NO TRUTH COMMISSION if India’s training & funding LTTE is not included

Sri Lanka has landed in trouble due to bad advice and silly policy decisions. We already have a Lessons Learned & Reconciliation Commission. We have had 3 successive UNHRC Resolutions. We have faced an UNHRC investigation. So far, while we have been accused of killing 40,000 upto 200,000 Tamils, no names, no dead bodies, no skeletons, no mass graves have been found. So where does that leave ‘genocide’ charges? However, those insisting on TRUTH should be ready to face the TRUTH & the truth must start with how Tamil militancy emerged. Therefore, 3 decades of LTTE terror started off in India with Indian Government’s nod of approval. Is India ready to face the TRUTH & is Sri Lanka ready to place the TRUTH? If not, do not waste money on any TRUTH COMMISSIONS!

TRUTH: India violated Sri Lanka’s territorial integrity & Constitution.

Prabakaran was almost captured by Sri Lankan Troops in Vadamarachchi in 1987. India ORDERED Sri Lanka to cease hostilities. India sent its Air Force & evacuated Prabakaran to India.

Indian Air Force dropped food violating Sri Lanka’s air space. Indian Foreign Minister Natwar Singh called Sri Lanka’s envoy in Delhi 30 minutes before dropping 25 tons of food on 4 June 1987 at 4p.m. 5 AN-32s were escorted by 5 Mirage 2000s (armed with 2 Matra Magic AAMs & 3 drop tanks) from Bangalore airport. 35 national & international journalists joined this flight with 7 on each of the 5 planes. There are witness to this violation. Sri Lanka’s envoy was told that any opposition ‘would be met by force’ signaling a crime of aggression.

Signing of Indo-Lanka Accord on 29 July 1987 drafted by India to suit India’s interest.

TRUTH: India was only USING TAMIL MILITANCY / USING “CONCERN FOR TAMIL CARD”

Indian intel boasted ‘we will have Prabakaran in our custody within 72 hours’.

IPKF ended up gunning down Tamils, raping Tamil women, attacking Sinhalese villages. India did not take action against any of the Indian soldiers committing the crimes.

TRUTH: India allowed LTTE to use Chennai as Logistics Hub

• 1982 shooting in Pondy Bazaar involving Prabakaran
• 1990 Feb – Indian police constable killed by Sri Lankan Tamil militants in Pattinamkathan in Ramanathapuram District.
• 1990 June 19 – 13 EPRLF leaders including K Padmanabha & 2 Indians killed in Kodambakkam, Chennai.

TRUTH: India allowed LTTE to run offices in Tamil Nadu

• 11 Aug 1996 Deposition by S C Chandrahasan mentions LTTE having office in Madras in 1983. That LTTE’s main base was in Madurai. LTTE had office in Adayar area in Madras. LTTE were using offices for propaganda. LTTE’s spokesman Anton Balasingham came to live in Madras with his wife Adele.

• 17 Aug 1996 Deposition by Anita Pratap Journalist too mentions LTTE offices in Tamil Nadu. She mentions LTTE office in Besant Nagar, South Madras. That Lawrence Thilagar, Yogi were operating the office.

TRUTH: India ADMITTING training LTTE before 1983 riots

• India’s envoy to Colombo J N Dixits book reveals “these are boys who were trained by us (Indian Intel) from 1977”

• M Karunanidhi Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in his affidavit No. 187/94 “it is a well known fact that the LTTE & other Sri Lankan Militant camps were established in India ever since 1982 in tune with the policy of the Central Govt at that time. The Tamil militants were given military training & allowed to have their own training camps in India”………. “I state that the Congress Governments under the Prime Ministership of late Smt. Indira Gandhi and late Thiru Rajiv Gandhi encouraged, trained and supported the LTTE and other Tamil Militant groups.”

• Mohandas – then Dir Gen. Police (affidavit no. 64/92-JCI)

“….The issue had become very sensitive, and meanwhile, the Prime Minister’s advisors were working overtime, giving facilities to the militants, particularly the TELO (Tamil Ealam Liberation Organisation) to be trained in the use of modern arms in the camps organised in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, New Delhi and elsewhere. The idea was that after the training, they would be supplied with arms and sent to Northern Sri Lanka to engage the Sri Lankan troops in guerrilla action. It was supposed to be a top secret operation without even the knowledge of the State Government and its Intelligence agency. (at least as far as Tamil Nadu was concerned.”…..“The insurgency operation was so clumsily organised that it was, before long, an open secret. Each training camp was a mini Union Territory completely controlled by Central agencies, into which the State Intelligence or the State Police had no access.”

• US Think Tank Council of Foreign Relations says “RAW helped to train and arm the LTTE in the 1970s”

• Indira Gandhi entrusted the full military training of Tamil militants to the RAW –Research and Analysis Wing. Two officers Samy and Ravi Menon who colluded with Sri Lankan Tamil Chandrahasan formerly of TULF. RAW wanted LTTE to liaise with only itself instead of directly with the GOI and when LTTE didn’t listen to RAW, RAW began to divide the different militant groups. LTTE-EPRLF / LTTE-TELO clashes of 1986 directly attributed to RAW

• April 5, 1988 Wikileaks cable quotes J N Dixit that India had agreed to pay LTTE Rs.50lakhs per month which was paid in July 1987.This was to make up for the tax loss for the LTTE upon IPKF arrival. It was also a payment that sealed Prabakaran’s agreement to the Indo-Lanka Accord.

