03-11-2004, 02:51 PM
Renegade rebel commander willing to meet Sri Lanka's top Tiger leader on condition
AP, March 11. COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) _ A renegade guerrilla commander said Thursday he would meet with the head of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels if the Tigers allow his breakaway group to exist separately.
Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan ``is not averse to such a meeting,'' his spokesman, Varathan, told The Associated Press.
``But it would be on condition that we are recognized as a separate entity and don't come under the leadership of (Tamil Tiger leader) Velupillai Prabhakaran,'' said Varathan, who like many rebels uses one name.
The announcement came amid efforts by Kingsley Swamypillai, the Catholic bishop of eastern Sri Lanka, to facilitate a meeting between the rebel commanders to prevent the crisis from escalating into bloodshed.
The rebel schism has raised the prospect of a Tamil-versus-Tamil conflict on top of a continuing power struggle within Sri Lanka's government. The president, accusing the prime minister of being too soft on the rebels, has dismissed his government and called April 2 parliamentary elections.
Muralitharan, also known as Karuna, defected from the Tamil Tigers last week, pulling out 40 percent of the group's 15,000 troops in an unprecedented split.
There was no immediate response from the Tamil Tigers about the prospects for a meeting.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam first launched its insurgency in 1983, but the conflict was halted with a February 2002 cease-fire accord. Peace talks started after the cease-fire have been on hold in part due to the squabbling within the government
Muralitharan, who commanded rebel troops in eastern Sri Lanka, pulled his forces out from the main rebel army because he believes the movement may be preparing to go back to war, Varathan said Wednesday. The Tigers' main northern faction denied it was preparing for war.
Muralitharan also says the Tigers' northern-based leadership has demanded that too many recruits from the east be deployed to the north, where he says they face discrimination at the hands of northern Tamils when competing for posts in the rebel administration.
About 65,000 people have been killed in the conflict between the Tamil rebels and the government.
Muralitharan is seeking a separate cease-fire with the government, but has vowed to honor the existing one until a new one is agreed.
நன்றி - அசோசியேட் பிரஸ்
AP, March 11. COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) _ A renegade guerrilla commander said Thursday he would meet with the head of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tiger rebels if the Tigers allow his breakaway group to exist separately.
Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan ``is not averse to such a meeting,'' his spokesman, Varathan, told The Associated Press.
``But it would be on condition that we are recognized as a separate entity and don't come under the leadership of (Tamil Tiger leader) Velupillai Prabhakaran,'' said Varathan, who like many rebels uses one name.
The announcement came amid efforts by Kingsley Swamypillai, the Catholic bishop of eastern Sri Lanka, to facilitate a meeting between the rebel commanders to prevent the crisis from escalating into bloodshed.
The rebel schism has raised the prospect of a Tamil-versus-Tamil conflict on top of a continuing power struggle within Sri Lanka's government. The president, accusing the prime minister of being too soft on the rebels, has dismissed his government and called April 2 parliamentary elections.
Muralitharan, also known as Karuna, defected from the Tamil Tigers last week, pulling out 40 percent of the group's 15,000 troops in an unprecedented split.
There was no immediate response from the Tamil Tigers about the prospects for a meeting.
The Liberation Tigers of Tamileelam first launched its insurgency in 1983, but the conflict was halted with a February 2002 cease-fire accord. Peace talks started after the cease-fire have been on hold in part due to the squabbling within the government
Muralitharan, who commanded rebel troops in eastern Sri Lanka, pulled his forces out from the main rebel army because he believes the movement may be preparing to go back to war, Varathan said Wednesday. The Tigers' main northern faction denied it was preparing for war.
Muralitharan also says the Tigers' northern-based leadership has demanded that too many recruits from the east be deployed to the north, where he says they face discrimination at the hands of northern Tamils when competing for posts in the rebel administration.
About 65,000 people have been killed in the conflict between the Tamil rebels and the government.
Muralitharan is seeking a separate cease-fire with the government, but has vowed to honor the existing one until a new one is agreed.
நன்றி - அசோசியேட் பிரஸ்
<span style='font-size:20pt;line-height:100%'>Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.</span>