Clad in a white cotton shirt he wears a pair of simple slippers. The soft-spoken man explains the downfall of the 'outfit', that was once thought as being impossible to destroy. After 30-years of a struggle to divide a united country to win their rights, the 'man' says every youth, including him, was misled by politicians of a by-gone era.Calling himself a victim, he says, youth who had different dreams in life got 'trapped' in Eelam and destroyed their future.

"When I passed the Advanced Level examination, I dreamt of becoming a Police Inspector. When I got into the university, my dream was to become a Government Agent. I had all these dreams because I love my motherland and I wanted to serve my people. But the then political environment which poisoned youth like us shattered my dreams and it made us to dream of another country for the Tamils. I joined another youth, Vellupillai Prabhakaran to achieve our dream - Eelam.

We worked hard but we failed. Now it's time to agree with the truth and act accordingly", the man who smuggled arms for over two decades to make the 'outfit' which turned out to be one of the world's most ruthless terrorist organisations, said.

Shanmugam Kumaran Tharmalingam known as KP, tagged as one of the wanted men in the world for his involvement in arms procurement has drawn a new plan to achieve his childhood dream - serving people- while living under protective hands in Colombo, where he was brought from Malaysia in a dramatic 'arrest'.

The terror outfit is proscribed as a terrorist organisation in 32 countries, identified as the new leader of the LTTE after the demise of Prahakaran at the Nanthikadal lagoon in May 2009, KP says he is in fear when he see the people of the Wanni who were virtually dragged into the 'stone age' by the LTTE.

He has travelled to over 50 countries to coordinate the terror outfit's arms procurement network, he sheds copious tears as to what crime children committed to suffer the way they did.

"Most of them have never seen a chocolate in their lives", the fair-skinned man with sharp eyes became so emotional and couldn't control his tears.

"Do you now feel that you are partly responsible for this heinous crime?, I asked.

With tears rolling down he says, 'yes' "Thousands of people died, became disabled and sacrificed their future. Thousands of children became orphans. I am very sad when I see them as I am also responsible for what they suffering today. When I was in Malaysia, I saw how people were running for their lives, I cried a lot", KP, who is into Buddhist meditation, said.

KP, who now calls himself a person who has 'purified' his 'poisoned' mind says: "Be a Sri Lankan rather than calling yourself a Sinhalese, Tamil or Muslim.

We belong to a united country and let's get together to bring a new peaceful era". Time to time he goes through a small note book, in which he had jotted down the important points which he wants to highlight.

Many know who KP is and his involvement in turning the LTTE into a ruthless terrorist outfit. But only a few know what exactly KP aspires now in his mid 50s and what the Tamils, whom he thought need a separate country, want today.

A father of a teenage girl and married to a Thai woman, he was introduced to Buddhism by his wife, who he says is now the happiest person as he is on the correct path. KP says he will sacrifice his life to fulfill his new dream - to see the children of the Wanni live happily and well.

Here is an exclusive discussion with him to feel his pulse at a time when the LTTE has been decimated.

Q: Though you seem to be a changed man, a section of the Tamil diaspora is still propagating separatism. How do you feel about them?

A: The Tamil diaspora can be divided into three segments - first, second and third generation diaspora. In the 1980s, the first generation diaspora brought the proposal of Eelam but Appapillai Amirthalingam (He was assassinated by the Tamil Tigers, later), the former Leader of the Opposition, rejected it saying it was not the right way to win the rights of the Tamils.

He said as the leader of the Tamil people he has to lead them in the correct path. He said he could not dance to the tune of those living abroad as they just demand a separate state.

Again the idea of Eelam was propped up by the Tamil diaspora when the LTTE was there and they were misled.

Now there is no concept called Eelam. Everyone has dreams. ( He laughs) but how many can realise their dreams. They remain as dreams. As human beings we have to accept our failures and with experience we have to adjust to the present. It is a good lesson and now in this united Sri Lanka we have to think anew.

I have adjusted my dream and now I am living in a new dream to give a better future to the younger generation of this country. I dreamt of serving my people as an Inspector in the police.

