"People with us" - Jaffna LTTE commander

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 06 October 1998, 11:47 GMT]
The Jaffna district military commander of the Liberation Tigers, in a brief but exclusive interview with the TamilNet's Vadamaradchi correspondent said today that his units had hit an SLA supply convoy in the rear in Thenmaradchi while the Kilinochchi base was under attack last week. He requested that his name be withheld.

Q. What is your position regarding the current situation Jaffna?

A. You would have seen that we have stepped up our activities in the Jaffna peninsula. But we have to say that people live near and move about in places that we consider to be military targets in the peninsula.

We stand firmly by our policy and goal. The time for the emancipation of the Tamil people is drawing near. The people will understand our position. We would like to request the people of Jaffna to live away from the places that we may target for attack.

Q. But are you able to operate freely under the conditions that prevail in the peninsula today such as the large number of SLA camps, sentries etc.,?

A. We carry out our work in Jaffna without any hindrance. The people's support here continues to increase. It is the people who help us to operate, even in the most strategically important places (of the peninsula).

Q. What can you tell us about the fighting at the Elephant Pass, Paranthan and Kilinochchi?

A. The Paranthan-Kilinochchi attack is the biggest in the development of our liberation struggle. It would have made the Sri Lankan security forces realise that their graves would be dug in our soil until they leave Thamil Eelam.

Our units here (in Jaffna) were able to intercept and attack an SLA convoy that was operating between the Elephant Pass base and Palaly during the Kilinochchi fighting. We attacked this SLA convoy at Kachchaarveli in Thenmaradchi.