International

Renewed violence in eastern Sri Lanka

By V.S. Sambandan

COLOMBO, JULY 5. One Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam cadre was shot dead and three others, including a senior political functionary, were wounded in two separate shooting incidents in Batticaloa district of eastern Sri Lanka today.

The shootings, carried out by "unidentified gunmen," came on the day when the LTTE holds its annual commemoration for its `Black Tiger' suicide cadres throughout the northern and eastern provinces.

Today's violence marks a continuation of the downward spiral that has hit the eastern district since the March 2 rebellion by its former Special Commander, V. Muralitharan (`Col.' Karuna).

According to sources in the east, the LTTE's political wing leader for Batticaloa town, Senadhi, was shot at and wounded in Batticaloa town, along with another LTTE cadre. The two, on a motorcycle, were on their way to attend the Black Tigers function, when they were shot at.

The second incident, which claimed the life of an LTTE cadre, `Murunkan Mama', occurred just outside Batticaloa town a short while after the attack on Mr. Senadhi. The victim was also riding a motorbike when he shot dead.

The identity of the killers has not been established, nor is there any information on the weapon used. The LTTE in Batticaloa blamed "cohorts working with the Army intelligence" for the shooting.

Expressing concern at the incidents, the Sri Lankan Government said they "jeopardised the law and order situation in the eastern province." Saying that it was "firmly committed to upholding" law and order in the east, the Government ordered a police investigation to "identify the perpetrators of these crimes."

Black Tigers day

The shootings, however, did not come in the way of the Black Tigers commemoration meetings, which took place in several areas spread across the northern and eastern districts.

The rebels marked the 17th anniversary of their first suicide bomber, `Capt.' Miller, who drove an explosives-laden truck into a Sri Lankan Army camp in the northern Jaffna Peninsula on July 5, 1987, with the main function at Nelliady, where `Capt.' Miller launched his attack, killing 40 soldiers and opening a new attack front for the Tigers.

Since then, 241 Black Tigers were deployed by the LTTE against political and military targets. The former Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, the Sri Lankan President, Ranasinghe Premadasa, and noted Sri Lankan constitutional lawyer, Neelan Tiruchelvam, were among the major political assassinations. The Sri Lankan President, Chandrika Kumaratunga, became the first political leader to survive an LTTE suicide bomber, when she escaped with injuries to her eye in December 1999.

On the military front, suicide bombers often formed the first line of attack on army camps during operations. The attack on the Katunayake Air Base and international airport complex in July 2001 is the last major Black Tiger operation till date. A ceasefire agreement has been in place since February 2002. In addition, Black Sea Tigers have been deployed against Sri Lankan naval targets.

Provincial council polls

Over 9.5 million voters from six provinces will head to the polls on July 10 to elect 4,134 Provincial Council members who form the second tier of governance in the island.

The Provincial Council system, introduced after the India-Sri Lanka Agreement, has been in operation in seven of the nine Provinces, the exception being the temporarily merged northern and eastern provinces, for which the system was intended.

The provinces that go to the polls on Saturday are: Western, Central, Southern, North-Central, Uva and Sabaragamuwa.

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