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SLMM Trying To Create a War In The East- Karuna's LTTE
Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo,
SLT 7.30 A.M Thursday 25 March.
Varathan, Spokesman for LTTE's Rebel Eastern Commander Col, Karuna says that
the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) is trying to create a war situation
in the East by helping northern cadres to move to the east. Varathan said
after the SLMM helped northern cadres to move towards the east they were
seen in Virugal, south of Trincomalee, with weapons. Varathan said, " SLMM
was brought here to maintain peace and help to maintain peace. Not to create
conflicts. By doing this, the SLMM is trying to create a war in the east.
But, we are ready to face any challenge."
There has been a high concentration of northern cadres in the area during
the last week. Eastern sources say that Prabhakaran is strengthening his
forces for a possible attack on Karuna and his eastern cadres. The MOU
signed between the government and the LTTE does allow the escort of cadres
to LTTE controlled areas.
Varathan also said that a Dr. Thiruchelvam Dean of the Agriculture faculty
of the Eastern University had been shot and killed in Batticaloa. Varathan
pointed out that Dr. Thiruchelvam was loyal to Col Karuna and on several
times spoken on his behalf. " The eastern university is closed now
Thiruchelvam said it should be opened. Some people from the North did not
like that. He was also tipped to be the Vice Chancellor of the eastern
university and this is another case of how the northern cadres have
prevented a easterner from getting that position, just by killing him.
Without mentioning the name of Prabhakaran's LTTE Varathan said " This
killing has been done clearly by the other party and we have no doubt about
it."
Published: Wed Mar 24 20:28:01 EST 2004
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LTTE Pistol Group All Out to Kill Me- Devananda
Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo,
SLT 7.00 A.M Thursday 25 March.
EPDP leader Douglas Devananda says that his life is under severe threat by
LTTE's pistol groups roaming in Jaffna. Devananda who is campaigning in
Jaffna said " I have always been under threat and I cannot move freely to
conduct my election campaign here. Most of my supporters canvass on my
behalf that too under threat. Most people cannot even come and see me and
they try to speak to me over the phone and some come and visit me in the
nights and discuss their problems"
Devananda said EPDP and other parties are finding extremely difficult to
conduct their election campaign in face of LTTE's threats. He said that LTTE
has ordered the vehicle owners, loudspeaker owners and trishaw owners not to
give them on hire to the EPDP and threatened people not to visit the EPDP
office. He added that a trishaw driver had refused to bring even two foreign
monitors to the EPDP office due to fear of the LTTE. " LTTE threatens people
saying that if they refuse to vote for LTTE/TNA they will close the A9 road
and then go to war. They tell the people that they are in a position to
find out if they have voted or not for the LTTE/TNA. People in the Wanni
will be forced to vote for the LTTE/TNA. The LTTE has already begun to
collect polling cards of the dead, displaced and the supporters of the EPDP
and others," added Devananda.
The EPDP leader said the LTTE is intimidating the people and other political
parties contesting in Jaffna because their sole representative status has
been shattered by their eastern commander Karuna. The EPDP leader called for
the presence of more foreign and southern monitors in the North. He said
People selected from the north to monitor elections will be intimidated by
the LTTE and they will be scared to talk. We request more foreign and
southern monitors to be sent here to ensure a fair and a free poll."
Published: Wed Mar 24 20:14:07 EST 2004
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LTTE rebel Leader Karuna extends support to UNP
Alladin Hussein in Colombo,
March 24, 2004, 8.43 pm.
The United National Party (UNP) today announced that LTTE renegade Leader Karuna Amman has decided to support the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) at the forthcoming General Elections. According to the UNP’s Official Website, Karuna reportedly told a group of intellectuals that he has decided to support Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's UNP, which was why he was supporting TNA.
However Karuna’s support comes with conditions, and that is if the UNP is elected to power, the party should make all efforts to develop the Eastern Province. Karuna's latest move came as a surprise to the United Peoples' Freedom Alliance (UPFA) that countered on his support to weaken the TNA in the north and east, the UNP website claimed.
“Karuna has also told the group that he cannot afford to ‘fight' with both the LTTE in the north and the government at the same time”, it said. The Tamil National Alliance which secured 15 parliamentary seats at the last general election in 2001 has pledged to support Wickremesinghe’s UNP ‘unconditionally’ at the elections.
Karuna was reported earlier to be planning to block all TNA votes from the east owing to his anger with the LTTE hierarchy in the North, the UNP claimed.
Published: Wed Mar 24 09:46:18 EST 2004
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