Conjectured Links Between Pakistan And The LTTE Run From The Sublime To The Ridiculous.

Insight by Sunil Kumara for LankaWeb
Jan.4th 2007

There re too many "what ifs", maybe's, whys, whereforers and perhapses to lend any great credibility to this item presented by Indian news Journalist M.Rama Rao. Here are the reasons why! The very essence of this news item written by one who is considered a satirist beyond being dubious whose sense of news reporting often goes from the sublime to the ridiculous at best in the international news media over how he concocts bits an pieces of information to put together what seems a juicy story to some readers in order to make it worthwhile reading has done it again!

M.Rama Rao a notorious rabble rouser on the many sensitive issues between India and Pakistan has chosen to document with hardly any credible evidence beyond hearsay and conjecture to support it>He has had the affront to speak out as though it was gospel on a very sensitive issue linking Pakistan to the LTTE Terrorists which the world should interpret as blatant innuendo, mythical and perhaps a figment of the writer's imagination with very little credible evidence.

The very caption of his recent document from Madhya Pradesh in the Journal ~ Central Chronicle which is an Indian publication which says "Pakistan makes a killing in arms supplies to desperate Sri Lanka" says it all. While there is absolutely no need for Pakistan to make a killing in being supportive of Sri Lanka's war against terrorism which is a Global Issue, neither is Sri Lanka that desperate for weapons with many global suppliers other than India ever ready to meet the requirement at short notice where it is obviously being hinted that Sri Lanka by virtue of India's hesitancy to support Sri Lanka militarily on the current issue of terrorism seems desperate and totally inaccurate.

To further moot the issue that the terms' killing' and 'desperation' have been taken out of context by the writer, not only has there been a long standing co-operation by Pakistan toward's Sri Lanka's terrorist issue relating to the LTTE, openly unlike India who hedges on the issue with a reluctance to displease her Tamil Nadu terrorist sympathisers, there is also that open ended congeniality between the two Nations which has existed for generations where Pakistan has made no bones about her willingness to aid Sri Lanka at any time of distress and for anyone to make an accusation that Pakistan has links to the LTTE even if it relates in some degree to Indo Pakistan hostilities, seems totally out of whack where Rao probably needs psychiatric evaluation!

For Pakistan to be as duplicitous as to have close ties with Sri Lanka while also maintaining a clandestine connection with the LTTE sound ludicrous and a load of rubbish where India would be the more likely candidate for such an accusation having done it in the past. It is a well known fact that India was indeed in collaboration and helping the LTTE cause until the late Hon.Rajive Gandi former Prime Minister of India was assassinated by the LTTE. Perhaps Rao should put his money where his mouth is on this issue or keep it closed rather than attract humorous international attention to his daydreaming!

The statistics relative to the finances of Sri Lanka's Arms Procurement Plan as well as the monies said to be invested and returns expected by Pakistan seem grossly distorted being classified information which both the Governments of Sri Lanka as well as Pakistan would hardlty reveal to a fairy tale writer such as Rao for obvious reasons so where did he get his facts and figures one might ask if he is not someone at the higher echelon of any defense strategy to whome accurate intelligence would be passed on notwithstanding India's ineligibility to this privilege in these particular circumstances!!

One ponders upon the real need and urgency if it is not beyond being mere conjecturial propaganda for the source he favours at best to flavour the content of this document and must certainly leave the President of Sri Lanka, the leaders of the SL armed forces and the Sri Lankan Nation collectively apalled that such fabrications as these so blatantly created by this reprobate of a journalist who always seems to dabble in topics beyond his scope are broadcast in a climate where the realities seem to be easily distinguishable from the innuendos and lies yet sensitive enough to raise wanton eyebrows!

The topic of Geo-Politics as Pakistan's motive is an age old theme drawing cross references to the Indo - Pakistani hostilities which go back to the time of separation and the formation of the two great nations of India and Pakistan where the hostilities based on religion and ethnic divide have sadly prevailed over human compassion and the need to integrate. Perhaps Mr.Rao should take up the cause rather than attempting to create further rifts between the two great nations at a time when many conciliatory moves are being made by India and Pakistan to resolve many differences and using Sri Lanka as the pawn in a deadly game of chess he has chosen to initiate which could also have dire repercussions to his credibility as a Journalist!

