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Karuna
fired, branded as traitor
The additional security measures included the change of locations, change of his guards and weapons as the deposed eastern military wing leader showed no immediate signs of giving up his post as ordered by the LTTE leadership. Karuna showing signs of resistance has told his loyalists to carry out checks on cadres coming from the Northern Province to the east. They were trying to find out whether cadres from the north had infiltrated the Eastern Province. Cadres loyal to Karuna were carrying out checks in buses and other public places to locate the cadres from the north. The military in the area confirmed that checking was carried out by the eastern LTTE. But, the military had warned them not to carry out checks in the government-controlled areas. The developments came as the LTTE leadership yesterday moved in a special team from the Northern Province to the east to take over arms and ammunition held by Karuna. The takeover team moved in soon after the LTTE leadership announced at a Kilinochchi news conference that Karuna was being sacked immediately and replaced by Ramesh who was appointed as special commander for the region. There was no immediate indication of what further action would be taken against Karuna and cadres loyal to him while LTTE sources said another task of the takeover team would be to help Ramesh establish himself as special commander for Batticaloa and Ampara districts. Other
reports from the area said a key operative of LTTE intelligence
wing leader Pottu Amman had been taken hostage by Karuna. At a hurriedly-summoned
news conference, LTTE political wing leader, S. P. Thamilselvan
set out the reasons for sacking Karuna who was a key figure in the
attack on the A statement by the LTTE said Karuna, "instigated by some malicious elements opposed to the Tamil Eelam liberation struggle, acting traitorously to the Tamil people and the Tamil Eelam national leadership has planned to secede himself from the LTTE". The statement said commanders and divisional heads under him had refused to comply with him and met with the national leadership and explained the ground situation. "In accordance with this, Karuna has been discharged from the LTTE and relieved of his responsibilities," the statement said. Meanwhile, the Government has expressed concern about the possibility of an outbreak of fighting between the two factions of the Tamil guerrillas amidst reports that the guerrilla administration in the Eastern Province has come to a standstill. Defecne Secretary Cyril Herath told The Sunday Times that the immediate concern was whether there could be clashes among rival factions, causing a violation of the ceasefire agreement. He said that Karuna had been in contact with the field commanders from whom he had made a request that a separate cease-fire agreement should be worked out with his eastern group, but the request was turned down. The Sunday Times learns that Karuna had also asked that government security be provided for his cadres in the eastern province. But Mr. Herath said he had received no such request for security. Tension prevailed in the LTTE-controlled areas in the eastern province with the LTTE police stations and their courts halting their functions on Friday. Some prisoners also are reported to have been either released or escaped from the police stations manned by the LTTE. Mr. Herath said the troops were continuing to maintain their usual security alert. But reports from the east said that security forces were put on a high alert in view of the rivalry building up. Scandinavian ceasefire monitors also said yesterday they were closely watching the situation. |
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