A statement issued by Tamil Eela Makkai Viduthalai Pulikal (Karuna faction of the tiger organization) says it “will launch a search and hunt operation against the Vanni paramilitaries not only in the east but also in the whole island.”

 

The statement also states it will be forced to withdraw from its unilateral declaration of ceasefire and confront Prabakaran if he continues with his provocative acts by targeting his people and threatened to unleash its deep penetrating forces to dislodge Prabakaran from his bunkers in the Vanni. 

 

(Full text of TMVP statement)

 

Press statement issued by the TamilEela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal : a warning to the international community.

 

Prior to the proposed meeting of talks in Geneva the LTTE is engaged in a campaign of denigrating the TamilEela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) linking it with the Sri Lankan Security Forces. This is a pre-planned campaign to stall the peace talks.

 

After failing in its latest attempt to start its Eelam War IV the LTTE is trying to manufacture excuses to scuttle the talks. Various allegations leveled against the TMVP in its websites and the Tamil media are all designed to divert attention away from its past record of human rights violations and, more importantly, abduction of children to beef up its dwindling cadres.

 

The latest allegation comes from the stage managed press conference in which 15-year-old Arulraj Senthilnathan of Punnaichcholai was produced before a group of LTTE cadres posing as journalists.

 

Our information reveals that the so - called press conference was never held. Instead the boy had talked to four members of Vanni paramilitary’s intelligence group masquerading as press reporters. These men had offered the boy a banana, Vadai and some tea and made him say what they wanted to hear.

 

We wish declare that we had never known this boy. He was never with us. Nor do we need abducted young boys to fight our battle against Prabhakaran and his gang of criminals.

 

Our leadership has declared unilateral ceasefire against the Vanni paramilitary group led by Prabakaran. But in case during this temporary cessation of hostilities period, Vanni Paramilitary group attack our members or our supporters, then we may be forced to renounce our ceasefire declaration.

 

In case we are forced to go back to war we pledge that we will launch a search and hunt operation against the Vanni paramilitaries not only in the east but also in the whole island.

 

The Tamil community is aware that the Vanni paramilitary leader has acknowledged our talents in the battlefield. We are also aware that of all the forces ranged against the LTTE, Prabakaran is only afraid of us. That is why he is making a desperate bid to blacken our image and weaken us. He knows that as long as we are strong he will be weak and will not have his way. He is putting maximum pressure on the international community and the Sri Lankan government to disarm us because he is incapable of doing it himself. If he is the great fighter that he claims to be why is he asking other parties to fight his battles? Prabakaran should be ashamed that he is forced to ask non-Tamils to kill the brave Tamils who fought for the Tamil people. We also know that he is aware of the old Tamil adage that 'only the serpents know the serpents' leg.'

 

As far as we see it, the Vanni paramilitary groups are engaged in ways and means of holding President Mahinda Rajapakse to ransom. Whatever Prabakaran wants to do with the Sri Lankan government is his business. But he should not use us for his political ends. He is using our people as his slaves to serve his politics. But we are here to stay and fight to rescue our people from his brutal politics that oppress our people. If he persists with these provocative tactics, then we will be forced in due course to dispense with our commitment to the unilateral ceasefire and confront him with our deep penetrating forces to dislodge Prabakaran from his fortified bunkers in Vanni.

 

When we realize the horrors of the oppressive regime of Prabakaran we have no option but to continue our struggle till we get rid of him. The international community and those engaged in peace talks must recognize the fact that fighting the oppressive regime of Prabakaran is the only path to peace and freedom for our people. Those who refuse to recognize this fact are hiding their heads in the sand.

 

We emphasize that we don’t have to recruit 15 - year - olds to fight our battles. We do not even know who Arulraj Senthilnathan of Punnaichcholai is. All documented evidence proves that this has been the practice of the LTTE. Partly to justify attacks on us and partly to blacken our image in the eyes of the international community the LTTE is throwing mud at us.

 

We are of the opinion that this young boy too must have been forcefully recruited and trained by the Vanni paramilitary group and subsequently prepared by relate cooked up stories against the TamilEela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal. It may work with some but the truth will prevail in the end as the sun rises in the east tomorrow.

 

Furthermore, please note that there is no need for us to recruit underage children in our striking force.

 

We have with us only those members who have joined us voluntarily who have vowed to chase out the Vanni paramilitary autocrat Prabakaran and his paramilitary cadres from our soil in the Eastern province.

 

It is the Vanni paramilitaries which forcefully abduct children in the east from schools, from the so called TRO run Tsunami relief centers which has been turned into a breeding ground for the conscription of the teenage boys and girls and also when they see youngsters in the road. After forcefully abducting them, these children are used to be given arms training.

 

It must be said very clearly that there is no need for us to forcefully conscript underage children to fight our battle.