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Karuna:
Rebels’ rebel
His involvement with the fighting cadres or the military wing has, however, been remained intense and he is better known as 'Colonel' Karuna within the movement. On Wednesday night, Karuna was in the spotlight with reports about a split in the LTTE and the military wing leader of the LTTE for Ampara and Batticaloa showing his dissent on how the LTTE conducted its affairs, particularly on the issue of how the cadres from the eastern province were treated. The LTTE's official organ 'Thamil Alai' (Tamil wave) published in Batticaloa strongly denied the reports about a split within the LTTE. So did the pro-LTTE Tamilnet, which quoted a spokesman for Karuna as denying the split. Hours later the issue was taken up by Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Chief Trond Furuhovde with LTTE Political Wing Leader S. P. Thamilselvan during an urgent meeting held at the LTTE Political Secretariat in Kilinochchi. Mr. Thamilselvan confirmed that there was a 'crisis', but said the problem was temporary and would be resolved soon. He said that the LTTE's central committee and leader Velupillai Prabhakaran were also taking up the matter. Though the dispute broke into the open on Wednesday, the North-East problem in the LTTE has been simmering for some time. One of the main issues concerns money. The LTTE leadership in Wanni has alleged that there were irregularities in the manner funds were used in the east and proper investigations were not being conducted. But 'Colonel Karuna', who claimed that some 6,000 cadres were with him, was focusing on other issues. He complained that the posts of 30 divisional heads were given to members from the North and eastern cadres were discriminated in other matters also. His main grievance was a request from Wanni for the Eastern Command to send some 1000 more cadres for "unspecified work" in the north. He said he saw no need for thousand cadres to go to the north in this peacetime and pointed out that they should be given an opportunity to relax with their families. He has also pointed out that in the event of war, the cadres were required to be deployed in the eastern province or otherwise be used to carry out development activities in the eastern province. The provision of motor vehicles and other resources for cadres in the north was another issue raised by Karuna. He also cited the disparity in the rehabilitation work carried out in the two provinces. In a separate pamphlet distributed by Eastern Province cadres loyal to Karuna, they set out the issues leading to what Mr. Thamilselvan described as the 'crisis'. Besides, his loyalists are backing his claim for better treatment for 'eastern province cadres'. The issue was clearly heading for a split between the northern and eastern cadres. The main point which the cadres in the east have been trying to make out is that Eastern Province cadres have made a bigger contribution than the cadres in the Northern Province during the 20-year-old war, but the cadres in the north have been given more prominence, promotion and foreign trips, the easterners complained. Karuna points out some 4,500 eastern cadres have been killed in action during the war. Differences between Northern and Eastern cadres have prevailed for years but the tight command structure of the LTTE on concentration on the war kept those differences in check. By Friday more information about the division emerged with 'Colonel' Karuna writing a letter to LTTE leader Prabhakaran that he was willing to come under his direct command, but he wanted to function as an independent group in the east. His letter first published in the LTTE newspaper 'Thamil Alai' and reproduced by the Tamilnet said: "Please let us function independently under your direct leadership. We are not leaving you. We are not opposed to you. I do not want to commit the historical mistake of not pointing out to you the aspirations of our people, disregarding their feelings and those of our fighters here. If you love the people here and if you trust the fighters here, please let us function independently and directly under your leadership. "In the current opportune situation, I want to do my duty by the people of Southern Thamil Eelam. It is my final goal that I should fight for these people and die at their feet. I do not want anyone to interfere in this. I want to function directly under you, avoiding the divisional heads of Thamil Eelam." The militant who has been looking for prominence among his cadres in the east suggests that a separate administrative structure should be set up in Batticaloa, similar to other structures or units within the LTTE. The letter was an indication that 'Colonel' Karuna's differences were not directly with Prabhakaran, but mainly with the other senior members. One of the rivals has been 'Pottu Amman' whom 'Colonel Karuna's group has blamed for hijacking vehicles and being involved in killings. Among the other issues brought up by Karuna's group is that cadres in the north were being given an opportunity to visit their friends and relations and some of them have been given the opportunity to travel abroad, while cadres in the east have not been given such opportunities. Where
bullets kill ballots The LTTE has issued strict warnings to businessman, vehicle owners and printing presses not to get involved in helping the campaigns of political parties other than the TNA, prompting non-TNA candidates and their supporters to remain indoors. In Mannar early this week, a van was burnt down by the LTTE after its owner allegedly failed to heed the LTTE warning that he should not lend his vehicle to the EPDP. In an apparent warning that he would have to pay with his life, if he continued to defy LTTE orders, the attackers had left behind a fishermen's knife. But what took place this week in the east confirms that the LTTE is serious about its warning. Sinnathamby Sundarampillai, a 66-year-old UNP candidate, was shot dead on Monday followed by the killing of an EPDP activist. The gunmen who called over at Sundarampillai's residence late Saturday night first held him at gunpoint. Then they told him why he was to be punished. "You have defied the LTTE's order not to contest the election and we are going to shoot you on the hand that signed the nomination paper." Then they shot him on the hand and left the scene. As the news of the shooting incident spread, journalists hurried to Batticaloa hospital where Mr. Sundarampillai was being treated. The wounded candidate spoke to two television stations, criticising the LTTE and claiming he could identify the attackers. The interviews were broadcast on Sunday night and the following day a gunman who posed off as a visitor entered the hospital and shot him dead. The candidate had earlier declined police protection, saying that it would invite the wrath of the LTTE on him. As a subsequent development four Tamil UNP candidates from the Batticaloa withdrew from the contest while other candidates contesting from the North and East expressed concern about their security during a meeting with UNP Chairman Malik Samarawickrama on Friday. On Thursday, Thurairaja Lal, an EPDP candidate for the Ampara district, was wounded in a grenade attack while his vehicle was badly damaged. The EPDP has sought and obtained police protection for its candidates but party sources said the police protection was inadequate to carry out an effective campaign. In the north, LTTE cadres are openly seen involved in the campaigns with TNA candidates while other parties have been forced to remain indoors.
Tigers set the guideline Attending a meeting conveyed by the Advisory Council on Combating Crime, Mr. Thavarajah explained the disturbing situation in the East. "In the east, it is the LTTE which sets out guidelines for elections and candidates," the EPDP member said, expressing doubts about the holding of a free and fair poll in the east. .
LTTE courts, police in disarray A pro-rebel website, Eelamnation.com, said an unspecified number of "prisoners" held by the LTTE's Batticaloa "police" escaped as the rebels halted civil administration work after the split was revealed Wednesday. |
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