UK takes up with Lanka issue of Karuna's passport

The British government has taken up with Sri Lanka the issue of LTTE breakaway faction leader V Muralitharan, better known as "Colonel" Karuna, obtaining a forged diplomatic passport to travel to the UK before he was arrested here last month.

Karuna, now facing allegations of war crimes, was arrested last month for entering Britain illegally using a "diplomatic" passport that reportedly described him as the "Director-General of Wildlife Conservation". He had claimed that he had come to attend a climate change conference.

The Sri Lankan mission here denied reports that High Commissioner Kshenuka Senewiratne was "called" to the UK Foreign Office to explain how Karuna got his passport but said the issue did come up at a routine meeting on December 17.

The British Foreign Office today said "the issue was raised at a meeting on December 17. We expressed our concern about how Karuna was able to obtain a diplomatic passport."

The Sri Lankan High Commission denied any knowledge of how Karuna obtained a false diplomatic passport.

"The Sri Lankan government is unaware of any diplomatic passport to Karuna or any application for a visa to enter the UK," a spokesman said, adding the rebels were "known for forging passports."

The British government has been concerned about Colombo's alleged backing for Karuna, who broke away from the LTTE three years ago to form his own group, Tameleela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), and is now engaged in fighting the LTTE amid allegations of recruiting child soldiers, many of whom have been reportedly killed.

But, according to Government of Sri Lanka in its official news service, “the Crown Prosecution Service of Britain is looking to charge the controversial former LTTE leader, Karuna Amman of war crimes, torture and hostage-taking, it is reported.”

“Karuna Amman, whose defection was the biggest split that the LTTE has suffered, was arrested in Britain last month on suspicion of immigration offences. He led the LTTE in the East until March 2003, when he left the terrorist organization and formed his own group, the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP). The TMVP has since split with Pilliyan taking over the leadership after Karuna left the island,” it’s added.

Sources claimed that a section of British intelligence agreed to grant visa to Karuna if he presented a Sri Lankan passport with fictitious name.

After this, the passport was allegedly presented to the British High Commission in Colombo and an entry visa to Britain was stamped on the passport to enable Karuna to enter the UK to join his wife and three children, who live in a posh suburb of Kensington.

The sources said the other British intelligence group, which was responsible in moving for the arrest of Karuna in London, was not aware of the agreement and inadvertently arrested him.

Once he was arrested and the information about it made public, British authorities were finding it difficult to withdraw the arrest and allow Karuna to return back to Colombo.

Now even deporting him would be controversial as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and The Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers have all been urging British authorities to prosecute Karuna for war crimes and crimes against humanity.