Money collected in Europe and North America by the LTTE for terrorist activities are banked in Denmark and Norway – Colonel Karuna Amman.

Money collected for terrorism activities in Sri Lanka are banked in the monetary institutions in Denmark and Norway alleges Colonel Karuna Amman, in an interview he gave to the London based Thamil Broadcasting Corporation an independent Radio station on 10 of July in the Tamil language.

Karuna Amman alleged that Norway Government has helped the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam with banking the money collected from the expatriates Tamils and from other questionable sources, intended to be used in the future for violent terrorist activities against the Government and the people of Sri Lanka.

Full text of the interview with Venayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Colonel Karuna Amman that was aired over the London based Thamil Broadcasting Corporation on 10 July is given below. The interview was conducted by V.Ramaraj, Program Director of the TBC:

Vanakam - News reports are emerging as you are living under the army protection. What are you going to say about this?

This is wrong information. We are staying in our own district and undertaking our work. It is wrong to say that we are under the Army’s protection.

Particularly in the Batticaloa district, lot of assassinations had taken place. News reports are emerging that your group people jointly with the army intelligence were involved in these killings. Tell us your comments about this?

This is wrong information. There is no connection between us and the Sri Lankan army. We have sent many of our cadres back to their homes. Prabakaran group is involved in the violence and attack against them. Therefore those cadres who are with the weapons are retaliating back. The fanatic killings of Prabakaran are being staged now. This fanaticism continues from the killings beginning with Rajan Sathiyamoorthy up to Sivarasa. We are aware that there are some incidents against that killing freak let loose by the Prabakaran group.

What do you think of the killing of the journalist Nadesan?

With that murder we have no connection. This incident was undertaken by Prabakaran group and the blame was laid on us. Lecturer Thambiah’s assassination was undertaken by Pottu Amman group. The Vanni group is rocking the cradle as well as pinching the baby.

It was alleged that you are raising the Batticaloa regional cry?

We are not raising any issues connected with regionalism. It is Prabakaran who is fermenting it. We are only struggling for the rights of our people in the East. Without accepting this Prabakaran is letting loose military actions and genocides in the Eastern region. As an initial step in the Kathiraveli village nearly 75 women cadres were killed and buried, The mass graves against this freakish killing fanaticism of Prabakaran is there. Prabakaran the man involves with genocides and so far the people in the Eastern province and the people in the North have not accepted him as a leader. In the last 20 years in the battle we fought on behalf of the people, we had lost more than 5,000 of our cadres. Now we plan to come under the democratic streamline. We intend to organize a democratic political party and intend to take steps to win the rights of our people. We wish to give key positions to the people from the North.

You announce that you intend organizing a political party. Have you started taking action and the name of the party?

We have decided on the name it as “Democratic - Tamil Eelam Liberation Tigers”. We have already completed initial organization works. We will register the party soon and conduct a press conference once it is registered.

Regarding Muslims, especially the Muslims of the North, what is the position you are adopting?

The important thing is that the right of Muslims has to be safeguarded. In the Eastern region all three ethnic groups are living. There is a necessity to work with them together. In the future all the ethnic groups must coexist happily in the Tamil Elam enjoying equal rights and status. This is our contention.

In the past it seems that you too was involved in issues connected with the Muslims. What is your comment about this issue?

We have no connection at all in this issue. It is only Prabakaran, the one who is anti-Muslim and involved in their killings. The biggest incident in the whole world occurred only in Jaffna. Prabakaran chase the Muslims through Kilali only with shopping bags in their hands. After the commencement of my issue, there were no incidents against the Muslims in the East. They live happily. It was Prabakaran who autocratically did the ethnic cleansing.

Earlier you have participated in the Peace Talks for more than six times. Every time, whenever you met the media you have told that there was marked improvement in the Talks. But the talks did not move after certain stage. Can you tell us the true position of the Talks?

