President Mahinda Rajapakse and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa are learnt to have decided to crack down on paramilitary Karuna faction for ensuring normalcy in the east. The President and the DS took the hard line against Karuna after complaint was lodged to them that Karuna cadres are getting aggressive day by day to prevent people from supporting other Tamil political parties.

They made their assurance to deal with the Karuna faction in iron hand at the National Security Council meeting on Monday when EPDP leader and Minister Douglas Devananda insisted on the need to crackdown on Karuna following attacks on his political members in the east.

“Both the President and the Defence Secretary assured that the Karuna outfit will be dealt with. The Karuna faction continues to attack EPDP members in the east,” Minister Devananda told newsmen.

The EPDP held the Karuna group responsible for the killing of one of its members in Valaichchenai last week and Minister Devananda alleged the group made a similar attempt on EPDP political activists in the east over the weekend.

When contacted, a top leader of Karuna faction said they were not aware of the decision taken at the government’s Security Council meeting.

Sources in Batticaloa said that Karuna group, which enjoyed full support of government military forces till recent days, has warned people of dire consequence if they supported Tamil political parties other than Thamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), led by Karuna Amman.

Karuna men, with the identity of 'Sennen Padai', have also attached posters to walls in Batticaloa recently that contain same sort of warning.

Karuna group, although still denying the charge, are issuing threat against against support for the TNA, PLOTE, TULF and EPDP - four political parties planning to contest future polls in the east.

Although the TMVP or Karuna group denies any links with the posters or threat, but it is widely believed that the outfit led by Karuna Amman, which has a strong armed presence in the district, is attempting to forcibly discourage support for other Tamil political parties.

Comments (0)

Subscribe to this comment's feed