 |
 |
 |
 |
By D.B.S.Jeyaraj
Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam political commissar Suppiah Paramu Thamilselvan
has condemned his colleague Veerakulasingham Manivannan alias Castro over the
Rajasingham Jeyadevan affair. Forty - nine year old Jeyadevan - a British resident -
was inveigled into the Wanni through false pretences and held in tiger custody for
59 days from Jan 8th to Mar 9th. The accountant cum businessman was coerced
into transferring control of a Hindu temple in London to a tiger front - Sivayogam
Trust. He was released due to British pressure on the LTTE hierarchy.
The Jeyadevan affair given much focus in these columns over the past few weeks
has caused a lot of controversy amidst the Sri Lankan Tamil Diaspora. The latest
twist to this sordid saga was the concern and sympathy communicated to the LTTE
victim by Thamilselvan. According to informed Tamil sources the tiger political
commissar now touring Europe has expressed his views to a leading Tamil Catholic
Clergyman to be conveyed to Jeyadevan.
Rev. Fr. SJ Emmanuel a former Vicar - General of the Jaffna Diocese is now based
in Germany. After meeting with Thamilselvan in Germany Fr. Emmanuel crossed
over to London last week. He sought and obtained a private meeting with
Jeyadevan and AK Vivekananthan who was detained along with the former in the
Wanni. They are the Chairman and secretary of the Trustee board governing the
Eelap Patheeswarar Sivan temple in Alperton respectively.
It was at this meeting that Fr. Emmanuel expressed his sympathy to the victims for
what had happened to them. Though Fr. Emmanuel is a staunch supporter of the
Tamil Liberation struggle and openly esposes the LTTE cause the eminent
clergyman accepted and acknowledged the injustice meted out to Jeyadevan by the
tigers. He differed in this respect from other tiger acolytes like Pararajasingham of
Melbourne and Thangavelu of Scarborough who flatly deny the whole incident and
accuse journalists of writing fiction.
During the conversation with the abducted duo Fr. Emmanuel had stated that the
incident did not have the approval of the LTTE leadership. Referring to a
conversation between Thamilselvan and himself Fr. Emmanuel had said that the
tiger political head was deeply concerned over Jeyadevans plight and expressed
regret. According to Fr. Emmanuel Thamilselvan had no control over Castro who
had masterminded the whole exercise. The LTTE political chief had tried thrice to
meet Jeyadevan while in the Wanni but had been thwarted by Manivannan alias
Castro.
Fr. Emmanuel explained that a clear demarcation of powers was maintained among
the different sections within the LTTE and that one departmental head could
prevent others from interfering in his sphere. Castro is in charge of the overseas
branches. Since Jeyadevan was a British resident and the disputed temple was in
London the entire matter came under Castros purview. Thamilselvan apparently
regretted the incident and was remorseful of what had happened but could not
intervene .
It is also learnt that the Jeyadevan affair had been flaunted in Thamilselvans face
during his current European tour. To his great discomfiture several Foreign officials
had referred to press reports and queried the tiger leader. Even Erik Solheim had
discussed the issue. Moreover several LTTE activists in European Countries had
also protested to Thamilselvan about what had been done to Jeyadevan. Since
Jeyadevan had identified himself with the Tamil cause for several years he was well
known to all tiger supporters.
This continuing concern displayed over the Jeyadevan issue had embarassed
Thamilselvan considerably. Matters were further complicated by the fact that a
senior member of the delegation led by Thamilselvan was the tiger police chief
Mahenthiran whose nom de guerre is Nadesan. It is well known in LTTE circles that
Nadesan is a close pal of Castro and that both have differences with Thamilselvan.
It is reported that tensions had increased between Thamilselvan and Nadesan in
Europe due to the Jeyadevan incident. When accosted over it by tiger activists and
officials Thamilselvan had openly criticised Castro about it and had strongly
dissociated himself from any responsibility. At times he had deflected questions to
Nadesan saying that the police chief was responsible for law and order in the Wanni
and that any illegal detention was under his purview. Thamilselvan had also
suggested that Nadesan was more knowledgeable about the issue as he was a
close confidante of Castro.
Thamilselvan's conduct in this respect had caused resentment on the part of
Nadesan. This had led to a lot of arguments between both. When the LTTE
supremo Velupillai Pirapakaran came to know of this he ordered Nadesan to return
at once as public infighting between two seniors was bad for tiger morale overseas.
So Nadesan reportedly cut short his trip and returned. With a helicopter being
unavailable at short notice Nadesan had travelled up to the Wanni from Katunayake
by road instead of by air as is the usual practice of LTTE big shots. This native of
Valvettithurai who is also related to Pirapakaran was a former Police Constable. His
wife an ex - PC is a Sinhala woman from Matara.
It is also learnt that Fr. Emmanuel had appealed to Jeyadevan and Vivekananthan
that care should be taken to ensure that the Tamil struggle should not be weakened
in any way due to the incident. He had advocated some settlement being effected
instead of the matter being thrashed out in open court. Jeyadevan and
Vivekananthan had pointed out that it was Mr. Nagenthiram Seevaratnam and his
Sivayogam trust that had brought the matter to court by seeking an injunction. The
only course left to Seevaratnam would be to give up control over the temple and not
pursue with the injunction. They asked the Catholic troubleshooter to persuade
Seevaratnam in this.
The concern of Fr. Emmanuel a true adherent of the Tamil cause was quite valid as
a protracted legal battle could only be detrimental to the LTTE in the long run. But it
appears that Seevaratnam and his coterie has been downright foolish in this by
going to courts. This column pointed out last week that by going to courts over the
Eelap Patheeswarar temple issue the tigers in London may have opened a "can of
worms".
