north and east.

"There is a possibility, even though it's remote, that terrorists will re-organise within Sri Lanka because of the LTTE's international campaign," Rajapaksa said.

"It is a possibility, however remote, we must not ignore as it could pave the way for a separatist terrorist campaign again."

Rajapaksa said Tamil separatists who escaped at the end of the war and are still at large and not undergone rehabilitation and may still support the separatist cause.

The island had already strengthened its intelligence services to guard against the re-emergence of the Tiger separatists, he said.

"We have evidence that LTTE cadres who left Sri Lanka before the war ended are trying to contact people in Sri Lanka and encourage them to regroup. Our intelligence services have found that they are trying to contact people in Sri Lanka to revive the LTTE effort."

At the time of their defeat the LTTE's global network had a lot of funds, Rajapaksa said.

Although control of the LTTE assets was now dispersed among different factions, they still generate funds through businesses and illegal activities like human smuggling and were committed to the same cause.

READER COMMENT(S)

5. Laksmansingh Jan 12

The Hon.Defence Secretary is absolutely right. The hardcore LTTE terrorists who left Sri Lanka, when they knew their defeat was imminent, have spread their tentacles everywhere on planet earth. They have done their utmost to discredit Sri Lanka by trying to influence the international community, namely the UK, US, Canada, EU(Germany, France, Italy etc)Tamil Nadu, Malaysia, Singapore and other places.They made bogus falsified documentaries in the hope of involving foreign governments to interfere with the sovereignty of Sri Lanka, to investigate nonsensical "war crimes", when the LTTE rump in the west need to be investigated. Ex LTTE women soldiers gave falsified accounts of the terrorist war,with diabolical lies upon lies. The LTTE in France are now printing stamps with the portrait of the terrorist leader Prabakaran to collect money and influence the French people to believe on a lie.At present the LTTE rump are involved in drug trafficking, extortion, vice, human trafficking, human smuggling,money laundering and prostitution. Therefore it is imperative that permanent posts of the army, navy, police and intelligence personnel must be present in the north and east Sri Lanka to prevent another uprising and another Vadukkodai resolution that advocated an armed struggle to establish a mono-ethnic race in the north and east of Sri Lanka. Another armed uprising or a terrorist war will be the ultimate annihilation of the remaining Tamils in Sri Lanka. Let all the Sri Lankans in Sri Lanka join hands as a one nation and stop the greedy, selfish LTTE rump in the west, interfere with the independent, sovereign republic of Sri Lanka.

4. PROF. KOPAN MAHADEVA Jan 12

I honestly feel that the diligent Defence Secretary is unjustifiably over-reacting. If we do believe in ghosts and look for them, perhaps we will find them anywhere and everywhere. The LTTE did fight for the cause of Tamils, maybe not quite the right way. But they did. Hence many Tamils liked them for it.

As long as the root reasons remain (why they took up arms) they will continue to have some sympathisers. But the Tamils have decided to live in a united Sri Lanka -- if their rights are duly recognised, and helped to get back and live in their own, old homes. Hence all efforts must be directed towards that goal to be achieved asap. That is the surest way to kill any future uprisings. Too much intelligence can also create unjustifiable suspicions, often.

3. Sellam Jan 12

What Gothabaya is talking is utter rubbish. There is no revival of the LTTE at all whether in Sri lanka or elsewhere. Eveybody knows that the some of the diaspora Tamils just bark. They do not have a say and they are no threat to the Sri Lankan Government. Let Gothabaya not use the term LTTE and its revival and continue to militarise the North and East. This is another way to get support from the South.

2. Paul Rajasekera(78) Jan 11

Ok,Sir go ahead. But please solve this chronic "no problem". Do not share power. Exercise it. We need peace at least at the end of our lives. Spend money on making peace. Work firmly on the concept that this is one small country and one people. No provincial governments that squander peoples money are necessary. But decentralize authority under good and competent men/women,into our Districts as in the good old days. This will work.

1. Anoj Tennakoon Jan 11

We have to be vigilant at every point , We support Gotabhaya Rajapakse , our defence Secretary to execute this and we therefore provide our fullest support to eliminate LTTE Menac. Cheers ..