Now I dream again to serve my motherland and to set an example to the world as a country full of peace and development.

It is true, that we fought against each other at one time, but now it is time to show that we are working together to develop the country. Otherwise what are we going to offer to the future generation. I have visited over 50 countries and our country is way behind.

When I go to the Wanni I cry, questioning myself as to what mistake these people have done to be born in this land to suffer. What is the future for them. Half of the responsibility of giving these children and youth a good education, health and other facilities for them to boom, lies in the hands of politicians. They can't be misled this time around.

The Tamil diaspora belongs to the other half which is responsible to create a peaceful environment for them and they should not neglect them.

Q: You have travelled around the country and seen the situation in the North. Though you said the Tamil diaspora has a greater responsibility in the post-conflict era, their contribution is still not significant maybe due to lapses in conveying the true picture. How do you think you can get involved in this?

A: We have already arranged several trips to the North where the third generation Tamil Diaspora children were taken to see life there.

These children are living in the West but they are unaware of ground realities. They know they belong to Sri Lanka but have been brainwashed by pro-LTTE segments. These children were born and bred in different cultures and never visited Sri Lanka for a long time. The LTTE formed the Tamil Youth Organization (TYO) and brain-washed most of these youth. Now what we try to do is to bring them here to allow them to see the reality.

A daughter of a friend of mine came here and she cried when she saw the children in the North who have suffered immensely. She left the country with the determination that she wanted to help these innocent children.

A few weeks ago we took some diaspora families and they were also in tears when they saw the children yearning for love.

When these children referred to them as amma ( mother) and akka (sister) they cried.

More than 30,000 to 40,000 diaspora members will visit the North. They will then see the reality. Misinformation and the LTTE has poisoned them.

Q: Why didn't you have this same feeling before you were 'brought' to Sri Lanka?

A: People doubt me when I talk negatively about the LTTE now. But I am telling the truth. Some years ago I felt that the LTTE was not genuine. Three years ago when I was in Malaysia, I had spoken against poisoning the youth with separatism ideas. I told them that I was worried about how some Tamil groups were using their children abroad to achieve their own benefits.

Q: If you divide the Tamil diaspora, how many still support the LTTE cause?

A: Yes, the pro-LTTE Tamil Diaspora, are only 10 percent. They hang on to Eelam and paint a different picture for their own benefit. They are aware that the LTTE and Prabakaran are no more. They also know that they can't promote the Tamil Eelam concept as it is dead now, but revive Eelam issue. This is a survival game. They have money, media, political power and help in the West.

This ten percent is active, another 50 percent listen to their propaganda and the rest are groping in the dark as they don't have information about ground realities in the North.

Q: What is your role in this process where we need to enlighten them about reality?

A: As I have explained before we have organised several trips for the Tamil diaspora to witness the reality.

We have websites and newspapers in the West like the UK and Canada to publish success stories. Some are convinced and have conveyed their willingness to support us. About four to five diaspora persons contact me and visit monthly to join in our endeavour. They want to take part in the process. Only with their support we can run the projects well. The logistic support is provided by the Ministry of Defence.

Q: Don't you think the support from the Tamil diaspora is insufficient?

A: Yes. But during this three-year period we have done a lot to convince them. We have a dream and need a mega project for the welfare of the war-affected people. Though support is insufficient we have to commence work at some point. We have over 80,000 war affected widows, unemployed youth, poor education facilities and areas that need to be developed. The support coming to us is slow, but we are trying to tap them.

The organisation - North-East Rehabilitation and Development Organisation (NERDO), set up to look after the welfare of the people in the North and the East is just one-year-old. At the beginning many criticised us, but now they have understood our mission.

We are involved in several projects to help children, widows, displaced people, students, disabled, ex-LTTE cadres and all other people.

Our projects include building orphanages, vocational training centres, model farms, and many other projects. We invite well-wishers to help in these projects.

NERDO also provides counselling to people affected psychologically. The goal is to rehabilitate them to have a productive and harmonious life.

