President continues 'cold war' w

Former President becomes key issue in polls campaign, while Sirisena appoints loyalists as electoral organisers UNF proposes State Assembly comprisin instead of CC; JVP convention gets airti

For Colombo's state intelligence community, there was a distraction from monitoring the polls this week. It was a report from southern India. Police in the town of Ramanathapuram, in the tongue shaped land mass that ends at the Dhanuskodi pier, arrested three people after a check they conducted on vehicle movements. This pier in the Palk Strait, the narrow seas that divide India and Sri Lanka, is located opposite a similar one on the other end at Talaimannar. They were the entry points when a ferry service operated between the two countries decades ago. This is the path for a project to construct a bridge linking Sri Lanka and India.

Police found in the vehicle GPS equipment, 300 grams of cyanide, 75 empty capsules and seven different mobile telephones. Reports reaching agencies in Colombo said the Tamil Nadu Police raid came after a tip off. Krishna Kumar, a Sri Lankan identified as an inmate of a refugee camp there, and two Indian nationals, Rajendran and Shashi Kumar are now being interrogated at the Q (or Intelligence) Branch of the Police there. The agencies learnt that there was no satellite telephone in the possession of the trio though some media reports had referred to it.

The concern for the local intelligence agencies is whether the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is being revived by their remnants overseas. On the other hand, whether the move was a diversion of sorts in the light of the August 17 parliamentary elections is also not being ruled out. Either way, a high ranking source at Army Headquarters declared, "there is no way we will allow a re-emergence of terrorism. Measures for this purpose remain in place." Yet, the prospects of re-grouping could still be of nuisance value. They could try to create a fear psychosis, particularly outside the north and east, if indeed there are moves to reemerge, warned an intelligence source familiar with Tiger guerrilla activity. That has got the intelligence community, kept busy with the upcoming elections, into high gear over the find in Ramanathapuram. They are now awaiting more details of findings by the Indian Police.

This discovery does not come as a surprise. Intelligence agencies have been aware of attempts by remnants of the LTTE to re-group. That has led to different security arms and the Police taking counter measures. They have remained in force. A report on the "possible emergence of terrorism" after the military defeat of Tiger guerrillas in May 2009, seen by

gives the background. It notes that there is "only a remote possibility" that the guerrillas will reorganise within the country. This is notwithstanding LTTE-linked overseas groups whose objectives are to "facilitate the resumption of an armed struggle in Sri Lanka." A number of guerrillas who escaped during the final stages of the separatist war are "presently linked" to the overseas groups, it says.

Other than the guerrilla cadres who were put through a programme of rehabilitation, the document notes that about 2,000 cadres both in Sri Lanka and abroad "have evaded arrest and rehabilitation." This is whilst the Army continues to recover arms, ammunition, explosives and equipment. It points out that "more could still be buried and access to such items by residual cadres and/or self-motivated cadres could prove dangerous." The document warns that "there is evidence that members of some of these linked groups operating from overseas are trying to regroup themselves having established contacts with local elements and carry out acts of sabotage to disrupt peace and stability." The document lists three different incidents after the military defeat of the Tiger guerrillas in May 2009.

In March 2012, barely three years after troops militarily defeated the Tiger guerrillas, a member of the Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP), one supporting the then Government, was murdered by suspected guerrilla cadres. It came to light during investigations that a guerrilla who masterminded the killing had been earlier operating under the Kumaran from France. According to the docu- ment, arrested suspects revealed that Kumaran moved to India in November 2011 and had addressed a group of some 25 guerrilla cadres "to carry out sabotage activities in Sri Lanka." It says that he had formed three different groups of three persons each. It is one of these groups that had come to Sri Lanka in March to carry out the killing of the EPDP member. This incident threw light on attempts by the group to revive guerrilla activity.

The second incident was in December 2012 in Colombo. The arrest of a guerrilla cadre, the document says, "Unveiled an organised LTTE network operating from Chennai, funded by a group positioned in Europe." Six guerrilla cadres which included a female who had undergone a rehabilitation programme were arrested in Jaffna. Four more guerrillas were arrested in Chennai at the same time by the Police there on information provided. One of them had been identified as an electronics expert. The Police there also recovered two laptops, electronic circuits, cables, wires and some documents. The document notes, "It was also revealed that the LTTE overseas elements had attempted to recruit youth with IT knowledge and youth from the fishing community with experience in deep sea fishing to facilitate future operations in Sri Lanka." Their activities were laid bare after the arrest of a further six youth from Jaffna. Police in Tamil Nadu had also raided a safe house in Chennai and arrested four more persons. This had led to the dismantling of the cell that operated in Chennai and Jaffna.

A third incident, the document says, was in March last year. The arrest of a youth distributing "handbills inimical to national unity" was arrested by the Pallai Police. It says, "this led to the unravelling of a local covert LTTE network run with financial support from overseas LTTE cells operating from Europe. Their financial transactions were discovered. It points out that "Investigation resulted in the arrest of 83 suspects comprising rehabilitated and non-rehabilitated cadres and youth mostly from the North and East areas." The document adds that three guerrilla cadres died "in a confrontation with security forces in April last year when attempts were made to apprehend them." These three guerrillas, it notes, "were assisted by LTTE elements based in Switzerland, UK and India" who maintain links with a leader living in another country. It adds, "The security forces and Police also recovered buried arms, ammunition, claymore and three mine detectors used to search for buried LTTE ammo dumps."

