The Hindu : International : Prabakaran `playing politics' in provision of relief: Karuna

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 16, 2005

International

International

Prabakaran `playing politics' in provision of relief: Karuna

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO, JAN. 15 . The former military commander of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), V. Muralitharan (`Col.' Karuna) has charged the LTTE leader, V. Prabakaran, with "playing politics" in the provision of relief aid to the tsunami victims and "continued child conscription."

In his condolence message to the tsunami victims, `Col.' Karuna — who rebelled against the LTTE last March and subsequently left for an undisclosed destination called for unity "to build our homeland, unmindful of caste, creed, ethnicity or religious differences."

Col. Karuna was the LTTE's Special Commander for the eastern Batticaloa and Amparai districts — two of the 13 Sri Lankan districts that bore the brunt of the December 26 Indian Ocean tsunami.

`Doing their best'

Expressing regret that he was unable to be with the people "due to the traitorous plots" of the LTTE leadership, `Col.' Karuna said his supporters were "doing their best" to assist the affected. "All these years I shared sorrows and tragedies. Unfortunately, at this hour of biggest calamity of such stupendous nature, I am unable to be with you, due to the traitorous plots of the Vanni group," he said, referring to the LTTE, led by Mr. Prabakaran.

Describing Mr. Prabakaran, as one who "had never in his life participated in the service of the people," he said said: "In the guise of protecting orphaned children, he is bent on conscripting our children to his armed forces and this must be halted at any cost."

Child conscription

`Col.' Karuna's charge of the LTTE's continued child conscription is close on the heels of a similar statement by the UNICEF, which said there were three reported cases after the tsunami. The LTTE objected to the UNICEF's remarks and said the group was not consulted by the global organisation before making the charges.

On allegations by "many volunteers from international agencies" that they "are being prevented by the terrorists" to work in rebel-held areas, `Col.' Karuna said the "Vanni gangs are demanding the relief materials be handed over to them for distribution." The tactic was "to deprive hundreds of victims of tsunami who are struggling to get one square meal a day," he said. Mr. Prabakaran is "playing politics with the food and medicine needed desperately by our people. While killing our people who are sons of our soil, Prabakaran's group is appealing for fund and relief materials from foreign countries in the very name of our people," `Col.' Karuna said.

He also urged expatriate Tamils to channel their donations "only through internationally recognised charity agencies" and said the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation "has been a front organisation to collect funds to arm the killing machines of the Vanni group."

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