TELO delays assuming office

[TamilNet, Friday, 06 February 1998, 23:59 GMT]
The Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation (TELO) is to postpone assuming office in the newly set up local government bodies in the Jaffna Peninsula for 100 days. Instead, the ex-militant group is to mobilise opinion for an immediate end to the military conflict and the beginning of talks without conditions, said K Sivajilingam, leader of the organisation.

In a press release, the leader of TELO has stated that the low turn out of 18.6% at the polls confirmed that the elections were foisted on the people against their wishes.

Though TELO participated at the elections for the sake of democracy, its election campaign came under severe constraints, he said.

TELO campaigned at the elections without the advantages of finances, man power and weapons as the other parties such as the EPDP, PLOTE or EPRLF, he added.

It did not also enjoy the indirect political patronage extended to the TULF by the (Sri Lanka) Government, he said.

Despite these drawbacks, the fact that TELO captured the Valvetithurai urban council and has seats in 18 local government bodies is a significant victory for the policies and hard work of the party, said the TELO press release.