UTHR (J) SAYS WITHOUT ACKNOWLEDGING TO THE WORLD
THE LTTE HAS ALREADY STARTED ‘EELAM WAR 4’
By Walter Jayawardhana reporting from Los Angeles
The Tamil Tigers , without acknowledging the fact to the international community has already started the Eelam War 4 , said the University Teachers for Human Rights (Jaffna).
The human rights group, in a statement issued June 15, but obviously written before the Kebithigollewa civilian massacre where the Tamil terrorist group reportedly killed more than 60 civilians including children women and Buddhist priests by exploding a bus, said security forces and civilians were daily facing casualties , in this newly started war by the Tamil Tigers also known as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).
The human rights group, (UTHR-J) , reporting a passing out parade of the auxillary forces of the LTTE said Tiger commander Colonel Balaraj, had said , June 4 , at the parade that “Eelam War 4” had already begun.
The report claimed Balaraj as having said that the guerilla attacks that were now taking place were due to its prosecution.
Balaraj was being quoted having said that the Rajapaksa regime , which had revealed its colours by killing Tamils in the same manner the Premadasa regime did was being given the last chance. Because of the strength of the Tamils today , the dreams of the Sinhalese government would come crashing down Balaraj reportedly said. “We will heap up victories by winning our lands back from the enemy , who would be stupefied into action when our battle plans are unraveled in the field.”
The UTHR(J) report said, in the LTTE stronghold Vanni, human rights would seem an abstraction where life was ceasing to be human.
It further pointed out: “One sees the same indifference on the part of the LTTE to families, wives and children, no concern about how they live or die. Many young couples with young families suddenly find themselves devoid of the breadwinner. These young men who had started families and had young mouths to feed had been forcibly taken away by the LTTE for 1 to 3 years of military service, promising a monthly allowance for the upkeep of the families. The money comes for about three months and ceases. A number of these young men were LTTE cadres who left during the ceasefire and got married.”
“The torture of the community goes on at many levels. Even older men have been mobilized to undergo auxiliary training and have been told that that they would be posted for frontline sentry duty. In a number of villages, these men have collectively told the LTTE ‘You can force us to undergo training, you would post us where you would, but when the army advances we will throw our guns and run away.’ “
“During the early earlier years of war, among the differences faced by the farmers was tank maintenance. During the ceasefire moves were made to do repairs to Giant Tank in West Vanni. In order to mobilize men for the auxiliary forces, the LTTE banned the dry season cultivation. Many men confine themselves to their home with their children in agony fearing abduction by the LTTE press gangs in their proverbial white vans.”
The report said among the Vanni masses there had been unrest due to those repressions. The report said:” The LTTE’s measures have also given rise to an undercurrent of unrest. In one area regarded as high security zone of the LTTE, a tough commander was brought back from retirement. A grenade was aimed at him, causing injury to two persons. Those in the area discount the Karuna group as being responsible.
The bulletin also pointed out that the LTTE has started killing the supporters of the Tamil democratic politician Ananda Sangary. The UTHR(J) report said: “ While those who championed the peace process that is now in a state of collapse have been pointing out the finger at “paramilitaries” and “spoilers”, they are blind to the old disease that made the peace process unworkable from the start – the LTTE’s constant targeting of political opponents. No one has called the respected the democratic politician Mr. Ananda Sangary a paramilitary. Now with the LTTE’s own party TNA in the doldrums as time ordained, the LTTE appears determined to eliminate Anandasangary’s loyalists.
About 7.00 p.m. at his Wellawatte residence in Colombo, June 10, the LTTE shot dead Mr. Ramachandran(67) brother of Mr. Sangary’s former secretary, Sachinanandan, who too has moved out of Jaffna. Ramachandran’s daughter is married to Jeeva of the EPDP. ThangarasaThangamuhundan who is an Ananda Sangary loyalist and a former member of the Jaffna Municipal Council that had defied the LTTE on the opening of the public library was summoned by two LTTE men who came on a motor cycle and shot at his home in Moolai, Jaffna. He was warded at Jaffna hospital, the report said.
