Karuna goes wild

Law enforcement authorities in Batticaloa and other parts of the Eastern Province are allegedly turning a ‘blind eye’ to the continuous complaints been made against the Karuna faction, also known as the Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP).
Sources speaking to The Nation on condition of anonymity disclosed that Karuna cadres are running riot in many parts of the East. Karuna cadres are said to be taking ‘virtual’ control of everything. It is intimidating the public in those areas with the intention of instilling a fear psychosis in the area.
“The situation was not this bad even when the LTTE was openly and actively operating in the province,” a source alleged.
The Nation reliably learns that despite several leading political parties in the Batticaloa district taking up this issue with the Batticaloa Senior Superintendent of Police, Maxi Proctor and other respective law enforcement officers, they have failed to address this growing problem.
“On Thursday Karuna cadres allegedly kidnapped two 16 year old boys. However, the parents of the boys did not go to the police, because they know if went and made a formal complaint, the police will not take any action against the culprits. Apart from that the families of the victims have to undergo severe trauma in forms of intimidation and harassment by the cadres,” the sources said.
Apart from encroaching lands belonging to civilians, the cadres have also commenced taking ransom, mainly from Tamil populated villages, The Nation learns.
Sources also said that following the school holidays, parents have begun to hide their children to safeguard them from being forcefully recruited by Karuna cadres. Karuna Cadres are said to be forcefully recruiting boys, taking them to their cadre-base and training them as combatants.
“The Karuna faction, which boasts of protecting the Tamils in the eastern province from the clutches of the Tigers, is just like the LTTE, if not far worse,” a source added.
Most vitimised families have now stopped complaining to the Police. They claim that when complaints are made to the police, details of those who make the complaints are leaked to the Karuna cadres. These families get intimidated and harassed by the Karuna cadres as a result.
Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission in its weekly report, which ended on July 29, states that the SLMM has received several complaints regarding extortion and harassment by the so-called Karuna group in Batticaloa and Ampara. It is also reported that the Karuna group summoned people to their offices for questioning. The General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 23 Division in Batticaloa district has told the SLMM that it was a requirement to disarm the Karuna group in order to restore normalcy in the east.”

(http://www.nation.lk/2007/08/05/news10.htm)