Batticaloa LTTE reiterates stand

[TamilNet, Thursday, 04 March 2004, 09:32 GMT]
"We are functioning with commitment to our cause under the command of our national leader Veluppillai Pirapaharan and the guidance of commander Col. Karuna" a senior official of the LTTE in Batticaloa was quoted as saying in Thursday's edition of the Thamil Alai, a regional daily published from Kokkaddicholai, a large village controlled by the Tigers 15 kilometres southwest of Batticaloa town.

"We did not take any decision to leave the LTTE and operate separately", the official told Thamil Alai.

"Rumours of the LTTE breaking up have been spread systematicaly to cause panic and fear among the people", LTTE sources close to Col. Karuna told Thamil Alai.