The Hindu : Front Page : `Refugees trained in self-defence by LTTE'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 29, 2006

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`Refugees trained in self-defence by LTTE'

C. Jaishankar and S. Vijay Kumar

Five suspected LTTE cadres lodged in special camps

C. Jaishankar and

S. Vijay Kumar

RAMESWARAM: At a time when security agencies and the State machinery are preparing to "receive" more refugees following a war-like situation in Sri Lanka, it is reliably learnt that a sizeable number of refugees, who have been given asylum in Tamil Nadu, underwent "self-defence" training imparted by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealem (LTTE).

Informed sources told The Hindu that the LTTE had given training to the Tamils to enable them to escape or combat possible attack from the Sri Lankan Army.

While the Tamils of LTTE-controlled areas attended the training in large numbers, those living in Government-controlled areas made secret visits to such training camps. Tamils in the age group of 18 to 50 years participated in the camps.

Sources said the two-week long training module included handling weapons, traditional self-defence methods and modern day combat techniques. A handful of refugees, who spoke to The Hindu at Rameswaram on Thursday, admitted that several Tamils, particularly youngsters, who arrived here, had undergone training at the hands of the LTTE.

"Several persons from Trincomalee and its adjoining villages, including Nilavoli, Kumburapitty, Kuchavali and Irakkakandy and Mannar district, which are controlled by Government forces, have visited the LTTE-controlled areas to attend the training. A section of them might have arrived here as refugees.," said G. Vasantharaja (31) of Muthalam Kandam Pankulam, a Government-controlled village.

Going by the statistics revealed by sources, at least 15 to 20 per cent of the refugees might have attended the training.

"Already, we are struggling to segregate terrorists from genuine refugees in the absence of a clear mechanism. We are yet to get clear instructions from the Government in this regard," says a top Defence official at Rameswaram.

However, senior police officials said there was no threat as the refugees underwent only self-defence training which was prevalent in the districts of Mannar, Jaffna and Trincomalee for many years.

"The identity of nearly 70 per cent refugees who arrived in recent months is known to security agencies as they had already visited the country on many earlier occasions," a police official said.

According to him, five suspected LTTE cadres who arrived in the guise of refugees recently were identified and lodged in special camps.

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