KP hits out at TNA

18 September 2013 10:47 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 43 Bookmark

CHATURANGA PRADEEP SAMARAWICKRAMA Follow

A A A

While claiming that the election manifesto of the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) had stronger demands than the Wadukkodai Resolution and was harmful for the country, former LTTE arms procurer Kumaran Pathmanathan alias KP today accused the TNA of obstructing the immediate release of most of the LTTE suspects in custody.

“They (TNA) demand of the authorities not to release those senior ex-LTTE members in government custody fearing they would not be able to engage in politics openly,” Pathmanathan told a packed media conference held at the Sencholai Children’s Home in Kilinochchi, which he was supervising.

He said he had managed to get some of the former LTTEers released from government judicial custody over the past few years. “I will try my best to get the remaining members released after fair trial, but the only problem is the TNA,” he charged.

Pathmanathan described the TNA election manifesto as doing more harm than good to the country. “It is a mix of both the Wadukkodai Resolution and the proposals put forward by the LTTE delegation in Oslo,” he said, adding that “it is not what the country needs now.”

He said India as the neighboring country did not want to divide Sri Lanka. “India wanted to implement the 13th Amendment to the Constitution in a united Sri Lanka; they do not need separatism in Sri Lanka,” he said.

Pathmanthan also accused the TNA Chief Ministerial candidate for the Northern Provincial Council elections C.V. Wigneswaran of giving maximum punishment to LTTE suspects who were found guilty, while he was the presiding judge.

“Although he was a Tamil Judge he has given the maximum punishment to those ex-LTTEers, more so than the Sinhalese Judges,” Pathmanathan accused and added “now he is talking about the rights of the former LTTEers, merely to win the election.”

He also accused TNA Leader R. Sampanthan and TULF leader V. Ananda Sangaree of playing double games. “A few years ago, Mr. Sangaree termed the LTTE as terrorists but now he calls them heroes. Also, Mr. Sampanthan praised the LTTE before 2009 but later he claimed he was in the hit-list of the LTTE, so what are these double standards?” he asked. (A.P. Mathan in Kilinochchi)