I think education is a paramount factor in rebuilding the North and East. We have given maximum concern to uplift education. My dream is to send every child to school and I want to see them come out as educated people.

Q: What is your comment about the development taking place in the North and East, which was given top priority by the government. According to your assessment what more is there to be done?

A: I appreciate the Government for developing the North and the East within these three-years. We have to encourage the Government to do more. Post conflict development is not easy and it takes time to regain. It also needs hard work and need the support of all segments.

Earlier it took three hours to reach Mullaitivu from Mankulam, but I am happy to say that today it takes only one and a half hours. There was no electricity, water and other infrastructure facilities last year, but today people are happy as they are in the door step to development. It is vital to have people-oriented programs to uplift their living standards.

I suggest to open special economic zones similar to China, where they give priority to industries unique to each area. I personally feel this is one of the best options to reduce unemployment in the North and the East.

The Government needs to have plans to stop Indian fishermen poaching in Sri Lankan waters. In Mullaitivu and Jaffna, fishermen have become unemployed as Indian fishermen intrude the waters. The sophisticated Indian trawlers over-harvest and it is a big problem now.

Unity among all communities is paramount for development.

Q: You said you are a changed man now. How do you define this change?

A: When I say I am a changed man, it comes from my heart. For the first time in my life I got a chance to meet Sinhala friends. I never had a chance to live with them.

When I was a student I came to the South, but at that time I had a negative picture about the Sinhalese.

When I heard that I was to be handed over to Defence Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa I thought he would end my life. But as soon as I met him I felt the warmth, friendliness and felt free and safe now that I am at home. When I was handed overs to a team to 'protect' me I had sleepless nights thinking that they would kill me at any given time.

But within a few days I began to call them 'Thambi' and they called me 'Anna'. It was sincere and came from the bottom of the hearts of both parties. They treated me like their older brother or like father. When I was sick they looked after me well.

This new encounter changed me for life. When I met wounded soldiers, ex-cadres and the Vanni people I felt so sorry and I blamed everyone who made us fight and made these innocent people suffer.

At the beginning I thought I was under house arrest and there was nothing that I could do to heal these souls. But I was determined that I should do some thing as I still love my country, its people and its beauty.

I gave this idea to the Defence Secretary that I wanted to start some humanitarian projects. He simply said 'go ahead'. Then I thought to myself that if the Government was suspicious of me and hated me they would say 'No', and all this caused a huge change in me.

I was ready to die for my motherland and now there is no change in this stance. No one influenced me to change and the process in which I am undergoing now helps me to 'purify' my thinking.

Q: The Indian Government has cautioned that LTTEers were trying to re-group. Can they make a comeback?

A: (Laughing) Eelam and the LTTE is over. It is a difficult task for them to re-group. Nature will not permit anyone to divide this country. Different kings ruled this country, but it remained as one for centuries.

If somebody tries to divide Sri Lanka, nature will punish them and they will be destroyed. Hardcore LTTEers and their sympathisers in the Tamil diaspora still boast of a comeback, they are surviving because of these slogans, issues and incidents. Tamils in this country can't be fooled any more as they know the LTTE is a defunct outfit now. What the Tamils want now is peace, happiness and the money to live in a united country.

Q: According to intelligence findings the recent drama in the Vavuniya prison found links with the West to destabilise peace.

A: These are small incidents created by some interested parties for their own survival. This doesn't mean that the LTTE can ever make a comeback. I am sad as they are still taking the lives of these innocent boys to task. They are not well educated and can be easily misled.

When someone goes through a legal process, they need to have patience. The Government is working on their release and even I tried to get them released but there are some obstacles. It takes time.

When I was under high security, I felt I needed freedom and wanted to go out soon. But again I questioned myself as to why I needed to rush. Later I realised I needed patience to overcome this.

Q: People think that you are one of the richest men as you had access to all the LTTE funds. Are you really?

