03-31-2004, 11:37 AM
Troops guard tense Sri Lanka town
<b>Over 1,000 Sri Lankan soldiers have been deployed in the eastern town of Batticaloa amid tension following the killing of a Tamil election candidate. </b>
Radian Sathiyamoorthy, of the Tamil National Alliance, who was linked to a renegade Tamil Tiger rebel leader, was shot on Tuesday.
His supporters blame Tigers from the main faction for the killing, three days before Friday's general election.
Soldiers are patrolling streets and checkpoints have been set up.
Troops are also guarding the offices and homes of other Tamil election candidates.
Mr Sathiyamoorthy, 61, died instantly at home when attackers fired five bullets into his throat, chest and stomach while he was holding prayers, according to his eldest brother, Natarajamoorty.
Mr Sathiyamoorthy's 55-year-old brother-in-law was also shot and killed.
<b>'House arrest' </b>
Many shops in Batticaloa, 330km (205 miles) east of the capital Colombo, remained closed on Wednesday with white flags flying in a mark of respect for Mr Sathiyamoorthy.
His funeral is scheduled for Thursday.
Mr Sathiyamoorthy was a supporter of Colonel Karuna, who broke away from the main Tamil Tiger faction early in March in protest at its lack of representation for eastern Tamils.
Colonel Karuna's spokesman, Varadan, said the killings were the work of the main movement, based in the north.
An army official told the AFP news agency: "Batticaloa has suddenly become the hotspot for violence due to the split in the group. Everybody is worried because of this."
The alliance's leader in Batticaloa, Joseph Pararasasingam, said: "My party has told me not to step out of my home. I am under house arrest. After the killing all the candidates are scared."
The election observer group, the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence, said it had received reports that the alliance and its Tiger supporters had made it impossible for other Tamil groups to campaign.
Friday's election looks to be a close contest between the parties of President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe.
The Tamil alliance could be left holding the balance of power.
<b>Over 1,000 Sri Lankan soldiers have been deployed in the eastern town of Batticaloa amid tension following the killing of a Tamil election candidate. </b>
Radian Sathiyamoorthy, of the Tamil National Alliance, who was linked to a renegade Tamil Tiger rebel leader, was shot on Tuesday.
His supporters blame Tigers from the main faction for the killing, three days before Friday's general election.
Soldiers are patrolling streets and checkpoints have been set up.
Troops are also guarding the offices and homes of other Tamil election candidates.
Mr Sathiyamoorthy, 61, died instantly at home when attackers fired five bullets into his throat, chest and stomach while he was holding prayers, according to his eldest brother, Natarajamoorty.
Mr Sathiyamoorthy's 55-year-old brother-in-law was also shot and killed.
<b>'House arrest' </b>
Many shops in Batticaloa, 330km (205 miles) east of the capital Colombo, remained closed on Wednesday with white flags flying in a mark of respect for Mr Sathiyamoorthy.
His funeral is scheduled for Thursday.
Mr Sathiyamoorthy was a supporter of Colonel Karuna, who broke away from the main Tamil Tiger faction early in March in protest at its lack of representation for eastern Tamils.
Colonel Karuna's spokesman, Varadan, said the killings were the work of the main movement, based in the north.
An army official told the AFP news agency: "Batticaloa has suddenly become the hotspot for violence due to the split in the group. Everybody is worried because of this."
The alliance's leader in Batticaloa, Joseph Pararasasingam, said: "My party has told me not to step out of my home. I am under house arrest. After the killing all the candidates are scared."
The election observer group, the Centre for Monitoring Election Violence, said it had received reports that the alliance and its Tiger supporters had made it impossible for other Tamil groups to campaign.
Friday's election looks to be a close contest between the parties of President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe.
The Tamil alliance could be left holding the balance of power.
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