In the light of these developments, state intelligence agencies in Colombo are not taking any chances. Both President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe are being regularly briefed of developments. An intelligence source said, "There was no cause for any alarm since the security forces and the Police have continued to maintain vigilance. Further measures will go into place after a detailed report is received from India on the outcome of the Police investigations."

Meanwhile, on the local political front, it was only a week ago that President Sirisena declared in his address to the nation that the people should elect those who are suitable to march forward with the January 8 mandate. That was the United National Party (UNP). He also ordered that a Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Central Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday (July 15) be called off. He had two visitors at the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday. They were UPFA General Secretary Susil Premajayantha and SLFP General Secretary Anura Priyadarshana Yapa. The duo were to complain that Sirisena was appointing party organisers to different electorates and they were learning of it only from the media. Yapa urged Sirisena that in future when he had to deliver an address to the nation he should not speak impromptu but to do so from a prepared text. That advice appears to be after a meeting Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala de Silva had with Sirisena at night, soon after his address to the nation. The latter is learnt to have briefed UPFA leaders. The Opposition Leader had cautioned Sirisena that if he continued to make statements like the one he did, the SLFP would be split in the middle. Later, he had told UPFA leaders that Sirisena had explained his position and how he faced criticism from even members of his own household over the issue. A source said Sirisena had only smiled at the suggestions made by his party seniors but made no comment. Later, Yapa also requested Sirisena to summon a meeting of the Central Committee. He agreed but gave no dates for the event. Sirisena flew yesterday to Male to take part as chief guest at the National Independence Day celebrations of the Maldives.

In deciding to appoint electoral organisers on his own, Sirisena continued his political assault on Rajapaksa. His aim appears to be to isolate Rajapaksa in the SLFP. Whether he would succeed in the endeavour remains doubtful. However, his actions have been felt strongly by the UPFA leaders. The latest appointment was that of Chandana Kathirearatchchi as co-organiser of the Kesbewa electorate. The appointment of Kathirearatchchi, a former backer of Mahinda Rajapaksa, has now infuriated Gamini Lokuge, the organiser of that electorate and a close ally of the former President. Others considered anti-Rajapaksa who have been named as co-organisers or organisers are Prasanna Solangarachchi (Avissawella), Indunil Wegodapola (Matale), Sirisena Wijemanne (Laggala) and Ananda Prematilleke (Wariyapola).

In addition, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, a Sirisena loyalist contesting the Matara District has also been appointed as acting organiser in the Matara electorate. This is in addition to being organiser for Hakmana within the same district. The move has infuriated one time Minister Dullas Allahapperuma, a staunch Rajapaksa loyalist. A similar appointment of a UPFA candidate for the Gampaha District has raised a controversy. The person is said to have a Police record of being an Island Reconvicted Criminal (IRC), a dubious title for those committing three or more criminal offences and being convicted. Sirisena's move is to slowly but surely purge Rajapaksa loyalists from being party organisers. That it came in the backdrop of urging Sri Lankans indirectly, to vote for the UNP has further angered the UPFA supporters.

There were also rumblings between UPFA groups contesting the Gampaha District. Two factions were at loggerheads -- and entering the fray to resolve issues is former Minister Basil Rajapaksa. All UPFA candidates have been invited to take part in the meeting. Basil Rajapaksa, who earlier represented the Gampaha District, did not contest. This is in the light of a provision in 19A which prohibits those holding dual nationalities from contesting. He is also a citizen of the United States.

Corruption investigations continue

If allegations of corruption have formed the subject of speeches by both the UNP and the UPFA candidates at election rallies, the outcome of investigations into several important cases will hinge on the results of the August 17 polls. Though the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID) is not making arrests in view of the polls, investigations are continuing. Officials of the US Department of Justice were in Colombo this week as part of their operation to assist the FCID in some high profile investigations. They have already made a few visits. It is the outcome of assistance offered by US Secretary of State John Kerry when he visited Sri Lanka in May this year. One of those under probe is Udayanga Weeratunga, Sri Lanka's former Ambassador to Russia. Acting on a court order, FCID detectives on Friday searched a twenty foot container shipped from Moscow to Colombo by Weeratunga. They were declared as his personal effects. He had called over at the Sri Lanka Embassy in Teheran, whilst on a visit there, to ask diplomats there to seek the assistance of the Foreign Ministry. He was advised that he should first surrender the diplomatic passport issued to him. On Friday, detectives seized the power units of four desktop computers in the container. They are being sent to the University of Moratuwa, so the hard disc could be examined. Detectives also seized pen drives and a set of CDs. Thereafter, the container was sealed and left at the container yard of the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA).

This week marked the release of the manifesto of the United National Party (UNP) under the banner of the United Front for Good Governance (UNFGG). The partners of the front, had first gathered at the Park in December last year. That was to declare support for then presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena. Last Thursday, in a