A: (Laughs) Do you think I am a wealthy man? No. I am a simple man. These are all rumours. From 2002 I didn't have links with the LTTE until 2009 January. Everything was with the others and also with the inner circle who handled LTTE funds and assets. They knew where LTTE funds were. I never did mistakes and the LTTE hierarchy knew it well. I lived according to my principles and I did the tasks entrusted to me honestly. That was why the LTTE called me back, but it was too late!

-(Sunday Observer)-

About 1,473 petitioners, from Achchuveli, Palali, Jaffna yesterday applied to the Court of Appeal seeking permission to add to their writ application that the proposed acquisition of their land, in Palali was to be acquired by the State speedily. The petition said the State had decided to take over 6,813 acres, to construct a Defence Headquarters building in Palali.The petitioners requested the Court to restrain the respondent Minister of Lands and Land Development from going ahead with the proposed mala-fide acquisition.

India's National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) is all set to ink an agreement for the execution of the proposed 2 x 250 MW Sampur power project in Trincomalee in Sri Lanka by early next month, as the differences over operation and maintenance charges and issues relating to gross heat rate in the power purchase agreement have been sorted out. "NPTC is all set to take up the project in right earnest. We have deputed a senior official to be posted in Sri Lanka for the project. All issues have been resolved and we are hopeful that a formal agreement will be signed in the first or second week of June," a senior official, who refused to be identified, told The Hindu .

UNP MP Sajith Premadasa says his father gave one group in the LTTE weapons in order to try and create a split in the LTTE. Speaking to the BBC Sandeshiya, Sajith Premadas said that former President Ranasinghe Premadasa had given weapons to an LTTE click led by Mahattaya. "There were allegations my father gave weapons to the LTTE. What my father did was give weapons to an LTTE click he could trust. The LTTE click led by Mahattaya was given weapons to strengthen them and create an uprising against Prabhakaran within the LTTE," he said. Gopalaswamy Mahendraraja also known as Mahattaya was eventually reportedly killed for leaking secrets to India's RAW.

UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake today claimed that a ship carrying fuel designated for Sri Lanka is reportedly lost at sea and that he doesn't believe Petroleum Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa will be able to locate it. He stated that despite having a total of 9 oil storage tanks in Orugodawatta and Sapugaskanda, the CPC waits till all 9 tanks run dry to import crude oil again. Attanayake further said that the Sapugaskanda oil refinery solely depends on Iranian crude oil and the fact that crude oil for the country was only ordered from a ship which was in international waters is "startling." He stated that as a responsible government food and oil sufficient for the next 3 months should be kept in stocks, however due to the ruling government's "Eda Wela Tours" policy the people are facing grave hardship.

The strike against the increase of electricity tariff hike was launched today (21) with the participation of government and private sector trade unions. Several protests were conducted extending support for the strike. The protest organized by the university lecturers were held at Nugegoda Junction, while the employees of Sri Jayewardenepura General Hospital staged a protest in front of the hospital.

Crime branch officers in India on Sunday arrested a 35-year-old Sri Lankan, who was an operative of banned outfit Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), when he was attempting to catch a flight to Nairobi. Interestingly, the accused, an electronics engineer, initially told cops that he entered India by air, but after sustained interrogation, revealed that he took a boat from Sri Lanka and got off at the coast of Tamil Nadu. He ran out of luck as the Sri Lankan government issued an Interpol notice against him, due to which he was nabbed at Mumbai airport. The arrested person, identified as Theva Satesh Kumar, was born and brought up in Jafna in Sri Lanka, which has been an LTTE-dominated area.

Indian Minister V Narayanasamy today said that only the Congress party is "genuinely" interested in ensuring welfare of the Tamils in Sri Lanka while other political parties in Tamil Nadu were shedding "crocodile tears" on the issue. "It is indeed shocking that the political parties who have not done anything for welfare of the Sri Lankan Tamil refugees staying in Tamil Nadu are feigning to be their champions and making criticisms against Congress and the party-led UPA government at the Centre on the Tamils issue," he said. Both ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu and former Congress ally DMK have frequently expressed concern over attacks on fishermen from the state, allegedly by Sri Lankan Navy, besides flaying Centre for failing to put pressure on Colombo on the issue.

