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Despite the much-hyped claim of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam that their troops are observing near puritanical sexual practices out side marriage a 27-year-old Tamil pregnant mother complained that she was sexually molested by an armed LTTE gang in her home. The seven-month pregnant young woman's husband in a complaint to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission said that the gang sexually molested his wife while he was away from their home. This is the second time a sex related charge was leveled against the cadres of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in recent times. A week ago, the US State Department said some children conscripted by the rebel group were sexually exploited. The seven month pregnant woman Amavasa Yogeshwari had complained to her husband she was harassed and sexually molested by several men whom she identified as LTTE cadres from Navakkudam area in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. She complained the matter to her husband when he returned home. The alleged incident had taken place at Murugan Kovil Street, Thirubaranthurai, Batticaloa in the Eastern Province in Sri Lanka. After her husband complained the matter to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission, in whose Batticaloa committee the rebel group is represented, armed LTTE men again allegedly stormed their house and warned them to keep the matter a secret. The alleged victim of this sexual molestation had told that she could identify the young LTTE cadres who stormed her house on June 5, 2002. In addition to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission the husband also told several people of the village of what had happened to his wife. The Sri Lanka Army also reported the matter to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission in Batticaloa. When Ambassador Nancy Ely-Raphel, Senior Advisor to the US Secretary of State in an annual report of the Department alleged that Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam abduct and hold children against their will for purposes of forced labor, military conscription and in some cases sexual exploitation the LTTE denied the charges. In their London based organ the LTTE said, ".... the validity of criticism of the LTTE depend very much on the plausibility of the case. Hence the new United States State Department on people trafficking that added sexual exploitation of children to the allegations usually leveled against the LTTE by its detractors caused shock and dismay among the Tamil community." The organ said, " The near-Puritan social order of the LTTE, whose members observe uncompromising discipline on social 'vices' desisting from smoking, alcohol and sexual relations outside marriage, has ensured criminal activities by its cadres are unheard of." (EOM) (21/06/02 go2lanka.com) |