• Rajiv Gandhi gifted his own bullet proof vest to Prabakaran just before the signing of the Indo-Lanka Accord.

• Indian camps for Sri Lankan militants: Mohandas, then Director General Police (Intelligence), Tamil Nadu in letter dated 8 Feb 1986 included particulars of strength, weaponry and type of training given in camps.

TRUTH: India allowed GUERILLA TRAINING for Sri Lankan Tamil Militants

Training camps were in Chakrata (near Dehra Dun) in Uttar Pradeesh, in Karnataka (Bangalore cantonment). 30 camps were set up in Tamil Nadu (Koli Hills, Magaral, Kulathur, Sirumalai, Orathanad, Theni, Pattukottai, Kumbakonam, Uchipuli, Vikravandi, Aranthangi were some)

Trained cadre were housed in safe locations at Uchipuli, Mantapam, Thangachimadam (all around Rameswaram) and Arcotthurai, Vizhunthamavadi, Vedaranyam and Point Calimere (around Nagapattinam) and were later ferried to the Jaffna peninsula to fight the Sri Lankan Army. Injured cadres were similarly brought back to Tamil Nadu for treatment.

Sri Lankan Militants trained in camps by Indian Govt

LTTE:- 6 camps were reported being conducted by the LTTE

District of Anna (1 camp), Thanjavur West (1 camp), Thanjavur East (1 camp), Salem (1 camp, Madurai (1 camp) and Ramnad ( 1 camp) of Tamil Nadu. The total strength of trainees in these camps was reported to be 495 cadres including 90 female Tigers. The camp at Sirumalai (Anna district) was the only camp were all the 90 female Tigers were getting training along with 40 male Tigers. The largest LTTE camp was located at Kumbarapatti in Salem district. The training comprised Arms Training, swimming, boat driving and physical training. The camps were equipped with transport facilities such as Jeeps, Vans, motor cycles etc.

TELO:- Five camps organised by Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO) were reported to be running in the districts of Ramnad ( 3 camps) and Salem ( 2 camps). There were totally 233 male cadres undergoing this training which comprised Physical Training, Arms training, swimming and boat driving.

EROS:- Eelam Revolutionary Organisers (EROS) were reported to be conducting two camps in the districts of Ramnad and Pasumpon Muthuramalingam districts. There were 8 male trainees in these camps which were imparting Physical Training and Arms Training.

EPRLF: The Eelam Peoples Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF)was reported to be conducting 7 training camps in the districts of Thanjavur West (3 camps), South Arcot (2 camps), Trichy ( 1 camp) and Ramnad (1 camp) with a total strength of 73 male trainees who were being trained in Guerilla warfare, Physical Training and Arms training. These camps reportedly possessed sophisticated weapons such as Light Machine -guns as well as transport vehicles.

PLOT:- The Peoples Liberation Organisation for Tamil Eelam (PLOT)was conducting training in 18 camps located in the districts of Thanjavur West (11 camps), Pudukottai ( 4 camps), Tirunelvei East (2 camps) and Thanjavur East (1 camp). Totally 2236 cadres in addition to 94 female cadres were getting trained in these camps. The camps possessed transport facilities, boats and some weapons. Predominantly, the training comprised guerrilla warfare and also Physical Training, Swimming and Boat Driving.

Other assorted organisations were also conducting their camps in Tamil Nadu such as Tamil Eelam Army (TEA) – 2 camps, 31 trainees; TELA -Kanthan group ( 3 camps, 117 trainees); TELA-Rajan group (1 camp, 10 trainees); TENA (1 camp, 25 trainees); RELO ( 1 camp, 13 trainees; NLFT (1 camp, 2 trainees); ECRP (1 camp, 4 trainees) and TMPP ( 1 camp, 6 trainees).

Thus a total of 3179 males and 184 females (3363 cadres) were trained by the Indian Government in India in secret during 1983-1986. These groups were allowed to run their own offices in Tamil Nadu.

“…each training camp was a mini-Union Territory completely controlled by Central agencies, into which the State intelligence or the State police had no entry. It was almost a take-over of chunks of Tamil Nadu territory by the Centre, but MGR was unmoved.”

(The Man and the Myth” K. Mohandas, former Director-General of Police (Intelligence), Tamil Nadu)

“In one of his many informal chats with me later on, Prabakaran was to confide that they received massive doses of financial and military assistance from India and were provided training facilities in Tamil Nadu. Interestingly, during 1983 and 1984, the Intelligence Bureau and the Research and Analysis Wing (the two Indian intelligence agencies) got directly involved in training the militant Tamil groups and providing assistance to them.”