It is reported that BBS is planing to build a huge public opinion against the 13th Amendment. BBS did not make any official comment on their opinion on the 13th Amendment so far and is said to be making it officially at the tomorrow's media briefing. However, since the beginning, the group ironically opposed a devolution of power. BBC program coordinator Mr.Dilantha Withanage has expressed his views to the Asian Tribune web site recently by saying that the BBS is not supporting the 13th Amendment.

The US State Department says intolerance of, and discrimination against, Muslims by some Buddhists saw an increase in Sri Lanka last year. The International Religious Freedom Report for 2012 released by the US State Department on Monday, also said that last year, U.S. embassy officials conveyed U.S. government concerns about religious freedom, particularly attacks on churches, to government leaders and urged them to arrest and prosecute the perpetrators. The report which looks at religious freedom, or the lack of it in all countries for 2012, noted that in certain instances, local authorities in Si Lanka failed to respond effectively to communal attacks, including attacks on members of minority religious groups.

Voicing concern over attacks on Indian fishermen, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today asked the Centre to take urgent steps for the retrieval of Katchatheevu islet, ceded to Sri Lanka in 1974, besides redrawing the International Maritime Boundary Line. The 1974 Agreement signed between India and Sri Lanka had determined Katchatheevu as a part of Sri Lanka, and it was ceded by the Indian Government unilaterally without obtaining the approval of both Houses of Parliament for a constitutional amendment, she said in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. "The stand of the Tamil Nadu Government is that Katchatheevu has always been a part of India, geographically, culturally and historically and needs to be retrieved, keeping in view the livelihood interests and security of thousands of Indian fishermen," she said.

A group of Govt MPs have informed Minister Basil Rajapaksa that they are not going to support the 19th Constitutional amendment bill if it attempts to hinder the Provincial council powers or make any suggestions regarding the Executive Presidency. Govt sources say that under these circumstances the Govt has faced a problem of rallying a 2/3 majority in the Parliament as this has caused a 8 MP shortage. Lanka News web site reports that although the Govt had previously planned to call upon a Presidential election on March next year after bringing in the 19th Constitutional amendment, changing the Presidential election time period from 4 years to 3 years and changing its period of office from 6 years to 5 years, due to the lack of majority, it has faced trouble.

The eldest daughter of the former JVP leader, Rohana Wijeweera was arrested by the police after a complaint was filed against her by her mother, Police Spokesman SP Buddhika Siriwardena stated. Rohana Wijeweera has four daughters and a son while the arrested daughter was the eldest. She is due to be presented to courts for allegedly assaulting her mother, police further stated.

Articulating right demands and slogans in Genocide Remembrance events is crucial at a time when the Eezham Tamils in their homeland are barred from even silently mourning their heroes and civilians who sacrificed their lives in the culmination of the genocidal war at Mu"l"li-vaaykkaal, said a Tamil political activist from Jaffna commenting on the slogans used by protestors at the May 19 event at Marina beach in Chennai. Civil society activists, artists, political leaders and ordinary people had participated a mass gathering near the Kannagi statue in the honour of those Eezham Tamils who perished in Sri Lanka"s genocidal war despite dissuasion by the police. Speaking to TamilNet from the gathering, Umar, an activist from the May 17 criticized the failure of UN in preventing the genocide, stating that Sri Lanka must be hauled in the UNSC.

Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) leader Minister Douglas Devananda, an advocate of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution, yesterday said the delegation of land and police powers to the provincial councils should be held back for the time being when constituting to the Northern Provincial Council (NPC). In an interview with Daily Mirror, Minister Devananda said there appeared to be dissension in the south over the delegation of such powers to the Provincial Council (PC) and therefore, it should be held back till an understanding between the two major communities - Sinhalese and Tamils - was built up. "If there is no delegation of such powers when forming the Northern Provincial Council, the Tamil people will be concerned. Likewise, Sinhala people will be concerned if these powers are delegated. Therefore, it is advisable to hold it back for the moment until there is understanding," he said.

