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The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) organized mob attacked the Delft office of the opposition Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) also using firearms and Delft Police used tear gas to disperse the mob, police sources revealed. The Kanjirankudah-style mob armed with pistol like small weapons were used to attack the newly opened political office of the EPDP in the Northern island of Delft when the police used tear gas to disperse the LTTE organized mob, the police said. The LTTE which claims that they are the sole representatives of the Tamil people have been using mobs to prevent the opposition EPDP from functioning as a normal political party in the area , EPDP sources said. Meanwhile the Norway backed Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission asked the EPDP to stay out of Delft until the trouble was settled. But the media spokesman of the EPDP said that the Monitoring mission’s request for them to get out of Delft was an undemocratic and illegal act. The party spokesman, Nelson Edirisinghe said that they were ready to leave Delft on the condition that the LTTE also would leave the Delft Island. He said it was the lawful and constitutional right of the EPDP members to remain in the island and engage themselves in peaceful political activities. He said the LTTE was attempting to deceive the world when it declared at the second Bangkok peace talks that they were prepared to allow multi-party politics in the Northern and Eastern provinces of Sri Lanka. The statement to that effect was made by the Chief negotiator of the LTTE, Mr. Anton Balasingham. Nelson Edirisinghe said about fifty people of the LTTE organized mob started shooting with pistols at the EPDP office when the Police used tear gas to disperse the mob. Meanwhile the LTTE argued in a letter written to the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission that conducting EPDP groups in the Delft island by armed units of the Police and navy was against the Ceasefire agreement between the Ranil Wickremesinghe government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission requested the EPDP leader Douglas Devananda to take out his party out of the Delft Island but did not indicate they were requesting the same from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. The Police said they used tear gas at a time when the LTTE organized mob were attempting to forcibly enter and occupy the EPDP office. To restore order in the Delft Island, the Police sent an anti-riot unit of Police to the Northern island off Jaffna Peninsula under an Asst. Superintendent of Police, November 17. But until the police used tear gas on them, November 18 the LTTE organized mob refused to disperse. As the situation was getting worse to aid the police to restore peace a special navy unit was also sent to the Delft Island. The LTTE also transported large number of Tamil school children and other civilians from outside Delft by boats to aid the already protesting mob. On November 18 at 10.30 a.m. the LTTE mob tried to enter the EPDP office but the Police physically prevented them from doing so by forming a human chain. About 12 p.m. when the mob tried to enter the EPDP office the Police finally used tear gas to disperse the mob. The police said armed cadres of the LTTE started shooting at the EPDP and the Police at that time. Three people, Baby (42), Francis Xavier (65) and Arasakutti Balan (38) have been injured in the melee and admitted to the Neduntivu Hospital. All have been in the LTTE mob. An EPDP spokesman said the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission told his party that if the party did not leave Delft Islands that they would complain against the EPDP to the European Union for non-corporation. According to police reports the EPDP political office in Delft was closed temporarily after a LTTE area leader Kannan led attack on the property October 5 2002. It was re-opened November 16 with Police protection. (EOM) (19/11/02 go2lanka.com) |