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| Wednesday, 3 March 2004 |
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Politics | |
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| EPDP activist slain: US, Japan condemn killing An EPDP activist was gunned down in Valachchenai on Monday night, increasing the elections death toll to two. Ponnaiah Yogendran was shot by unidentified gunmen believed to be from the LTTE while he was going home after finishing work at his political office across the road, police said. Earlier, on Sunday Sinnathamby Sunderampillai (65), a UNP candidate for the Batticaloa District, was gunned down by suspected LTTE gunmen. He was the first casualty of the 2004 elections campaign. The latest victim, Yogendran, was actively campaigning for the EPDP in the Valachchenai town in the run up to the April 2 General Election. Both killings are suspected to be the work of the LTTE. "He succumbed to the three gunshot injuries," Valachchenai OIC H.K.D. Podimahathaya said of Yogendran's killing. Meanwhile, the IGP has decided to increase police protection for all non-TNA candidates in the North East contesting the elections. Candidates of Political parties other than the TNA yesterday blamed the latter for creating a situation that placed their lives at risk. "TNA members should take the full responsibility for the two political killings in Batticaloa," a candidate told the Daily News on condition of anonymity. "Since TNA candidate Joseph Pararajasingham claimed that the TNA is the sole representative of the LTTE, he should take the full responsibility for the two killings," he charged. Asked if they will be seeking any additional protection in view of the current killings the candidate's response was "what's the use"?. The LTTE is actively supporting the TNA and was closely involved in the selection of its candidates. The LTTE has requested that polls be held in areas under its control. Meanwhile, the United States and Japan have condemned the killing of Batticaloa district UNP candidate Sinnathamby Sunderampillai. US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher in a media release, stated that although no one has claimed responsibility for the crime, recent statements by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam were clearly intended to discourage Tamil candidates of whom they did not approve. "We reiterate the call made by the donor co-chairs of the Tokyo process during their meeting in Washington on February 17 that parliamentary elections be conducted in an atmosphere free of political violence," he said. He urged the LTTE to act responsibly during and after the election campaign. Violent actions of this sort raise doubts about their commitment to a political solution and illustrate why the Tamil Tigers remain on the US list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations (FTO), he noted. "The United States calls on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam to renounce terrorism and cease terrorist acts, including political assassination, and to comply with the terms of the ceasefire agreement they signed," Boucher said in the statement. The Japanese Ambassador in Sri Lanka too has expressed deep concern over Monday's killing of an election candidate in the run up to next month's poll. The Japanese Ambassador Akio Suda said they deplore and condemn the undemocratic assassination of the Batticaloa District candidate, Sinnathambi Sundarampillai. "As a Co-Chair of the Tokyo Donor conference, we also joined in issuing a statement at the Washington review meeting on February 17, calling upon all parties concerned to support a free and fair election in the country, devoid political violence and killings," Ambassador Suda said. |
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