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The Opposition Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) complained to the Norway backed Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) that they were being prevented by the terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam from engaging in normal political activities of the party in the Northern islands of Jaffna peninsula. Independent reports said the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), the only armed group allowed in the area has imported nearly 1500 people and using them as a mob to obstruct the EPDP from conducting their normal political activities. To the inquiries of independent journalists and the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission LTTE spokesperson Daya Master reportedly said that they did not have any hand in those obstructions and it was only the people of Delft who were obstructing to the EPDP activities. But EPDP said that the island did not have a population of 1500 and that entire mob was taken to the island by the LTTE from outside to illegally obstruct the normal political activities of the party. Before the Ceasefire agreement was signed between the Ranil Wickremesinghe administration and terrorist leader Velupillai Prabhakaran the EPDP was the domineering political force in the Northern islands of the Jaffna peninsula. They received cooperation of the Sri Lanka Navy for their protection. But the ceasefire agreement disarmed them and the LTTE became the only armed group allowed to do politics in the area. Like in many other Northern Province areas the people of the island were allowed to function at the mercy of the LTTE. Former Air Force Commander Harry Goonatilake recommended to the Ranil Wickremesinghe government that Navy officers cooperating with the LTTE should be appointed to the Navy post. Although no charges of assault by the LTTE were proved against the former navy officers handling the security matters of the island, they were transferred out on his recommendation. About a month ago the terrorists of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam set fire to the EPDP political office, Police sources revealed. An EPDP spokesperson said that Anton Balasingham's recent statement that any political party would be allowed to function in the North by the LTTE had been belied by this consequence of events in the Delft. Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam is a Fascist political party, which believes that they are the sole representatives of the Tamil people. The Ranil Wickremesinghe administration in the Memorandum of Understanding it signed with the terrorist group has accepted the position. That was the reason for the disarming of other Tamil political groups while allowing the LTTE to remain armed. (EOM) (19/11/02 go2lanka.com) |