News

The Tamil People’s Liberation Front or the Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) the political arm of the Karuna faction opened its first political office in Colombo on Wednesday at Schofield Place, Kollupitiya.

The office which was opened amid tight security is causing much inconvenience and fear among the residents and business establishments in the neighbourhood.

An uneasy atmosphere prevails in the area with the residents who have been living there in relative peace for years suddenly are being haunted by visions of bomb blasts and violence.

Some of the residents, who wished to remain anonymous due to safety reasons, spoke to The Sunday Times and shared their fears and concerns on the establishment of the office.

“We have no objection to the Karuna faction entering mainstream politics or establishing an office in Colombo. But what we object to or are unhappy about is the setting up of the Karuna office in a residential area especially at a time when the situation in the country is so volatile and knowing very well the animosity between the LTTE and the Karuna faction,” one of the residents said.

Schofield Place is not only highly residential but is also home for many business establishments. Among the residents there are families with small children, the elderly and the ailing but with a ban on parking most of those who reside or work in the area are highly inconvenienced.

“Now we are unable to park our own vehicles in front of our residences, and this has affected us badly and ruined our privacy because of the random checking that goes on all the time. Supposing an ambulance arrives to transport a sick person it will have to be checked first before it comes for the patient,” another resident said.

According to residents the police who are guarding the office visit the houses for checking the residents and any visitors; this is a nuisance and an annoyance which they are now compelled to put up with.

“We were informed that this was going to be the residence of a Minister, or an NGO office but we were all taken by surprise when the TMVP office was suddenly opened last Wednesday,” a resident said.

Since the setting up of the Karuna office, the Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims who have been living there peacefully and in communal harmony now live in constant fear of violence that might crop up at any time.

“There is no freedom for us. It is as if Schofield Place a peaceful residential area has suddenly turned into a security zone. The government should give priority to those living in the area when providing protection to the offices of political parties,” another resident complained.

The common view of the residents of Schofield Place is to ask the government to shift the office to a safer locality in the high security zone in Colombo.

They said they don’t want war at their door step.

“We fear it could visit us at any moment,” one of them said.