The Hindu : International : Karuna to start political party

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 12, 2004

International

International

Karuna to start political party

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO, JULY 11. The former Special Commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), V. Muralitharan (`Col.' Karuna), today said he would start a political party ``within a month'' and charged his former leader, V. Prabakaran, with pursuing a war strategy.

In a telephone interview with the BBC Tamil Service — the first since he left his eastern base in April — `Col.' Karuna also claimed that he had personally given an arms procurement list to the LTTE's chief for arms procurement, Kumaran Pathmanathan (KP), during his travels to Thailand as a member of the LTTE peace negotiating team.

The former rebel military leader also struck a note of warning saying that ``the eastern people'' would ``rise in revolt'' against Mr. Prabakaran, if they were ``continued to be tested.''

Claiming that he was in the eastern Batticaloa district, `Col.' Karuna ``completely rejected'' the contention that he and his supporters were behind the killings of LTTE cadres in eastern Sri Lanka and wanted ``remaining cadres to return home and avoid loss of lives.''

He also rejected as ``completely false'' charges that the Army Intelligence was backing him. Admitting that he and his supporters had travelled to the Sri Lankan capital with the assistance of his friends after the Good Friday offensive by the LTTE against him, `Col.' Karuna said: ``It is true that we came to Colombo. We did the necessary preparations and we are now back with our people.''

The former militant commander, who held out a month-long resistance after his expulsion in March, said he had disbanded his fighters in April to prevent bloodshed. Dismissing a contention that he had ``abandoned'' his supporters, the former LTTE military leader said: ``It is a false assumption. We should look at past experience. After the withdrawal of the IPKF, there was a fratricidal war, we were also a part of that fighting (in which) Tamils killed Tamils.''

After his March 2 rebellion, ``Prabakaran had sent Batticaloa cadres from the Vanni. If we had clashed, we would have lost thousands of lives. Even now, we are asking about 300 cadres who are still remaining to return home.''

Asked why he had not raised the issues in the past, when he was a part of the LTTE, `Col.' Karuna said: ``if we had asked such questions in the past, we would have been shot or punished.''

Accusing his former leader, Mr. Prabakaran, of preparing for war, `Col.' Karuna, said: ``Even during the peace talks, there was a good opportunity, but Prabakaran was not forthcoming. He wanted to get the money and arms and prepare for war.'' During the peace talks in Thailand, ``he was more interested in procuring arms than in peace.''

Asked for evidence to his charge, `Col.' Karuna said that ```KP,'' was in Bangkok and I have given an arms list to him.'' Asked when he would start a political party, the former LTTE special commander said: ``Very soon. Within a month.''

Questioned if his contention that he was operating from Batticaloa without the army's support would find acceptance, `Col. Karuna said: ``it is a vast province. We can be anywhere. There are about 300 cadres still with the LTTE. They should go home. We don't want them to lose their lives.''

On when he would make a public appearance, `Col.' Karuna said: ``It is a difficult situation now. They are killing innocent civilians. We are very careful. We don't want to go public. We are leaving everything and returning to democratic fold, but let there be no doubts that in case (the LTTE) wants to test the eastern mindset, the eastern people will revolt against Prabakaran.''

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