Batticaloa residents refuse to rent their buildings to LTTE.

Tamil Tigers popularity in the East is beginning to wane, as residents in the government controlled areas have began to resist all forms of bullying by the gun-toting Tiger cadres.

According to report emerging from Batticalao, it is learnt that house owners in the district capital has said very clearly and with finality that they will not give their houses on rent or on lease to be used by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam, either as their political offices or as election offices, despite the usual threat and intimidation forthcoming from the Tiger cadres.

It is the first time, the Tamil Tigers are beginning to learn to digest "No" as an answer to their threats and intimidation, a source in the East told to "Asian Tribune."

It was alleged that TamilEela Makal Viduthai Pulikal led by Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Colonel Karuna has warned the house owners in the Batticaloa not to rent either their houses or buildings to the LTTE.

Further it was reported that only due to threat extended by Karuna’s group, residents of the Batticaloa districts are refusing to rent out their buildings to the LTTE.

When "Asian Tribune" contacted Thooyavan, the spokesman of the TMVP he denied those allegations "baseless and preposterous."

He clarified that residents in the Batticala districts are beginning to understand the atrocities and killings so far let loose by the Vanni Tigers against TamilEela Makal Viduthai Pulikal led by their leader Colonel Karuna.

He said, "one year ago on 25 July 2004 Lt. Colonel Kuhanes, Castro, Kesawan , a total of our eight members all from Batticaloa were cowardly killed by the Vanni Tigers while they were asleep. They were drugged by one turncoat Thamanan of Santhiveli, before being killed cowardly.”

"Again," he said, "on 23 September 2004 Sivanesathurai alias Colonel Reggie, Lt. Colonel Elilan and Lt. Colonel Thumilan and two others were cowardly killed by the Vanni Tigers in a jungle hideout location linked with Vadamunai, nearly 10 kilometers away from Mannampittya in the Batticaloa district whilst asleep."

He added that all these killings have gradually begun to sink in their hearts and mind that Vanni Tigers are killing and maiming the Tamils and Tamil speaking people of the East, who are with Colonel Karuna.

(http://www.asiantribune.com/show_news.php?id=17209)

Thooyavan further emphasized that no one should think that the people of the East are morons. "They are beginning understand that we TamilEela Makal Viduthai Pulikal are mainly from the East and are going to be with them and will be safeguarding them against the threats and intimidations of the Vanni Tigers."

Thooyavan said that recently in an interview Colonel Karuna has said very clearly "Our people ... have entrusted us to defend them from the LTTE. Our people will not like us to become submissive and just hand over our weapons to satisfy the LTTE brutes."

Thoyavan clarified:"This idea which began to sink within them is gradually emboldening them to resist the threats and intimidations of the Vanni Tigers."