Sunday, 15th June 2014
By Camelia Nathaniel
Poopalapillai with BJP National secretary Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has renewed its campaign to penetrate and build a safe haven in Tamil Nadu. Traditionally, it was a militant safe haven, but today, it is a political safe haven. Historically, Tamil Nadu was exploited by the LTTE to train and operate against Sri Lanka. With Indian government extending the ban on the LTTE for five years on May 15, 2014, the LTTE fronts overseas are collaborating with LTTE supporters in Tamil Nadu to remove the ban.
As Congress was determined to prevent a resurgence of LTTE in Tamil Nadu, the LTTE approached BJP in the lead up to the defeat of the LTTE in May 2009. Vaithiyalingam, a senior BJP leader and member of the party’s national general council, proposed lifting the ban in January 2009. The Tamil Nadu unit of BJP was once again lobbied by LTTE fronts overseas with funds and other bribes even after Narendra Modi’s inauguration as the PM on May 26, 2014.
Among the LTTE fronts spearheading the lobbying of BJP political leaders in Tamil Nadu are the UK based Global Tamil Forum (GTF) led by the terrorist ideologue S.J. Emmanuel. Emmanuel, was deported from Tamil Nadu’s Chennai airport via Dubai October 11, 2011. Nonetheless, GTF, a conglomerate of terrorist fronts, dispatched several of its directors, functionaries and agents to penetrate the Tamil Nadu political establishment.
US designated terrorist entity
From Canada, the two most prominent LTTE activists, who entered Tamil Nadu to meet its leaders, are Rathika Sitsabaiesan, a Canadian Parliamentarian, and her mentor David Poopalapillai. Poopalapillai is national spokesperson of the Canadian Tamil Congress, a UN designated terrorist entity.
The CTC is designated under EN/CA/2013/06 for disseminating terrorist propaganda, fundraising and procurement. From Canada, Poopalapillai arrived in India on the eve of Modi’s inauguration and lobbied Tamil Nadu BJP leader L. Ganeshan and All India BJP National Secretary Dr. Tamilisai Soundararajan in Chennai. Although CTC has a membership of only 500 Tamils, he said he represents 300,000 Tamil Canadians to the BJP leaders jubilant with Modi’s victory. The Indian immigration and BJP leaders were not aware that Poopalapillai was an associate of Selvarajah Pathmanathan alias Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP, implicated in the Gandhi murder. KP is wanted by India’s Central Bureau of Investigation’s and INTERPOL. By the time the Indian authorities started to look for Poopalapillai, he had left India.
According to Sri Lankan authorities, Poopalapillai was nearly arrested in Malaysia during a visit he made to meet KP. Poopalapillai had travelled from Toronto, Canada in August 2009 to meet the newly appointed LTTE Chief, K. P., the successor to Prabhakaran. KP was wanted on an INTERPOL red notice issued at the request of New Delhi for terrorism and crimes involving the use of weapons/explosives.
Meanwhile Poopalapillai and other LTTE leaders in Canada and the US in contact with K.P were monitored by several security and intelligence services including in North America. With the news flash of the arrest of KP, Poopalapillai was immediately instructed to return to Canada.
A review of persons listed for terrorist activity under United Nations Security Council Resolution 1373 includes “DAVID POOBALAPILLAI.”
Under UNSCR 1373, Poopalapillai is assigned the serial IN/CA/2013/370. Poopalapillai was born on June 11, 1957 and his address is listed as No 22, Govinda Road, Batticaloa. Living in Canada, Poopalapillai previously used a Sri Lankan passport L0676957 and an address in Germany – Schotenpad, 45143 Essen.
In addition, to the LTTE fronts, lobbying on behalf of the LTTE is conducted by the pro-LTTE leaders in Tamil Nadu. A dozen political parties and terrorist groups in Tamil Nadu support the revival of the LTTE. The Indian and Tamil Nadu governments have dismantled the Tamil Nadu terrorist groups but the extremist political parties continue to radicalise vulnerable segments of Tamils.
They thrive on misguided Tamil nationalism bordering fanaticism and failure of Sri Lanka to communicate the progress the government has achieved since the conflict ended. Although they are considered fringe parties and not popular parties, they exercise disproportionate influence.
For example, the manifesto of Marumalarchchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) led by V. Gopalasamy alias Vaiko called for the lifting of the ban on terrorist organisation LTTE and making Tamil one of the official languages in India. Vaiko supported the LTTE his entire life and still advocates the return of the LTTE. Vaiko was arrested several times on terrorism related charges.
The first member of Parliament and chief of a registered political party in India to be detained under the Prevention of terrorism act (POTA), Vaiko spent 18 months in prison. Although BJP’s ally in Tamil Nadu, Vaiko lost the recent Lok Sabha polls from Tamil Nadu, and he demanded New Delhi to withdraw its invitation to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse for the swearing in of Modi.
CM’s good friend
In April 2009, the then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi called Velupillai Prabhakaran his “good friend.” Although he retracted his statement, Karunanidhi turning a blind eye to LTTE activities in the State of Tamil Nadu during his term 27 January 1989 – 30 January 1991 culminated in the Gandhi assassination on May 21, 1991.
