SLA says Jaffna Tamils funding Tigers

[TamilNet, Saturday, 25 October 1997, 23:59 GMT]
The Sri Lankan army's 51 division issued a press statement yesterday in Jaffna warning people who are giving money to the Liberation Tigers. This follows widespread reports in the peninsula that the Liberation Tigers were receiving money from a large number of people living in the high-security zones of Jaffna.

The army, according to a comment recently made by the SLA's Vadamaradchi commandant, believes that at least one third of the peninsula's population is regularly giving money directly to the Liberation Tigers or is helping them in kind.

The Tamil groups operating in the Jaffna under the SLA's protection say although they are aware that all the businesses in the towns pay a substantial amount to the LTTE, they choose to completely ignore the matter - as taking any action on the matter , according to them, will simply antagonise everyone.

"The army has also been aware of the increasing fund collection of the LTTE in the town for many months. But they are unable to do anything due to the wide cross section of Jaffna society involved in this" said a second level leader of an ex Tamil militant group working in the peninsula now.

The military statement, which was issued in Tamil by the headquarters of the 51 division, says -

"People were forcibly recruited by the Tigers before Operation Riviresa. They made people suffer by taking goods sent to the people and by imposing taxes. Since the conclusion of Op. Riviresa, health, education, highways, electricity and telecommunication facilities have been given to the people again."

"Despite all this, there are attempts now to put the people in difficulties again. The security forces have come to know that money has been demanded from some people in the peninsula and that some pressure has also been applied on them."

"At this time when the activities of the Tigers are being weakened, giving money to them secretly is detrimental to interests those who give as well as to the interests of the society."

"Therefore giving money (to the Tigers) should be eschewed. Legal action will be taken against those who do so."