Devananda, Sangaree to lobby against LTTE in S. Africa

SOUTH AFRICA: Two Sri Lankan Tamil leaders, Minister for Social Services and Social Welfare, Douglas Devananda who is also the leader of the Eelam Peoples Democratic Party (EPDP) and Leader of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) V. Anandasangaree, are currently touring S. Africa on the invitation of the S. African government.

This is the first time that two prominent Tamil political leaders from Sri Lanka on a state visit to South Africa. The two Tamil leaders are expected meet a cross-section of the Tamils of Indian origin living in South Africa.

Nearly 2 % of the population is people of Indian origin, mainly Tamils, out of the total population of 44 million.

When Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa and South Africa President Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki met at the Non-Aligned Summit Conference held on Havana in September 2006, both agreed that a Sri Lankan delegation consisting of Tamil leaders must visit South Africa to explain the present political situation in Sri Lanka.

As a result, the South African Government invited Minister Douglas Devananda and veteran politician V. Anandasangaree to South Africa on a week-long official visit.

These two leaders are expected to lobby against the LTTE's anti-Tamil activities and expose the covert activities of the separatist outfit led by Velupillai Prabakaran, who runs a one-man regime in the Vanni.

Minister Devananda is expected to meet President Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki and deliver a special letter addressed to South African President by Sri Lanka's President. It is also learnt that Minister Devananda will formerly extend the invitation on behalf of Government Sri Lanka to South African President to Visit Sri Lanka.

Minister Devananda and Anandasangaree are also expected to meet Deputy President Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, Foreign Minister Dr. NC Dlami Zuma, Minister for Social Development Dr ZST Skweyiya, other Government leaders and leaders of the political parties in South Africa.

They are also expected to meet Nobel laureates Dr. Nelson Mandela and Rev. Dr. Desmond Tutu and brief them of the country's situation and convey the greetings and wishes of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the people of Sri Lanka.

Fearing that their presence would affect the Tamil Tiger interests in S. Africa they have dispatched M. Kanakenthiran (nom de guerre Eelaventhan), a known anti-Indian activist, to counter the influence of these two Tamil leaders. Kanakenthiran has been deported from India for his clandestine anti-India activities.

India's Union Home Ministry of India deported Eelaventhan on 04 December 2000. Indian deportation was based on his links with the LTTE - a banned organization responsible for killing India's Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

He was also suspected of having close links with Prabhakaran, LTTE Leaders, and Pakistan's Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence ISI. Reports reveal that Eelaventhan is involved preparing posters, pamphlets against the two Tamil leaders.

The Sri Lanka Embassy in South Africa has shown serious concern over the activities of Eelaventhan for his mischievous campaigns, promoting and glorifying terrorism in a peace loving South Africa.

Asian Tribune