The Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP), currently headed by Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna, has asked the government to enroll 1,000 armed cadres to the Police and armed forces, a party spokesman said yesterday.
TMVP spokesperson Azad Moulana said they had made representations in this regard to the Defence Ministry and were waiting for a favourable response.
At least 1,500 TMVP cadres -- formerly armed militants -- were now going through a rehabilitation process with the coordination of the state, various NGOs and other groups to make them ready for duties in the state security forces, he said.
“The TMVP will be satisfied if the cadres are first recruited into the Civil Defence Force or (Grama Arakshayas) since it will provide them an opportunity to begin work at the village level. This experience could help them later on if they are taken in to the police or other security force services,” Mr. Moulana said.
He said another batch of TMVP cadres would be heading for South Korea shortly to take up employment once the rehabilitation process was completed.
Civil Defence Force Commandant Sarath Weerasekera said he was aware of a move to recruit TMVP cadres but a final decision would be taken by defence authorities.
“As of now I have not received any orders to that effect” Rear Admiral Weerasekera said.
He said the CDF was ready to take TMVP cadres as they had now shunned the separatist cause and were helping the Government in its fight against the LTTE.
“Naturally they are now terrorist targets and we should look into their welfare as well,” the commandant said. Military spokesman Udaya Nannayakara said any Sri Lankan, TMVP or otherwise, was always welcome to the security forces, provided he or she met the required standards such as education, fitness and so on.
He said defence authorities were, however, yet to take any decision on recruiting TMVP cadres.s. |
E-mail