‘No Karuna group, only SLA psy ops’ –Kausalyan

[TamilNet, Monday, 13 December 2004, 04:47 GMT]
“Sri Lanka military intelligence has from time to time unleashed brutal state terror in the East, using individuals and paramilitary groups such as PLOTE Mohan and Razeek group. There is no Karuna group operating in the East now. The recent violence in the East in the name of ‘Karuna group’ is a continuation of this state terror by the SLA,” said Mr. E. Kausalyan, the political wing leader of the Liberation Tigers in the East, speaking to journalists at the LTTE secretariat in Kokkadicholai Saturday.

“Under the ceasefire agreement, the Government of Sri Lanka was obligated to disarm all paramilitary groups within 60 days. If the GoSL had fulfilled its obligation, there would have been no chance for violence,” observed Mr. Kausalyan. “By using the individuals and paramilitary groups that have been working with the SLA since well before the ceasefire agreement, SLA is engaged in psychological operations against the Tamil people of the East.”

Mr. Kausalyan said that the Thoppigala and Tharavai areas in the Batticaloa-Amparai district are fully under the control of the LTTE. “Some people are saying that some Muslim persons are collaborating with the SLA intelligence in its operations. If that is true, they should stop such collaboration and contribute to Tamil-Muslim amity. Some of the meetings between Muslim parliamentarians and the LTTE have been suspended for some time, but will be renewed,” said the Eastern political leader.

As part of the SLA intelligence psychological operations designed to confuse the Tamil people in the East, press reports in the South had said that ‘Karuna group’ operations in the East had hindered Maveerar Day (Great Heroes’ Day) celebrations, Mr. Kausalyan said. He said that the Heroes' Day was celebrated at the Martyrs' cemetery in Tharavai and Col. Bhanu, the special commander of the LTTE for Batticaloa-Amparai, attended the function.

Mr. Kausalyan said that, to show the real situation in the East, the LTTE would invite journalists from the South to all of the areas under its control in the East.