|
|
 |
 |
 |
| Wednesday, 10 March 2004 |
 |
|
 |
Politics | |
| News Business Features Editorial Security Politics World Letters Sports Obituaries
| Killing of candidates has a chain effect? Speakers at political rallies over the weekend expressed dismay that UNF leader Ranil Wickramesinghe as well as and most civil organisations had failed to condemn the killing of the UNF candidate for the Batticaloa district, even without reference to who was responsible for the killing. While developments within the LTTE were being closely monitored by the main political parties contesting the on-going elections - forced on the country by cohabitational problems - the conduct of the poll, this time, appears to have contributed to the current serious rifts within the LTTE which Tamil political sources in the East claim are unlikely to be easily overcome. These sources claimed that the conflicts between LTTE's Eastern Leader Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna alias Col. Karuna Amman and the LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran would have significant impact on future developments in Sri Lanka as they believe that Karuna would not have embarked on such a major move, alleging Northern dominance over the Eastern Tamils, without knowing the probable consequences of the Wanni leadership crushing any dissension within the LTTE - an organisation known for its ruthless maintenance of discipline. The killings of candidates have had a chain effect, these sources added. Two well-known figures from the old left, who happened to meet, Sunday, at a popular store dispensing drugs in the city, however, said that the Norwegians and the SLMM must exercise great care in attempting to broker a truce between Prabhakaran and Karuna, since their credibility may be questioned in the South. Having opted out of the peace talks, temporarily in December 2003 alleging that it was not 'clear as to who was in control in Colombo,' their visits to the Wanni on Wednesday March 3, may not be well received, they said, particularly because the Norwegians did not even attempt to heal the conflict between the President and the Prime Minister, in any similar manner as the concern they have reportedly shown on the Prabha-Karuna rift! Freedom Alliance spokespersons were tight-lipped on the developments but maintained that it was the responsibility of the UNF leader, the Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, signatory to the MoU with the LTTE leader Prabhakaran, to ensure the ceasefire is in place. The SLMM and the Norwegians had met Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at Temple Trees, Thursday but there were no official announcements of the outcome of this meeting, either by the PM, the SLMM or the Norwegian Embassy. By The Watcher |
|
News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
Produced by Lake House |