In fact Prabakaran was not at all keen about the talks. He made use of the talks as an opportunity to get down lethal weapons and to amass funds from the expatriate Tamils. Whenever we met him, he did not show any interest regarding the Talks. He showed keen interest in purchasing arms and in the purchase of foreign goods for his wife and children. You would have already read in the papers that even Thamilselvan who attended the peace Talks as Prabakaran’s dummy, use to carry several bag loads of things from foreign countries to Prabakaran and to t his favorite commanders. Peace Talks was a drama arranged by Prabakaran. At present Sri Lanka Government announced of finding a final solution to the conflict, even then Prabakaran had not shown any interest. The People in the Tamil Eelam underwent untold hardships for the last twenty years and wait for a final solution. Prabakaran is obstructing the final solution. He is not a peace loving person. By announcing that we will talk about th........ At this juncture, I wish to appeal to People Thamil Eelam: Please get back your children from the Prabakaran and his gang. Prabakaran remains very weak and susceptible now. It is certain he will meet his end soon.

What are the ways available to stop the killings that is going on at present in the Eastern province.

For this, the solution is only with Prabakaran. At first the extremist activities undertaken by him should be stopped. Peoples’ frustration and opposition against this are gradually growing. At present there are weapons available all over in the Eastern province. Whenever Prabakaran gang let loose extremism, then the people were compelled to make use of those weapons. Initially the gang belonging to Prabakarn must come forward to put a halt to this. Otherwise, people has to take up arms and fight against them.

There are conflicting reports that Batticaloa – Amparai districts are under the control of the Vanni Tigers, but the reports that received from your side says that the region is under your control. Which is the true position?

The true fact is that they are unable to organize a legislative set-up to control the entire region. Earlier there were 6,000 cadres who involved in the administration of the sprawling Batticaloa – Amparai region. Now they are left with just 300 of them. In many places our members are moving around freely. Administrative set up in this region is completely disrupted and this the true situation.

What is the position in Trincomalee?

Cadres in Trincomalee remain sad, dejected and worried. Up to now their Commander Pathuman is kept under house arrest. The officers from Trincomalee were removed and they have brought officers from the North. Prabakaran was able to stage such freakish regional madness in Trincomalee.

Recently in the village of Iluppanchenai two youths were executed alleging that they are members belonging to your group. What do you wish to say about this?

As I told you earlier, this the madness let loose by the Prabakaran’s gang. Two innocent youths were unnecessarily summarily executed. People of Illupanchenai had participated in the Tamil struggle in a very big way. Those extra-judicial killings had created tension in the area. I wish to console those people by saying that soon we will bring this to an end.

Reports are being received that media personnel, especially those coming from Colombo, are being threatened by your people. What do you wish to say about this?

We appeal to the meadia people to write only the truth and the true situation. Don’t try to distort in favor of Prabakaran. Kindly understand and respect the feelings and sentiments of the people in the East and write about it. Many medias came up with the news that I have fled to a foreign country. Kindly do not write similar false propaganda let loose by Prabakaran. This is what we wish to request the media personnel.

Recently, a Human Rights Unit was set up in the Vanni, what do you wish to say about this?

This is the biggest joke. How can a man like Prabakaran who is involved with extra-judicial killings could come forward to open up a human rights unit and this amount to shedding crocodile tears.

At the same time when they open up the Human Rights division over there, here in the East - Sivarasa ,a father three children was summarily executed by them. This is a deceptive ploy to hoodwink the international community.

In conclusion what do you wish to say to the people of the North and East?

We are not opposed to the Tamil nationalism. We respect it. But Prabakarn group is making a calculated propaganda against us as we are people opposing Tamil nationalism and traitors of the nation. Actually the charge of perfidy could only be included with the activities of Prabakaran. He was involved with numerous murders.

We believe that we can win back our rights only through a democratic process. We are not interested in going back to an arms struggle any further and to meet again with distructions and disruptions. I wish to appeal to the Tamil living abroad. That the Vanni Group is exploiting your hard earned money to safeguard and ascertain their welfare. These e fund are being kept in the banks and other monetary institutions in Denmark and Norway. Even Norway Government has helped in this matter. Kindly do not place trust anymore and get disappointed.

(Asian Tribune -2004-07-1 ,
http://www.asiantribune.com/show_article.php?id=1602)

The interview with Colonel Karuna Amman was conducted in Tamil. The English translation is unofficial.