Last week saw terrorist-turned politician Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan-better known as Karuna - take centre stage and bask in the glow of the political limelight. Weeks after being sworn in as a Member of Parliament, he was the star attraction at a meeting President Mahinda Rajapaksa had with the media and a day later, he was still making waves meeting Jathika Nidahas Peramuna stalwart Wimal Weerawansa.

As ‘Commander’ of the Eastern Province for the LTTE in the Nineties, Karuna is implicated in many atrocities committed against the Armed Forces and civilians in the region. Significantly though - and unlike Prabhakaran - he has not been charged with any offences in this country and thus there is no obstacle for him to enter the legislature.

Karuna’s only brush with the law was with authorities in the United Kingdom where he was charged, convicted and imprisoned in November 2007, for travelling with a forged passport which he claimed in court was supplied to him by Sri Lankan authorities. The incident caused embarrassment to all concerned but, the Supreme Court held recently that this conviction was no bar to Karuna’s entry to Parliament in Sri Lanka.

So, the transformation from terrorist to traditional politician is almost complete for Karuna. It has indeed been a long haul for the man who joined the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) twenty five years ago as a teenager and was once among Tiger Chief Velupillai Prabhakaran’s most trusted lieutenants.

What is more fascinating though is Karuna’s new role: he is now a de facto spokesman for the government. In the media briefing with President Rajapaksa, he was waxing eloquent on how he and other Tiger cadres benefited from rations supplied by the Sri Lankan Government and that Prabhakaran would never agree to a peaceful resolution of Sri Lanka’s conflict.
It is a remarkable metamorphosis indeed and perhaps unparalleled in this country. It is also a body blow to the LTTE which will now have to face the galling prospect of one of its former chieftains carrying out propaganda for its arch enemy, the Sri Lankan Government, on a regular basis. Last week, we suspect, is the first of many episodes to come.

There will always be those who argue that Karuna’s ‘liberation’ from the clutches of the LTTE was a direct consequence of the ceasefire brokered between the United National Front (UNF) government and the Tigers and there is some justification in this hypothesis. But, the quirks of politics are such, that the UNF regime which engineered the ceasefire is no more and the Rajapaksa government, which virulently vilified the truce, is now reaping the benefits of Karuna’s entry to mainstream politics.

The question now is not who engineered Karuna’s volte face or who should get credit - if that is what is due - for the fascinating makeover. The real question should be what happens next in the political life of this controversial but crucial figure?
The transformation of anyone from the path of violence to a democratic way of life must always be welcomed and so it must be with Karuna, even though his credentials as a peace loving man will always be questioned, given his past record. Nevertheless, it is an encouraging first step and a move that will be watched with more interest in the months to come, not only by the government and the collective opposition but by the world at large as well.

What was really striking though was Karuna’s pronouncement that he did not yearn for police powers at present. Speaking very much like the politician he has re-incarnated himself into, he said this was because the Eastern Province administration needed to win the goodwill and confidence of the majority community, before asking for more. And, as the icing on the cake he has offered to remove the ‘Tiger’ tag from his party, the Tamileela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP)!
But, for Karuna to really eschew violence and earn for himself the respect of civilised society in this country, this posturing is not sufficient. His words must match his deeds and the TMVP - or whatever else he chooses to call his political party - must renounce arms forthwith.

The TMVP had allegations of forcibly recruiting child soldiers hurled at it. During the recent Eastern Provincial Council elections, they were also accused of brandishing their weaponry to intimidate voters, thereby preventing a fair poll. These charges have not been convincingly rebutted either.

Often, political parties in Sri Lanka have been polluted by the practice of resorting to arms. The JVP did it in the south of the country, not once but twice, and are still paying for their misdeeds. However, it is not often that an armed group has transformed itself into a political outfit. For that, Karuna deserves every word of praise that he gets.
But it is now up to him to re-invent himself, so he could be remembered as Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan, the Member of Parliament - and perhaps, Minister in time to come!- rather than Karuna Amman, the Tiger terrorist who controlled the East when hundreds of policemen were mercilessly massacred.
Clearly, Karuna has many miles to go and more promises to keep.

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