Govt. in touch with Diaspora

by Zacki Jabbar

Communication links with important members of the pro-LTTE Tamil Diaspora had been established in an attempt to win their hearts and minds and convince them of the futility of continuing with the state of mistrust and tension, the government said yesterday.

Media Minister Keheliya Rambukwella addressing a news conference in Colombo said that exchanges were continuing and the focus was on convincing Tamils of the advantages that would accrue to all Sri Lankans, if they participated in the process of forging permanent peace, reconstruction and rehabilitation.

The LTTE’s former chief arms procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan(KP) would pay a key role in the peace process, the Minister said, adding that contrary to the belief in some quarters, KP was still an important factor in the equation.

The Minister told the media last week that if discussions between the two sides progressed satisfactorily a meeting would be held in Colombo shortly with President Mahinda Rajapaksa leading the government delegation.

Amidst conflicting comments emanating from the ruling party with regard to the release of KP from ‘Protective Custody’ Rambukwella insisted yesterday that the high ranking Ex-LTTE’er was still being interrogated on the charges that had been levelled against him.

However, Lakshman Hulugalle, Director General of the Media Centre for National Security said last week that KP had been freed from ‘protective custody’ without any charges being framed.

The UNP recently said the government had, instead of trying KP for the crimes he committed against Sri Lankan citizens, released him in return for the LTTE’s assets which were estimated at over Rs. 200 billion.