Jaffna people yearn for peace, says Ilamparithi By Frances Bulathsinghala

The Jaffna district LTTE political wing chief C. Ilamparithi said the EPDP was one of the biggest worries of the LTTE and he believed Jaffna has to be rid of this menace because one of the main problems with the EPDP was that it aids and abets the government's security forces. Turning more or less a deaf ear to questions on LTTE killings in Jaffna, in other areas of the northeast and in Colombo, the LTTE's Jaffna political chief focused instead on questions regarding the resettlement of Muslims and the reasons for LTTE taxation. The heavy taxes imposed by the LTTE on any Tamil (or non Tamil) for every item he purchased or brought into Jaffna, he claimed was necessary for the development of the Tamil people and added that the tax issue was used as a 'political boomerang' by forces opposed to the LTTE as a means of discrediting the organisation. Following is the full text of the interview given by the Jaffna district LTTE political wing chief to the Sunday Times: In your view how would you describe the present situation in Jaffna? The Jaffna people hope they can achieve their fundamental rights and an environment of peace. They are still suffering economically. The government has not done anything to improve their living standards. The military is still a threat to them. They hope military pressure on them will be reduced. What kind of military pressure are you speaking of? There are fifty-eight fishing jetties in the Jaffna district. Out of this only about twenty are allowed to operate by the Jaffna security forces. There is no freedom for fishing for the fisher-folk of Jaffna because of the strict security measures implemented by the Navy. The LTTE is also maintaining its own stringent security measures in the area before allowing people to enter the Jaffna peninsula, so is it not understandable that the security forces too would be adopting similar precautions especially at sea? These measures invariably affect the people of Jaffna. With regard to the security measures you undertake on land, could you comment on the need for the kind of heavy security precautions taken by the LTTE by way of meticulously screening all those who enter the Jaffna district? There are many government spies who come here. In the past two years this region has seen a large-scale infiltration by government intelligence officers. It is to prevent this type of infiltration that we are compelled to screen all visitors. But are not the Jaffna people also affected by these measures adopted by the LTTE? No. What about the repercussions in case the people are unable to pay taxes as specified by the LTTE? That is a different matter. There are tax exemptions for items such as school equipment. However isn't the tax charged in the first instance and a rebate if any is to be obtained later? Is that correct? Yes. These are the regulations. You spoke of the security forces obstructing the fishermen when they go out to sea. Aren't you aware that at present the biggest problem faced by the north east fishermen is from Indian fishing boats poaching in Sri Lankan waters, which is also posing a grave threat to the lives of fishermen in these areas? Yes. What has the LTTE done about this? A. We are not in a position to do anything. It is up to the Navy. However the fishermen's associations have spoken to the Tamil Nadu fishermen's society representatives but the problem still continues. Has not the LTTE on many occasions staged vociferous protests against issues arising between the people and the security forces? And since the Indian fishermen's issue is clearly affecting the people in the northeast, why have you not taken up the matter with the Indian High Commission and the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission? We have done what we could. It is often alleged that at present the LTTE has distanced itself from the ordinary Tamil citizen living in the northeast and in LTTE controlled areas as they are supposed to be undergoing many hardships. How do you respond to this? We deny this. This is baseless. What is the LTTE doing to improve the lives of the north east people and especially those living in Jaffna where the LTTE is now very clearly making its presence felt? We are in the process of setting up social groups in all areas of the Jaffna peninsula to create an awareness among the people about their rights. We also want them to be ever conscious of the Tamil struggle. Is this part of your political work in Jaffna? A. Yes. We have to change many things in the social context such as the issue of dowry. We are aware that there are certain classes who may be unhappy with the way we operate our political system. Since you admit that there may be those who would not fall in line with your regulations, does it mean that you are aware of a rift in Tamil opinion about your organisation? There is no rift as such. I was explaining about the commitment we require from the Tamil people. But we are aware that those opposing the LTTE are using the tax issue as a political boomerang. Some time ago Muslims and Sinhalese also lived in Jaffna before the LTTE sent them away at gunpoint. In today's context do you agree that Jaffna belongs to the Muslims and Sinhalese as well? Yes. We do not have anything against any Sinhalese or Muslims settling in Jaffna. They are free to buy land and make their homes here. They are free to settle in Jaffna or even Kilinochchi. Any Sri Lankan can settle in any part of Sri Lanka. So do you consider the Kilinochchi region, which you call the Tamil Eelam in placards placed at your police stations, the judiciary and banks as a part of Sri Lanka? Yes. But we do not agree to Sinhala colonization? Do you then mean that one person can buy land in the Northeast but that many cannot? No. What we mean is that we do not agree to colonization for Sinhala political purposes. So would you say that if the thousands of families who were chased away by the LTTE were to return then this would be Sinhala colonization? No. Regarding your verbal assurances regarding the resettlement of Muslims and Sinhalese what are you doing to put these assurances into practice? We have reassured the Muslims who are coming back that they are safe here. When necessary we have also seen to it that the houses of Muslims occupied by Tamils are cleared for the Muslims returning from the refugee camps to resettle in Jaffna. It is alleged by the Muslims who have returned to Jaffna that they find it impossible to stay on in Jaffna because of harassment by the LTTE. Do you have any comments? We do not agree with this. These are all statements made to slander the LTTE. What comments do you have to make on the string of murders of anti LTTE persons and the latest murder in Jaffna of former Pradeshiya Sabha member of the EPDP, Arul Prakash? It is up to the government to comment on these killings. They are happening in government-controlled areas. Yes, but these are people who oppose the LTTE and the LTTE stands accused of these murders that are taking place despite the ceasefire agreement signed between Velupillai Prabhakaran and former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. What are your comments on the common knowledge that the spate of assassinations carried out in Jaffna and other regions throughout the country is by your organisation? We have always denied this.