The violence in the East continued yesterday with three more killings in Batticaloa, Eravur and Valachchenai, police said.
In Batticaloa, a former LTTE member identified as T. Tirubasewaran (36) was shot dead before dawn yesterday while he was waiting for a bus to get to Colombo airport and get away to Germany.
Batticaloa headquarters inspector Duncan Paul said Mr. Tirubasewaran had been threatened earlier and was trying to flee to Germany when two gunmen came on a motorbike and killed him.
In Eravur, 26-year-old Elian Ilangeswaran -- believed to be a member of the Karuna faction -- was allegedly abducted by the LTTE and shot dead in Vakarai, Inspector D. Ratnayake said.
In Valachchenai Sivarasan Ravindran -- also believed to be a member of the Karuna faction -- was shot dead allegedly by LTTE cadres.
Valachchenai Inspector M. K. Daramawardene said Mr. Ravindran, a businessman, was going to the bank when he was shot dead.
Meanwhile the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) yesterday condemned the recent killings in the east as senseless and barbaric. But urged the government and the LTTE to maintain the Ceasefire Agreement.
"We condemn these barbaric and cowardly acts in the strongest possible terms," the SLMM said in a statement.
It said the violence had raised serious fears and created uncertainty around the country disrupting the peaceful life of Sri Lankans.
The SLMM urged the government and the LTTE not to let these acts of violence damage the Ceasefire Agreement.
"We strongly recommend that both sides unite in an effort to do all in their power to prevent these senseless attacks," the SLMM said.
The SLMM said it was conducting its own inquiries but it was the responsibility of the police to bring the killers to justice. The SLMM said it was only a monitor and would not conduct police investigations.
(http://www.dailymirror.lk/2005/03/09/front/3.asp)
