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LTTE Internecine Warfare Frightens Eastern Sri Lanka

Champika Liyanaarachchi
OneWorld South Asia
28 May 2004

COLOMBO, May 28 (OneWorld) - The murder of a university don in eastern Sri Lanka this week following a spate of killings in clashes between the two factions of the Tamil Tiger guerrillas has rekindled fears of ethnic warfare in the country.

The head of the Economics Department of the Eastern University, Kumaravel Thambaiah, was shot dead in front of his family in the volatile province of Batticaloa, allegedly by cadres of renegade Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) leader Karuna.

Rues Bishop of Batticaloa, Kingsley Swamipillai, "A dangerous precedent has been set by the murder of professor Thambaiah. The series of killings in fights between the cadres of the two factions had already disturbed people. The murder of an academic of the caliber of Thambaiah has strengthened the impression that nobody is safe in this part of the country."

Bishop Swamipillai, who made valiant efforts to bring about a reconciliation between the two rebel factions before the eviction of Karuna from the East, adds that fighting between the two factions is undermining the minority Tamil community's fight for the government to address its genuine grievances.

He points out that there should be unity among the Tamils before they attempt co-existing with other communities.

Thambaiah, who hails from the Northern province had left Batticaloa early this year after the LTTE's former eastern commander and renegade leader Karuna challenged LTTE leader Vellupillai Prabhakaran’s leadership, ordering all Tamils from the Northern province to leave the east.

Karuna, who promoted regionalism after the defection, claimed Prabhakaran was favoring cadres in the north and neglecting the east. He charged that the eastern cadres were used as cannon fodder by the leadership while those in the north got key administrative positions in the LTTE, which has fought a two-decades old insurgency that has claimed 60,000 lives.

Since Karuna's men are being blamed for Thambaiah's death, the LTTE is vocally condemning it. Says guerrilla leader Gnanavel, "Killings like that of Thambaiah undermine the peace process. We request the public to inform us of sinister elements."

But the authorities are yet to pin the blame on Karuna's shoulders. Informs Inspector General of Police Indra De Silva, "Four investigative teams are working on identifying the assailants. It is too premature to say what exactly is going on."

In the weeks following Karuna's exit from the East to the capital Colombo after a bloody battle between the two factions on Good Friday in April, nearly 50 cadres have been killed in unending battles between the rival forces.

Ironically, whenever guerrillas loyal to Prabhakaran were killed, the LTTE alleged that government troops were aiding and abetting Karuna's men.

Says a Tamil 37-year-old government sector employee in Valachchanai in Batticaloa, "Judging by the manner in which the murders were executed, it is clear that a third party is involved. Karuna's people will not be able to carry out the killings without the support of the security forces."

He adds, "Whoever is behind the killings, it is clear the intention is to disrupt if not completely destroy the peace process. Parties with vested interests are fishing in troubled waters, and we Tamils fear for our lives."

The killings since early April coincide with the shuttle diplomacy by peace facilitators from Norway to resume the peace process, which was disrupted after the LTTE broke off talks with the government in April last year.

The coalition of parties led by President Kumaratunga's Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) that swept to power in the April 2 elections had agreed to re-start the stalled peace talks based on an LTTE proposal for an interim administration.

But the constant fighting between factions of the hitherto regimented LTTE is viewed as a major blow to the peace process.

Says a former defense secretary, "It is very unlikely the killing spree will come to an end immediately as the LTTE leadership is making no efforts to correct the fundamental discrepancies within the organization."

He stresses that no measures have been taken to remove discrimination against the Eastern cadres. Hence, though the Eastern cadres may pretend they are loyal to Prabhakaran, they will continue to support Karuna, who they feel stood for their rights.

Agrees M.H.M. Navaz, a primary school teacher in Kathankudy in Batticoloa, "Eastern Tamils still have a lot of respect for Karuna although he is no more the LTTE commander in the East. It is no secret that Batticaloa Tamils are treated as inferior by Jaffna (northern) Tamils. This discrimination exists in the LTTE as well and Karuna is the only one who fought it openly."

He adds, "As long as Karuna has the ground support no one can stop him from carrying out attacks against Prabhakaran's supporters."

But Navaz is relieved that because the fighting is within the Tamils this time, Muslims like him are spared. As are the majority Sinhalese population, against whom the LTTE has staged bloody attacks over the years.