(From “The IPKF in Sri Lanka” by Lt. Gen. Depinder Singh, Overall Force Commander IPKF)

“It is a fact that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.G. Ramachandran provided sufficient finances to the LTTE to purchase arms and supplies even after the IPKF was launched against this militant group.”

(From “Assignment Colombo” by J N Dixit, former Foreign Secretary and Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka)

TRUTH: Rajiv Gandhis’ death did not stop India’s links with LTTE

• India did not break ties with LTTE even after assassination of Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991.
• PM Narasimha Rao filed a special leave petition in the Indian Supreme Court restraining Jain Commission to exclude period 1981 to June 1987.
• The Rao govt even attempted to wind up the Jain Commission’s role in 1992.
• Subramaniyam Swamy has openly accused the spouse & widow of Rajiv Gandhi with links to LTTE smuggling Indian artifacts to be sold in Italy.

QUESTION: Did India have a role in 1983 July riots?

The answer to this needs to be looked at from the angle of how India that secretly trained Tamil militants in guerilla warfare were to bring them out into the open and justify Tamil militancy while also justifying India’s interference. Was July 1983 instigated to enable both to take place?

If attacks were ‘orchestrated” it succeeded to present notion that Tamils were being attacked & justified Tamils taking arms. Tamils fleeing for safety to India, justified India’s right to interfere.

Those who lived in Sri Lanka knew that attackers knew which houses to attack. Tamil friends of politicians were not attacked. Attacks eventually enabled many who weren’t attacked to pose infront of houses that were attacked & apply for asylum to western shores.

Salman Haider Foreign Secretary in his affidavit No 343/96-JCI answers

“the riots of July 1983 …………. Led to a significant upsurge in public sentiment in Tamil Nadu in support of the Sri Lankan Tamils. The large number of Tamils killed in the riots led to calls for Indian military intervention in Sri Lanka.”

TRUTH: Tamil Nadu links to LTTE

Interim Report of Jain Commission claims the growth and survival of LTTE in Tamil Nadu was nurtured by DMK led by Karunanidhi

Karunanidhi’s response to Congress Jitendra Prasada was

“If Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi support the LTTE, they become desh bhakts (patriots). If Karunanidhi supports it, the LTTE becomes anti-national”

Jain Commission’s report asked

“why India did not declare LTTE anti-national when it was fighting the IPKF?”

TRUTH: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M G R Ramachandran gave money to LTTE.

TRUTH: Indian Govt arranged supply of arms, rifles, pistols, rocket propelled grenades, rocket launchers, rockets to Sri Lankan Militants

Under Rajiv Gandhi the Indian Government continued to supply arms and ammunition including anti-aircraft guns to the LTTE and EROS and cadres were brought to India for military training where they were taught to fire surface-to-air missiles. EROS cadres were also taught to lay sea mines.

TRUTH: India SECRETLY trained Sri Lankan Tamil militants before 1983 July riots (this questions if killing of 13 Sri Lankan soldiers leading to riots was pre-planned to create a domino effect that would enable India to directly interference in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs)

TRUTH: The Tamil Diaspora enabled Tamil militant propaganda but the flip side of this resulted in Tamil militants getting “adopted” for western agendas & being christened by their footsoldiers.

TRUTH:

• Had India not trained, armed, financed Tamil militancy
• Had India not interfered in Sri Lanka’s internal affairs
• Had India not violated Sri Lanka’s sovereignty & territorial integrity
• Had India not coerced Constitutional changes to pass 13a
• Had India not threatened Sri Lanka to not capture Prabakaran in 1987 – Prabakaran would have been captured by Sri Lankan troops & Sri Lanka would not have had to suffer 3 decades of terror, killing of innocent civilians, unnecessary loss of Sri Lankan soldiers, collapse of Sri Lanka’s economy, damage & destruction to property, unnecessary loss of Tamil children kidnapped & turned into child soldiers, unnecessary loss of LTTE & other combatants & their leaders for a ‘war’ that these Tamils & Militants must eventually realize they were being used to fight other people’s wars.

TRUTH: LTTE & Other Militant groups were only guinea pigs in a larger political game that would never have given them an Eelam but would have got them to create an Eelam for the invisible hands that were steering them.

TRUTH: India’s nurturing of Tamil militancy created a monster that went on to kill Tamils, Sinhalese, Muslims & even foreigners, bomb civilian and public places, kidnap children & turn them into child soldiers, trained children to commit suicide by biting cyanide capsule, taught to bomb and commit guerilla warfare.

Questions for India

• Does a friend allow its soil to be used to nurture terrorists & terrorism?
• Does a friend allow its soil to be used as a terrorist logistics hub?
• Does a friend stop a terrorist from being captured & whisk the terrorist in a helicopter to safety?
• Does a friend threaten a friend
• Does a friend violate the territorial integrity of the friend
• Does a friend force constitutional changes.

Given all this knowledge – would you consider India a friend?

If above and more is not going to be covered by a TRUTH COMMISSION, then Sri Lankans must demand GoSL do not venture into ANY TRUTH COMMISSION wasting tax payers money.

Shenali D Waduge