04-01-2004, 11:18 AM
[b]<span style='color:red'>LTTE proxies to poised sweep Tamil districts
Apr 1, 2004, 05:52 [Tamil Guardian]
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AS CAMPAIGNING closed this week for Friday's Parliamentary elections, the Tamil National Alliance, a grouping of Sri Lanka's four main Tamil parties standing on a staunchly pro-Tamil Tiger platform is poised for a sweeping victory in Sri Lanka's Northeast, political analysts said.
Whilst opinion polls suggested the neither of the two main Sinhala political coalitions was likely to achieve an outright victory, the TNA, was expected to do well in the polls despite turmoil in the eastern district of Batticaloa-Ampara where forces loyal to renegade former LTTE commander have begun evicting thousands of Tamils and threatening its candidates.
"Though the rebellion of Col Karuna is viewed as a challenge and a temporary setback, the LTTE leadership is confident that the principles and policies of the organisation would receive widespread endorsement from the Tamil Nation through an electoral victory by the TNA," a senior member of the LTTE's political wing told reporters in Vanni Wednesday.
"It is the first time since the inception of the organisation that the LTTE has endorsed democratic elections in our controlled areas," he pointed out.
The TNA, which has declared that it is contesting Friday's election "on behalf of the LTTE" has been campaigning across the Northeast on a single united platform, endorsing the policies of the LTTE, including the latter's proposals for an Interim Self Governing Authority.
The LTTE's Trincomalee district political head, Mr. S. Thilak told journalists this week that the elections were could be viewed as a referendum on the LTTE's policies.
"This is not an ordinary election, we consider it a referendum on the ISGA and as democratic recognition of our liberation struggle," he said, views echoed by political analysts.
"This [election] is a challenge for Tamils to show the strength of Tamil nationalism," Mr. Sutha Thangan, deputy leader of the Tigers' political wing, told Reuters in Jaffna.
Hundreds of villagers participated in a 4 km procession in Thampalakamam, Sunday carrying photographs of LTTE leader Mr. Velupillai Pirapaharan and shouting slogans in support of Tamil National Alliance candidates in the forthcoming elections.
"A clear cut victory for the TNA in the Northeastern Tamil districts will enhance the LTTE's position politically and diplomatically and strengthen their bargaining power [at future peace talks]," a senior columnist with a Tamil daily said.
"Irrespective of Karuna's dissent and his politics of regionalism, the LTTE will claim, on the basis of a sweeping victory by the TNA, the sole representative status," the columnist said. "It can then bargain for its ISGA proposals from a position of strength."
"TNA is contesting the forthcoming general election with only one objective. That is to show the international community that Tamils in the northeast are wholly behind the LTTE in the peace effort and Tamil people fully support the LTTE's ISGA proposals," the TNA leader, Mr. R. Sampanthan, said earlier this month.
Opinions polls predicted last weekend that the election called suddenly earlier this year amid a bitter constitutional battle between Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe, would result in a hung parliament, with neither able to form a government with a working majority.
In such an eventuality, the LTTE could emerge as kingmakers invested with enormous political powers to shape Sri Lankan politics.
Some polls suggested the role could also go to a hardline Sinhalese Buddhist party running an all-monk slate of candidates. The Buddhists are strongly opposed to any concessions to the Tigers in peace talks.
The two major rivals in the election,president Kumaratunga, who is not up for re-election, and Prime
Minister Wickremesinghe - differ in their approach to the peace process.
President Kumaratunga dissolved parliament, forcing the snap election, after accusing the prime minister of giving too many concessions to the Tigers.
Both President Kumaratunga and Premier Wickremesinghe say they will resume the peace talks as soon as possible if their parties win, but the LTTE has said it would deal only with someone who had a popular mandate and executive power to implement a deal </span>
Apr 1, 2004, 05:52 [Tamil Guardian]
<img src='http://www.tamileelamnews.com/news/uploads/pic.jpg' border='0' alt='user posted image'>
AS CAMPAIGNING closed this week for Friday's Parliamentary elections, the Tamil National Alliance, a grouping of Sri Lanka's four main Tamil parties standing on a staunchly pro-Tamil Tiger platform is poised for a sweeping victory in Sri Lanka's Northeast, political analysts said.
Whilst opinion polls suggested the neither of the two main Sinhala political coalitions was likely to achieve an outright victory, the TNA, was expected to do well in the polls despite turmoil in the eastern district of Batticaloa-Ampara where forces loyal to renegade former LTTE commander have begun evicting thousands of Tamils and threatening its candidates.
"Though the rebellion of Col Karuna is viewed as a challenge and a temporary setback, the LTTE leadership is confident that the principles and policies of the organisation would receive widespread endorsement from the Tamil Nation through an electoral victory by the TNA," a senior member of the LTTE's political wing told reporters in Vanni Wednesday.
"It is the first time since the inception of the organisation that the LTTE has endorsed democratic elections in our controlled areas," he pointed out.
The TNA, which has declared that it is contesting Friday's election "on behalf of the LTTE" has been campaigning across the Northeast on a single united platform, endorsing the policies of the LTTE, including the latter's proposals for an Interim Self Governing Authority.
The LTTE's Trincomalee district political head, Mr. S. Thilak told journalists this week that the elections were could be viewed as a referendum on the LTTE's policies.
"This is not an ordinary election, we consider it a referendum on the ISGA and as democratic recognition of our liberation struggle," he said, views echoed by political analysts.
"This [election] is a challenge for Tamils to show the strength of Tamil nationalism," Mr. Sutha Thangan, deputy leader of the Tigers' political wing, told Reuters in Jaffna.
Hundreds of villagers participated in a 4 km procession in Thampalakamam, Sunday carrying photographs of LTTE leader Mr. Velupillai Pirapaharan and shouting slogans in support of Tamil National Alliance candidates in the forthcoming elections.
"A clear cut victory for the TNA in the Northeastern Tamil districts will enhance the LTTE's position politically and diplomatically and strengthen their bargaining power [at future peace talks]," a senior columnist with a Tamil daily said.
"Irrespective of Karuna's dissent and his politics of regionalism, the LTTE will claim, on the basis of a sweeping victory by the TNA, the sole representative status," the columnist said. "It can then bargain for its ISGA proposals from a position of strength."
"TNA is contesting the forthcoming general election with only one objective. That is to show the international community that Tamils in the northeast are wholly behind the LTTE in the peace effort and Tamil people fully support the LTTE's ISGA proposals," the TNA leader, Mr. R. Sampanthan, said earlier this month.
Opinions polls predicted last weekend that the election called suddenly earlier this year amid a bitter constitutional battle between Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe, would result in a hung parliament, with neither able to form a government with a working majority.
In such an eventuality, the LTTE could emerge as kingmakers invested with enormous political powers to shape Sri Lankan politics.
Some polls suggested the role could also go to a hardline Sinhalese Buddhist party running an all-monk slate of candidates. The Buddhists are strongly opposed to any concessions to the Tigers in peace talks.
The two major rivals in the election,president Kumaratunga, who is not up for re-election, and Prime
Minister Wickremesinghe - differ in their approach to the peace process.
President Kumaratunga dissolved parliament, forcing the snap election, after accusing the prime minister of giving too many concessions to the Tigers.
Both President Kumaratunga and Premier Wickremesinghe say they will resume the peace talks as soon as possible if their parties win, but the LTTE has said it would deal only with someone who had a popular mandate and executive power to implement a deal </span>
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