STF atrocities intended to scuttle peace – Karuna

[TamilNet, Saturday, 12 October 2002, 11:16 GMT]
“The peace talks in Thailand have created confidence among our fighters and our people. In this context, the actions of the STF are aimed at scuttling the peace talks. Our people have faith in future negotiations. But the STF’s atrocities are sowing doubts and confusion in their minds. However, we are observing the ceasefire with vigilance according to the instructions of our national leader,” Col. Karuna, senior commander of the Liberation Tigers in charge of the Batticaloa Ampara districts, told Maj. Gen. (ret) Trond Furhovde, the head of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission.

Col. Karuna met Maj. Gen. (ret) Trond Furhovde, the head of the Sri Lanka met him in Batticaloa Friday night.

“The STF in Amparai is frequently violating the ceasefire.”

“The Special Task Force has been perpetrating numerous human rights violations on the Tamils on Sri Lanka’s southeastern coast. Strong action should be taken immediately against the STF personnel responsible for attacking and killing innocent civilians at Kanjirankudah,” Col. Karuna told the SLMM head.

Pointing out that feelings amongst people is running high because of the persistent harassment of the public and LTTE political activists by the STF, Col. Karuna said the STF camp in Kanjirankudah should be removed immediately.

He also discussed the situation in Trincomalee Friday, following the grenade attack in which 3 Tamils were killed and 36 wounded in attacks by persons suspected to be JVP activists and Sinhala home guards.

Mr. Kawsalyan, the head of the LTTE's political wing for Batticaloa-Ampara also attended the meeting.

Meanwhile the head of the LTTE's Political Wing, Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan Friday conveyed the movement’s protest to the SLMM in Kilinochchi, over the attacks by the STF and Sinhala paramilitaries on Tamil civilians in the eastern province. He urged the SLMM to take measures to prevent such incidents occurring in future.