Justice Jain Commission overseeing the investigation into Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination was determined to indict Karunanidhi for abetting the LTTE but for political reasons did not pursue it.
Meanwhile Pazha Nedumaran supported LTTE’s brutal campaign of terror. He visited with Prabhakaran both in Sri Lanka and India.
In Tamil Nadu, Nedumaran provided his farm for the LTTE to conduct its training. Nedumaran formed ‘Save 26 Tamils Committee, with 80 LTTE and LTTE support organisations to fight for the assassins of Rajiv Gandhi.
After he took the case of the 13 Indian Tamils and 13 Sri Lankan Tamils sentenced to death by the Poonamalle TADA Special Court (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act, commonly known as TADA) to the Supreme Court, they released 19 of the 26, and reduced the death sentence. As a Tamil fanatic, Nedumaran Founded the Ulaka Tamil Peravai (World Tamil Confederation), and Nedumaran is also the President of Tamils National Movement & Tamil Eelam Liberation Supporters Co-ordination Committee.
Funded by LTTE fronts, he continues to support LTTE’s revival in Sri Lanka. In April 2012, Nedumaran said in his book ‘Pirapaharan – Tamizhar Ezhuchchiyin Vadivam, (Pirapaharan – The Embodiment of Tamils’ Struggle) is a guide to the revival of the ‘armed struggle,’ a favorite manual for LTTE supporters.
A staunch critic of Hindu nationalism and, in particular, Hindutva, Thirumavalavan is President of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (Liberation Panthers), a political party in the state of Tamil Nadu in India. After Thirumavalvan met with Prabhakaran, he has constantly campaigned for lifting the ban on the LTTE. In February 2011, Thirumavalavan was deported from Sri Lanka to India when he attempted to enter Sri Lanka to attend the funeral of the terrorist leader’s mother Parvathy Pillai.
A master of propaganda, Thirumavalvan authored ‘Eelam Enral Puligal, Puligal Enral Eelam’ (Eelam means Tigers, Tigers means Eelam). Meanwhile Kumudam Reporter, a Tamil weekly magazine dated 09 November, 2008, reported Thirumavalavan saying, “AIDMK Chief Jayalalithaa has an anti-LTTE & anti-Eelam Tamil view. She is unable to tolerate Prabhakaran’s rise as a world leader. She says that she opposes the LTTE because of Rajiv’s murder’. I cannot change my pro-LTTE mentality at any point of time. In fact, I only grumble that I am unable to take up arms and fight for the LTTE and hence absolutely I do not have any fear of getting arrested for supporting the LTTE….”
Training in film making
Furthermore, Senthamilan Seeman alias Sebastian Simon supports the LTTE as well. In addition to meeting with Prabhakaran, he conducted training in filmmaking for LTTE cadres in the Wanni. To avenge Prabhakaran’s death, Seeman created ‘NaamThamizhar I yakkam’ in May 2009 renamed ‘NaamThamizhar Katchi’ (WeTamil Movement) in May 2010. Its twin agenda is to free ‘Tamils’ motherland’ called ‘Tamil Eelam’ from Sri Lanka and only Tamils should rule Tamil Nadu. Although Seeman promised to marry the widow of LTTE leader Muthukumaru Soundarakrishnan alias Lt.Col Anbumani, alias Alex, he abandoned her for Kayalvizhi, daughter of a Tamil Nadu politician.
Poopalapillai with TN BJP leader L. Ganeshan
To glorify the dead terrorists especially the suicide bombers in Toronto in November 2009, Seeman entered Canada on a visa issued by the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi, but was arrested and deported. Nonetheless, Canadian Parliamentarian Rathika Sitsabaiesan,with the hidden agenda of promoting the LTTE, visited Seeman, Nedumaran, Thirumavalavan, and Vaiko in Tamil Nadu. This Un-Canadian act of Sitsabaisen visiting Prabhakaran’s patrons in Tamil Nadu shocked ordinary Tamils who do not want a revival of terror.
With Narendra Modi’s rise to power in India, the LTTE fronts and LTTE support groups in Tamil Nadu will continue to lobby BJP in Tamil Nadu. The segment of political leaders of the Tamil National Alliance that received funds from LTTE fronts are also conducting a false propaganda campaign. Although peace has returned to Sri Lanka, both LTTE fronts and LTTE support groups in Tamil Nadu seek to disrupt the hard won peace. The Sri Lankan government should develop a strategy to engage Tamil Nadu political parties and the Tamils living in Tamil Nadu.
Working in Tamil, the Sri Lankan High Commission in New Delhi should counter the misinformation and disinformation spread by the LTTE fronts and support groups. In this regard, the appointment of Dr Sudharshan Seneviratne, who speaks Hindi and wrote his doctorate on Tamil Nadu, as Sri Lanka’s new High Commissioner in New Delhi is the first step in the right direction.
From : http://www.thesundayleader.lk/2014/06/15/ltte-enters-tamil-nadu-to-lobby-bjp/
