LTTE is regrouping and advocating return to violence

Daily Mirror Thursday, November 26, 2009

Dr. Rohan Gunaratne, International Terrorism Expert and Head of the International Centre for Political Violence and Terrorism Research at Rajaratnam School of International Studies, speaks to Hard Talk about the threat of the LTTE raising its head once more.

Placing blame on the foreign ministry for what he terms it’s ‘miserable failure to counter the LTTE propaganda, Dr. Gunaratne maintains that the two factions of the LTTE’s global face; one led by Nediyawan in Norway portrays Prabhakaran's image, flies the Tiger flag and advocates the armed struggle - meaning a return to violence, while the second faction led by V. Rudrakumaran out of New York ‘also wants to create a separate Tamil state but politically.

He stresses that Nediyawan should be extradited to Sri Lanka for his role in the LTTE. ‘Nediyawan's rival Rudrakumaran, also seeking to divide Sri Lanka and polorize the Tamils and Sinhalese and Muslims presents a strategic threat to peace in Sri Lanka. Like Prabhakaran brought endless suffering, Rudrakumaran will bring another cycle of suffering’, he emphasizes.

He notes that President Rajapaksa should take a bold step and invite Rudrakumaran to abandon such action and join the rest of the country to develop the north and the east of the country. He believes that in the larger interest of peace, Sri Lanka must not fear to invite even the worst terrorist or terrorist idealogue to join the political mainstream.

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