The Hindu : International : Former Tamil militant killed

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 05, 2004

International

International

Former Tamil militant killed

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO, NOV. 4. At least two persons, including a former Tamil militant, Velayutham Dayalakumar (44), was shot dead at a Colombo suburb tonight by "unidentified gunmen."

The victim was a former member of the People's Liberation Organisation of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE). The motive behind the killing, suspected by military sources to have been carried out by LTTE gunmen, has not been established. Police are investigating the attack.

The shootout at Dehiwela, a suburb of Colombo, also killed a bystander.

Velayutham was employed in the office of the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), headed by V. Anandasangaree, who unsuccessfully contested from Jaffna against the LTTE-backed Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchi in the April snap parliamentary poll.

Condemning the murder, Mr. Anandasangaree said: "There is no meaning in these killings. They are making it impossible for any international assistance for our community. The LTTE must stop the killings and come to the negotiating table." It may be recalled that the TULF president, in a recent open letter to the LTTE leader, V. Prabakaran, made a similar call to end killings and resume negotiations.

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