Respect for basic rights and liberties has declined in Sri Lanka in the four years since the government defeated the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). This week marks the fourth anniversary of the brutal civil war's end. Since the end of the 26-year-long civil war, the Sri Lankan government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa has resisted taking meaningful steps to investigate and prosecute alleged war crimes by government forces and the LTTE, end the crackdown against the independent media and human rights activists, and stop ongoing abuses against suspected LTTE supporters. Government pledges to address the concerns of the ethnic Tamil population have gone unfulfilled. "Four years after Sri Lanka's horrific civil war ended, many Sri Lankans await justice for the victims of abuses, news of the 'disappeared,' and respect for their basic rights," said Brad Adams, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. "Instead, the Rajapaksa government has rejected investigations, clamped down harder on the media, and persisted in wartime abuses such as torture."

Protests by the fishermen community and political parties have yielded result with the Sri Lankan government ordering the release of the 26 Karaikal fishermen on Monday. The fishermen who are in the custody of the Sri Lankan government will be released after being produced before the Lankan court, said Union Minister of State V Narayanasamy. "Orders for the release have been issued after the intervention of Union Minister for External Affairs Salman Khurshid, Indian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka and Sri Lankan Ministers of Tamil origin," Narayanasamy said. As the relations between India and Sri Lanka were not good due to agitations against Sri Lanka in Tamil Nadu, securing their release took lot of time,he added.

Former Colombo Deputy Mayor Azath Salley who shot to fame as a result of his arrest, today said President Mahinda Rajapaksa was the ideal person to bring about proper peace and reconciliation. Mr. Salley told a news conference that President Rajapaksa's own family comprised members of different religions and ethnic groups who lived peacefully. Therefore he said it would be easy for the President to establish peace in the country in the same way he had maintained peace among his own family members. The Former Deputy Mayor thanked the Ministers in the government, several countries and opposition politicians who played a role in securing his release from prison. He recalled that many had worked towards his release, although he was not even a member of a local authority.

Vanni district parliamentarian Sivasakthi Anandan has received a written order to report to Criminal Investigation Department (CID) regarding a function held at the Vavuniya Town Council Hall on May 18th to commemorate the war victims. Mano Ganeshan, the leader of People's Democratic Front has stated that by ordering Sivasakthi Anandan to report to CID the government has violate the public right to commemorate dead which is recommended in a report in the Presidential Commission. Speaking to 'BBC Sandeshaya' he has stated "the provisions in Learned Lessons and Reconciliation Committee (LLRC) report clearly indicates that the public must be provided with an opportunity to commemorate dead. However the government has not allowed it. The MP who was involved in the commemoration has been ordered to report to CID".

The Russian Federation has requested Sri Lanka's support to win the bid for hosting EXPO 2020, the Government Information Department reported. The Head of the Federal Agency for the Commonwealth of Independence States-Russia, Konstantin Kosachev when he met Sri Lanka's Prime Minister D.M.Jayarathna has emphasised how important the vote of Sri Lanka is for Russia to host EXPO 2020. Russia is competing for the votes of 162 countries along with Thailand, Turkey, Brazil and UAE. Kosachev has briefed the Sri Lankan PM that Russia expects to conduct this exhibition in Yekatennburg which links Asian and European countries and around twenty million people from foreign countries are expected to attend this exhibition. Kosachev has reiterated that it would help Sri Lanka to meet its goal of attracting 2.5 million tourists.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of Sri Lanka has commenced recording statements from the family members of people disappeared in the Matale area during the 1988-1989 insurrection of the Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP). The CID has so far recorded the statements from the families of 13 persons who had claimed that their loved ones were among those killed and buried in the Matale mass grave. The mass grave in Matale was unearthed at the Matale Hospital premises last November and 154 skeletal remains were exhumed from the grave. It is believed that the skeletal remains unearthed from the Matale mass grave were of insurgents from the JVP killed during the 1988-89 violence. Matale magistrate and additional district judge Chaturika de Silva earlier this month ordered the CID to record statements from the relatives of the missing persons.