-By An Investigative Correspondent
(Lanka-e-News -11.Oct.2024, 10.00 pm) A startling revelation has emerged from a document obtained by the Lanka e-news investigation team, suggesting that the Taiwanese government played a significant role in supplying weapons to Tamil separatist groups in Sri Lanka during the 1980s. The document, reportedly acquired through a close associate of the late Tamil separatist leader Uma Maheshwaran, shows that the People’s Liberation Organization of Tamil Eelam (PLOT) secured their first arms shipment from Taiwan in 1984.
The operation was allegedly facilitated by Kadiravail Pillai Sirinivasan, a key figure from Tirunelveli, Jaffna, who was responsible for coordinating the shipment from Taiwan to the Tamil separatist organization. The Taiwanese government, through its intelligence services and military leaders, was fully aware that the weapons were intended for Tamil militant groups in Sri Lanka, yet they proceeded with the sale, according to the leaked document.
The arms consignment, disguised as a container of used paper, reportedly included 1,400 automatic rifles, 300 sniper rifles, explosives, and communication equipment. The complex logistics involved shipping the container from Taiwan to Singapore, and then to Chennai, India, where it was meant to be smuggled into Sri Lanka.
At the time, the PLOT movement was operating under the leadership of Uma Maheshwaran, who was actively engaged in the Tamil separatist struggle. The document claims that Vetti Selvam, based in New Delhi, and Ramesh Nila Chetty, in Chennai, worked with Sirinivasan to facilitate the shipment. However, financial constraints delayed the operation, forcing PLOT leader Siddharthan to step in and provide additional funding.
When the container reached Chennai in April 1984, the PLOT encountered a major setback. A clearance agent in Anna Nagar demanded to inspect the contents of the shipment before clearing it. Upon discovering the weapons inside, the agent requested more money to proceed, which PLOT was unable to provide. Tensions escalated, and Mavadevan, one of Uma Maheshwaran’s associates, reportedly threatened the agent with a pistol. This led the agent to inform the local police, sparking an investigation.
At the time, senior police officer Mohandas, a known opponent of Tamil separatist movements, was closely monitoring the situation. Indian intelligence initially believed the shipment was intended for Naxalite groups in Andhra Pradesh, but further investigation revealed its true destination: the Tamil separatists in Sri Lanka.
Efforts by PLOT leaders, including Uma Maheshwaran and Siddharthan, to enlist the help of influential figures like Gopalaswamy Parthasarathy, an advisor to several Indian prime ministers, were unsuccessful. The weapons were eventually seized by Indian authorities, and the operation collapsed, leading to tensions within the PLOT leadership. Sirinivasan, who had traveled from London to oversee the operation, was reportedly furious with Uma Maheshwaran for failing to secure the shipment, accusing him of incompetence.
Despite this setback, the document suggests that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) later followed the same route and also purchased weapons from Taiwan, continuing the flow of arms to Tamil separatist groups. These weapons were later used in the Sri Lankan civil war, where thousands of soldiers and civilians lost their lives, and many more were maimed by landmines and claymore bombs.
The involvement of the Taiwanese government in these arms deals raises serious ethical questions. The document points to Taiwan’s direct role in fueling the Sri Lankan conflict, potentially implicating the government in war atrocities committed by Tamil separatist groups. The revelation has prompted calls for accountability, with some demanding that Taiwan be held responsible for the devastating consequences of its actions.
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by (2024-10-11 16:34:06)
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