Tamil parties divided on LTTE contesting elections
[13 Mar 2000]

Eelam People's Democratic Party (EPDP) leader Douglas Devananda reacting to unconfirmed reports regarding possible entry of the LTTE to forthcoming general elections said that the LTTE would eradicate whoever would give priority to the Tamil people, since the LTTE leader has his own personal agenda, and that was why he eliminated Mr. Kumar Ponnambalam.

Devananda said he believed that the LTTE would not enter the political mainstream. "Even if they come we will have no problem because it is the people who will decide finally whom to elect. Even in the peace process".

"But those who will stand for the LTTE will be in trouble and sometimes will have to pay the supreme penalty as well. When you look at the late Mr. Kumar Ponnambalm's case, as far as the EPDP is concerned it is the LTTE who killed him. They have killed two birds with one stone. He was executed by them as Mr. Kumar wanted to jump nine feet, when Prabhakaran wanted him to jump only one foot. We, those who came through the same process, only know how he will act," he added.

Former Chief Minister of the now defunct North-East Provincial Council Mr. A. Varatharaja Perumal said that as far as the LTTE is concerned, getting into the political mainstream is somewhat equal to committing suicide, because it goes against their grain.

"Majority or minority, there is a section of the people who are definitely going to vote against the LTTE which would certainly hinder their claim of being the sole representatives of the Tamil people".

However, Tamil Eelam Liberation Organization (TELO), Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) and People's Liberation Organisaton of Tamil Eelam (PLOTE) welcomed any move of the LTTE into the political mainstream.

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