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| Friday, 5 March 2004 |
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Thamilselvan confirms rift in LTTE by Ranil Wijayapala The statement by LTTE political wing leader S. P. Thamilselvan quoted in the pro-LTTE Tamil-net website following his meeting with General Trond Furuhovde confirmed that there was a rift within the LTTE. LTTE Political Wing leader S. P. Thamilselvan has admitted that there was a crisis within the LTTE, but added that this 'crisis was only a temporary one and a settlement would be reached soon'. The LTTE Political Chief made this statement when he met the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission Chief Gen. Trond Furuhovde and his Deputy Hagrup Haukland yesterday amidst speculation about a major split within the LTTE following the reported break away from the LTTE of its Eastern Commander Col. Karuna. Earlier, the pro-LTTE Tamil-net website in various reports denied that there was a split in the LTTE's eastern command following Col. Karuna declaring himself as a separate entity representing the Eastern region. Reports from LTTE also confirmed that LTTE Chief Velupillai Prabhakaran was having discussions with Ramesh, the LTTE special commander for Batticaloa and Ampara and LTTE political wing leader in Batticaloa, Kaushalyan and with other leaders except Karuna. Director of the LTTE Peace Secretariat S. Puleedevan also participated in the discussions. According to reports, the LTTE special commander for Batticaloa and Ampara Ramesh had taken his family members with him to the Wanni. According to sources from Wanni, the LTTE Chief has kept back more than 500 cadres of Colonel Karuna in the Wanni. SLMM spokeswoman Agnes Brgadottir told the Daily News that the SLMM Chief and his Deputy "had a good and constructive meeting' in Kilinochchi yesterday. However, she declined to comment as to what the SLMM Chief discussed with the LTTE. She said the SLMM Chief following his meeting with Thamilselvan, briefed on its outcome to Peace Secretariat Chief Bernard Goonatilleke and Defence Secretary Cyril Herath. Defence sources said Security Forces were closely monitoring the situation in the North and East following these reports. The crisis within the LTTE was reportedly triggered off after the killing of UNP candidate for Batticaloa district and the killing of an EPDP supporter allegedly by the LTTE. According to sources, Karuna has taken this latest stance as he was unhappy about these killings carried out on the instructions of LTTE Intelligence Chief 'Pottu Amman'. |
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