Ref: Pakistan makes a killing in arms supplies to desperate Sri Lanka

Thu, 2006-12-28 14:30
By M Rama Rao - Syndicate Features
Neither President Rajapakse of Sri Lanka nor any of his military advisors will be amused to read this story. And the story has all the ingredients of a masala film Bollywood is known to produce with unfailing regularity only to bomb at the box office.
Only in this case, the bombs procured at high cost are falling, to borrow the analogy one expert prefers, like stones from mid air on the targets. The electronic fuses are faring no different. At least 200 of the 500 electronic fuses failed to ignite and the supplier had to reluctantly ferry back home the whole consignment and provide replenishment through a chartered A-32 transport plane, going by what is being said in low whispers. "God only knows if the specially flown material will work", rues a Lankan source.
Like in most defence deals in the sub-continent, the Sri Lankan government’s arms purchases have a kick back angle. It is said that defence suppliers, agents and their points’ men are laughing all the way to their banks in safe tax havens. The whole exercise of shopping for military hardware and spares is slowly emerging as an embarrassment to Colombo. If one goes by a version in circulation, the dummy heavy ammunition is no match to the powerful and precision oriented small arms in the Tigers’ armoury.
Now some specifics as are available at present.
Colombo’s shopping list right now is General purpose bombs (MK-80 series), fuses (AB-103, AB-100, AB-100 variety), cluster bombs like 250 Kg pre-fragmented, fuel air bombs, deep penetration bombs, Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), ammunition for tanks, small arms and its ammunition. This order is worth $ 30 million. Some of these items will be up for repeat orders.
Sri Lanka is also looking for ‘refitted’ tanks (22 Al Zarar) besides armoured vehicles and jeeps. The order for tanks alone is valued at 80 million dollars.
Sri Lanka’s defence market potential is estimated at over $100 million. It is expected to be more than double in about another year and take it to the $250 million bracket. Such a market potential from a single country is lucrative enough for market hungry new arms sellers to become hyper active.
And this is what Pakistan did since Sri Lanka buys are more than the value of total Pak defence exports in a year, which is at present pegged at $ 200 million. Defence trade sources say, Islamabad is going the extra mile to help Colombo by sourcing the supplies from Ukraine and a few other Central Asian Republics.
For instance spares' supplies of $6.9 million made to Lanka in the last few weeks were said to have been actually sourced by Heavy Industries Taxila (HIT-Pakistan) from Ukraine. Pakistan is making a huge profit even after paying heavy kick backs and hefty agent commissions. Profit in the HIT deal was a cool $ 3 million.
Why Colombo itself did not go directly shopping to Kiev is unclear. Sri Lankan officials claim they had scouted around the world but very few were willing to supply what they urgently need. Lankan armed forces are also accused of giving a go-by to human rights in their long drawn operations against the LTTE.
Knowledgeable sources opine that these arms deals with Pakistan are proving to be a costly embarrassment to Colombo. Cluster bombs have turned out to be duds while 200 of the 500 electronic fuses have been defective and hence of no use. Several others are either of substandard quality or second hand items.
According to a report the situation turned grim at the air headquarters when it was noticed that the bombed dropped by Air Force fell like stones in the targeted LTTE area. Pakistan reluctantly provided replacements for the entire lot of fuses. Says a local version, Pakistani supplies are actually killing the troops more than the LTTE. The dummy heavy ammunition is no match to the powerful and precision oriented small arms in the Tigers’ armoury.
Hefty Kick Backs
Sources familiar with dealings aver that Pakistan defence companies have paid kick backs worth $ 5 million. More bribe money, estimated to be around $ 20 million has been promised on the latest orders. While there is no clear picture as to who are the recipients, informed sources said the ‘grease’ money was deposited in bank accounts in tax havens like St Kitts.
Sources in Colombo and elsewhere say Pakistan companies have paid 20-25 per cent of the listed price as upfront commissions to their local agents, who, in turn parted with 15-20 per cent of the money as bribes to their contacts. Some of the sleaze money actually flows back to Pak officials, according to one version, which is difficult to cross check anyhow.
The obvious question is why Pakistan is interested in Sri Lanka, which is traditionally India’s backyard. The answer is to be found in geo-politics. Then of course is the kick of exploiting India’s fears of getting drawn into Sri Lanka’s ethnic war and making a killing. One IPKF foray was a life time experience for India. More over, Tamil Nadu politics don’t leave any scope for New Delhi to come to the aid of Colombo in military terms.
It is true Pakistan is itself facing a spares crunch but it is no big deal when compared to the opportunities Sri Lanka foray has thrown up. That Pakistan is playing double game by helping the LTTE Tigers is a different geo-political game.