Why does Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam— leader of the Tamil National People’s Front (TNPF) and General Secretary of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress—choose to focus on ‘genocide’ and ‘ethnic cleansing,’ but not address ‘war crimes’?” asked senior ITAK figure and Sumanthiran’s close confidant, Advocate Kesavan Sajanthan.
In a televised debate featuring TNPF’s S. Kajendren and Sajanthan himself, the latter offered one possible explanation. He pointed out that during the final phase of Sri Lanka’s civil war, several senior officials from the LTTE’s political and peace secretariat— including Nadesan and Pulidevan— surrendered while carrying white flags.
Despite this, they were reportedly executed by the Sri Lankan Army.
According to Sajanthan, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam is believed to have played a mediatory role during these surrender negotiations. He reportedly urged LTTE leaders to surrender at a designated time and place, carrying white flags, as part of an understanding reached between the LTTE and the Mahinda Rajapaksa government.
“War crimes don’t refer only to violations committed against civilians,” Sajanthan stated. “They also include how the military treated the opposing side during the war—especially those who surrendered. The treatment of LTTE cadres who came forward with white flags falls squarely within the scope of war crimes. Even if someone is a combatant, once they surrender, they must not be treated inhumanely or in violation of international humanitarian law.”
He went on to argue that Gajendrakumar’s role in the white flag incident places him in a morally and legally significant position.
“If there were a serious investigation into war crimes—particularly one focusing on what happened to those who surrendered—he would be a key witness. But to this day, he has remained silent. That’s why he will never support a genuine investigation into war crimes. Because such an inquiry would compel him to reveal what really happened during that time.”
Sajanthan continued: “A credible investigation into the white flag incident would raise critical questions: What exactly happened in those final hours? What was Gajendrakumar’s role? Why has he remained silent until now? These are questions he would be obligated to answer. That’s why he avoids the war crimes discourse and instead shifts focus to the broader—and less personally implicating—narrative of genocide.”
The so-called “white flag” incident has been the subject of international attention for years, including in UN expert reports and investigative journalism such as Channel 4’s 2011 documentary Sri Lanka’s Killing Fields, which spotlighted alleged extrajudicial executions of surrendering LTTE members.
Political observers argue that rather than sidestepping these allegations or engaging in deflection, Gajendrakumar must come forward with a transparent explanation. Did he genuinely play a part in encouraging LTTE leaders to surrender in hopes of protecting them? Was he misled by Sri Lankan state actors? What communication took place between him and the LTTE leadership at the time?
If he continues to conceal the truth, critics warn, his moral authority to accuse other political leaders of complicity, deception, or betrayal will be seriously undermined.
As of publication, Gajendrakumar Ponnambalam has not publicly responded to these allegations.
