The Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP) has refuted the assumption the LTTE has been completely wiped out from the East and notes that it will be suicidal for the outfit to disarm at this moment.TMVP spokesman, Azad Moulana says while the LTTE does not have areas under its control in the East, it still has isolated pocket groups which are ready to strike at any given time on military or political targets.
“Our military outfit is operating in the jungles and not in civilian areas. We need to protect ourselves from the LTTE constantly until they are completely brought under control. It will be suicidal for us to disarm right now. In the meantime we will continue with our political work in a democratic manner without using any weapons,” Moulana told the Daily Mirror.
UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, in a statement over the weekend, had said it was unfair to take away the security of SLMC Leader, Rauff Hakeem and allow the TMVP Leader to hold arms.
The TMVP spokesman however said the UNP need not fear the arms of the outfit and assured that it would not be used during the upcoming provincial polls in the East.
“The Batticaloa local government election was a good example. We did not use arms to intimidate anyone and we won the polls democratically,” Moulana added.
Moulana reiterated the TMVP had no intention of holding onto its weapons for long and would give it up at the right time when it felt the suitable environment prevailed for such a move.
However despite Moulana’s claims that the outfit does not carry arms in civilian areas there were reports earlier this month that a TMVP official had fired in the air in an attempt to quell tensions that had arisen in Kalmunai between some fishermen and the TMVP.
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) had also last week accused President Mahinda Rajapaksa of using the TMVP to forcibly garner Tamil votes from the province.
Party leader, R. Sampandan had charged the President hopes to implement his ‘insidious political agenda’ at the upcoming election through the visible or invisible fire and muscle power of the TMVP and government armed forces.
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