Karuna deplores ‘US embassy lies’

by Shamindra Ferdinando

Deputy Minister Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan aka Karuna  strongly denies former US Ambassador in Colombo Robert Blake’s claim that he fled Sri Lanka and secured refuge in Tamil Nadu in early 2004 with the help of the then President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

"Ambassador Blake’s accusation is absurd," the National List MP told The Island.

According to him, the US mission in Colombo, on the basis of unsubstantiated information received from those described as ‘trusted contacts’ in confidential US diplomatic cables had accused his former outfit (the TMVP) of illegal military operations directed at the LTTE.

Blake in a secret diplomatic cable dated May 18, 2007, alleged that Karuna had directed his cadres while being in Tamil Nadu, where he remained till July 2006.

Citing an embassy contact, Blake alleged that Karuna with the help of EPDP leader Minister Douglas Devananda had carried out the assassination of TULF MP Joseph Pararajasingham on Dec. 25, 2005.

Citing the same source, Blake alleged that Karuna cadres assassinated TULF MP N. Raviraj on Nov. 10, 2006 in Colombo.

Karuna quit the LTTE in March 2004 after he reached an understanding with the Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI) and subsequently worked with the SLN Intelligence in some parts of the Eastern Province.

Sources said that nothing could be as ridiculous as the allegation that Karuna and Devananda worked together in the East or any other part of the country.

Among the embassy contacts are believed to be those, who had access to high ranking officials responsible for overall military strategy against the LTTE at the height of the war. Sources alleged that those so-called trusted contacts of Ambassador Blake could have given uncorroborated information not only to the Americans but many other Colombo based embassies. Sources said that Ambassador Blake went to the extent of alleging the breakaway Tamil para-military personnel, particularly the EPDP of operating brothels for Sri Lankan soldiers.   

Deputy Minister Karuna regretted that the US embassy had briefed Washington on the basis of unsubstantiated information with regard to Sri Lanka’s security strategy during the Eelam war IV. Military sources said that in spite of making wild allegations against the Sri Lankan political and military leaderships, the US provided significant support to defeat the LTTE. President Mahinda Rajapaksa publicly acknowledged the US ‘intelligence’ backing for attacks directed against LTTE ships on the high seas.

Government sources said that on the basis of advice provided by their diplomats based in Colombo, a section of the international community had targeted Sri Lanka over accountability issues. The EU wouldn’t have denied GSP plus trade concessions without its mission in Colombo making a case against Sri Lanka, sources said. Similarly the ongoing EU probe, too, would have been prompted by a section of Colombo-based diplomats close to the LTTE lobby, sources said.

(The Island)