Tamil Eelam Makkalai Viduthalai Puligal (TMVP) has decided to suspend Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias Karuna Amman from its leadership, party sources said. Party's central committee met yesterday in Batticaloa under the operational leader of TMVP, Pilliyan to endorse the decision claiming that Karuna has made several financial irregualaties of party funds. He is alleged to have misappropriated some Rs.800 million and spent a sum of Rs.5.5 million monthly as his family expenses, according to the internal sources. Karuna Amman who broke the LTTE in early 2004 re- formed the TMVP party with the help of military and a section of the government. No immediate reaction was reported from Karuna Amman on the latest development in his party, as he is not in the country. it's also not clear whether the LTTE played any role behind the curtain in this latest unprecedented move.
Karuna left the country 2 weeks ago and is now in Scotland according to reliable sources.
Intelligence officials, who worked closely with both Karuna and Pilliyan were also tight lipped about the latest twist. Karuna had internal problem with his second in command Pilliyan early this year, but managed to patch up due to influences by influential figures closed to both parties.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Karuna has been sacked by TMVP
Last Ship Goes Under
The Sri Lanka Navy dispatched the LTTE's last remaining 'Floating Warehouse' to Davy Jones' Locker 1280 nautical miles off Sri Lanka. The exact location of the attack was near Cocos Island, Australia. The ship was transporting three light aircraft and a large consignment of artillery shells. The 9-member crew comprising only Sea Tigers sank with the ship. Two Navy OPVs and one Fast Missile Cruiser engaged in the attack. They were supprted by two other ships. One OPV carried a team of men from the elite Special Boat Squadron who were ready to board the ship on the high seas or to recover debris. The heat of the burning vessel prevented the team from getting close to the ship and all traces of the cargo vanished in the fire. The Navy believes that this was the last LTTE ship. It had obtained its lethal cargo from North Korea and East Asia.
The Navy also sank a 25 foot LTTE attack craft off Pulmudai several days ago while engaged in a rescue mission of trapped LTTE cadres in Nayaru, Trincomalee.