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Confusing Reports on Col. Pathuman's status.
Special Correspondent for The Lanka Academic,
March 9.
There are conflicting reports on Col. Pathuman's status within the LTTE
organization. Col. Pathuman was the military head of for the Trincomalee
District until the recent upheaval brought about by Col. Karuna’s defection from the LTTE.
In an interview with the BBC's Tamil Service on Sunday, Col. Karuna is reported to have stated that Pathuman had gone to Kilinochchi to discuss Karuna's complaints
with the LTTE leadership in Wanni, and expressed his belief that Pathuman
may have been placed under arrest.
On Monday, in a hastily arranged news conference in Kilinochchi, LTTE leadership
presented Pathuman who disputed Karuna's suggestions that he may be
under house arrest in Kilinochchi. However keen observers of the press conference were quick to point out the fact that Pathuman, a military head in the
LTTE, was not in military uniform while the other military leaders were all wearing uniform.
On monday, LTTE sources in Kilinochchi said that Col. Pathuman is
no longer the Trincomalee military head, but refused to offer explanations for his change of status.The LTTE sources in Kilinochchi admitted that Col. Pathuman was viewed as a
"sympathetic person" to Col. Karuna
Meanwhile, our sources indicate that Col. Sornam took over the position of the military head for the
Trincomalee district, replacing Pathuman. Sornam hails from the same town as
Pirbakaran, -Valvettithurai in the northern Jaffna district.
LTTE's hastily arranged news conference to present Pathuman, after Karuna's
comments aired on the BBC, suggests LTTE's growing concern over the turn of
events in the east. Pathuman's current status within the LTTE remains unclear.
Published: Mon Mar 8 23:10:45 EST 2004
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