The Sivayogam trust of Seevaratnam that gained control of the temple through
questionable and illegal means had sought an injunction to keep the temple open.
The defendants were the Pavitt Hall Trust of the Labour Party of Brent North and
South - the landlords who had leased out the premises to the temple trust.
Referring to the axiom that one should seek justice with clean hands this column
observed that Seevaratnam and cohorts whose hands were certainly not clean on
this matter were illadvised in seeking legal remedy. It was also pointed out that by
going against the landlord Seevaratnam was creating a situation where the four
Alperton Temple trustees - Jeyadevan, Vivekananthan, Soundararajan and
Koneswaran - would be contrained to give evidence under oath in support of the
landlord. This could result in all details of the Jeyadevan affiair being revealed in a
British court of justice. This would seriously harm the interests of the LTTE in
general and Seevaratnam in particular.
What this column predicted last week came true this week. After issuing an exparte
injunction last week the Central London High Court in Strand took up the case
seven days later on March 31st. All four Eelap Patheeswarar temple trustees
submitted witness statements to court in support of the landlord - Pavitt Hall Trust.
The statements explained clearly that they intended running the temple as usual
and had no intention of handing over their authority to the Sivayogam trust. The
statements of Jeyadevan and Vivekananthan reportedly outlined in detail their
harrowing experience under LTTE custody in the Wanni.
In view of these statements all four trustees have now been enjoined along with the
defendant Pavitt Hall trust as co - defendants. They are not merely witnesses but co
- defendants now. Moreover the serious nature of the offence perpetrated on
Jeyadevan and Vivekananthan and the duress employed by the LTTE in gaining
temple control is now openly submitted in detail to courts. As stated in these
columns Seevaratnam has certainly drawn the full glare of publicity to himself and
the LTTE in Britain.
Since there was not enough time to peruse the witness statements in detail Courts
has put off the day of full inquiry for a week. A decision to extend the injunction to
keep the temple open for worship for another seven days was taken in consultation
with all parties. Any further or amended witness statements were to be submitted
before April 5th. The case will be heard on April 7th and it is expected that a
decision will be reached on that day itself.
With the net drawing tighter around Seevaratnam and the LTTE in London it is
indeed a puzzle as to why the tigers went to court seeking an injunction. The only
answer to that seems to be colossal stupidity on the LTTE's part. This stupidity
resulting in a misjudging of the situation is due to both overestimation and
underestimation. The overestimation is about alleged LTTE prowess in intimidating
all Tamils into obeying them totally. The underestimation is the assumption that all
Tamils are cowards who will simply cave in to tiger pressure.
Seevaratnam along with son nirmalan and other accomplices may have banked on
the assumption that the Eelap Patheeswarar trustees could be intimidated into not
taking an open stance against them in open court. In order to coerce the trustees
diferent people have indeed been pressuring the trustees. Considering
Vivekananthan to be "soft" they have concentrated on him and his wife. Even
Seevaratnam spoke to Mrs. Vivekananthan. Except for Jeyadevan pressure and
threats have been directed against the other two trustees also. Even the family of
the landlord has not been spared. Police complaints have been registered and
taped telephone calls submitted as evidence.
It looks as if the LTTE relying only on "terror" as its sole weapon is blundering from
one mistake to another in London. Already the kidnap division of Scotland Yard is
conducting an intensive investigation into the whole Jeyadevan affair. Now further
material is being supplied by the pseudo - tough tigers. The British cops are
painstakingly methodical in their investigations. There is no doubt that in the end
they will ultimately get their target.
The significance of the statements submitted by Jeyadevan and Vivekananthan
should be visible to any tiger supporter with a modicum of intelligence. For the first
time two Sri Lankan Tamils have presented to a Court in a Western Nation details of
being held captive and victimised by the LTTE in the Wanni. The tigers have
illegally detained and used force on British residents in the Wanni to transfer
property in London to a LTTE front. This is an unheard of offence and a clear
affront to British justice and dignity. Moreover the LTTE is proscribed in Britain as a
terrorist organization.
Despite this the LTTE has been recklessly foolhardy in conducting exercises like
what was done to Jeyadevan. Unfortunately wisdom has not dawned to the British
tigers that they are skating on thin ice and exceedingly thin at that! Even now they
are complicating matters further by using threats and intimidation to pressure the
trustees. They do not realise that once the witness statements have been submitted
events are taking their own course. The end result is a foregone conclusion.
The LTTE can only engage in some damage control now. As far as the Eelap
Patheeswarar temple is concerned the only course left is for Seevaratnam to throw
the towel in. He should get his lawyers to meet the lawyers of the other side and
arrive at a settlement. He should relinquish all claim to the Eelap Patheeswarar
temple and withdraw from it. All acquired assets including the jewellery, cash,
vessels and "valampuri" chanks should be handed over. All costs and damages
should be paid by him. This is the only way that he can wriggle out of the mess that
he has gotten himself and his bosses the tigers into.
If however the tigers persist in adopting a confrontational course and employ high -
handed tactics nothing or nobody can prevent humpty - dumpty taking a great fall.
When Indira Gandhi declared emergency and locked up her political opponents
"Lok Nayak" Jayaprakash Narayan too was arrested. What he said then was
"Vinaasa Kale Vibhareetha Bhuthi" (Faulty intellect in disastrous times). One can
only repeat those words to the LTTE at the present juncture. [Sunday Leader]