EROS ANNOUNCES IT WILL CARRY ARMS FOR THEIR OWN PROTECTION AND AGAINST HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

By Walter Jayawardhana

EROS, an anti-Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) group has announced that section of its members will carry arms for their own protection and prevent human rights violations like “the intimidation and forceful recruitment of children and adults” .

“Our armed wing will remain in operation until the day the LTTE decides to disarm and hand-over all their weapons to the authorities,” the Eelam Revolutionary Organization of Students said in a press statement published in a website called Tamil affairs .com

According to the press statement it will be the second group of militants who will be carrying arms against the LTTE. The TMVP or Karuna faction is already carrying arms against the LTTE.
The press statement said, recently, their group prevented, a LTTE connected Non Government Organization called Nectar from operating in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka.

The press statement said, “We take no pride in obstructing and preventing an NGO from conducting charitable work in our country so long as they are not linked to the LTTE or any other terrorist organisation.” The press release also revealed the names of the people who are involved with the alleged LTTE NGO.

While condemning the recent assasination of the Chief Buddhist priest Handungamuwe Nandaratana Thero the the press statement demanded the government should provide more protection to priests of all religions.

The following is the full statement issued by the EROS: “The assassination of Ven. Handungamuwe Nandarathana Thera was unnecessary and has been committed to further ignite racial tensions between the Tamil and Sinhalese communities. Our Tamil, Sinhalese and Muslim leaders of other parties representing our communities are reminded that this is the work of a movement that is hell-bound in causing death, more havoc and destruction in our country rather than working towards restoring peace, democracy and renouncing terrorism.

“The EROS humbly requests the Sri Lankan authorities to provide adequate protection to the religious priests of all communities and faiths so that they are not targeted and killed by these pistol wielding terrorists.

“We wish to declare that we have a large group of EROS members who are part of our newly formed armed wing based in the East now. This wing comes under the direct command of Mr Sakthikumaran and Mr Rajanadhan Prabaharan under the supervision of our General Committee who include Mr. Nesan Shankar Raji and other appointed senior EROS politburo members.

“Our organisation has had no other option but to re-form and re-group this armed wing as a result of threats from the LTTE and the sufferings faced by our community and fellow Sinhalese, Muslim and Christian brethren. This was a tough decision to make as we have no joy in carrying weapons and had no intension of carrying weapons before other than for the protection of our members and senior leaders. We admit that it is may not be right to carry weapons but we have no other option given the circumstances and threats being faced which we believe is justifiable. Furthermore we believe that we are capable of handling our weapons and will only use them for its intentional purpose being protection and the safety of our members and innocent civilians seeking our assistance.

“Our armed wing and its members are committed to safeguarding the interests of our people and the Sri Lankan community. Our armed wing will remain in operation until the day the LTTE decides to disarm and hand-over all their weapons to the authorities. Our senior leaders are awaiting instructions and authorisation from the GOSL and the Ministry of Defence in order for us to commence our peace keeping operations in the East and North.

“We will not tolerate the human rights of our people being violated and those that target individuals of all our communities to ignite racial tensions amongst ourselves. The people living in the East and North and other areas must be rescued and freed from further human rights violations and the EROS is committed to assisting the Sri Lankan government and its forces in liberating our people”.

“Recently we being the EROS have been instrumental in stopping and preventing the pro-LTTE NGO “Nectar” from operating in the East. This NGO was established by pro-LTTE activists Mr Velupillai Kuhanendran, Mr Ravi Sundaralingam and their associates based in the UK and other countries. The reason behind our decision to stop this NGO from operating in the East is purely to do with the NGO’s links with the LTTE and the refusal of the NGO and its members to disassociate itself and its members to severe their links with the LTTE. The TMVP also backs the decision not allow “Nectar” to operate in the East.

“The “Nectar” Board of Directors consist of: Prof S. Ganesan,the Chair; V. Kuhanendran, Vice Chair; M. Baladasan, Vice Chair; C.Kaendran, T.Kirupakaran (Kirupa); R. Kanagaretnam (Ganesh); V. Jeyamurugan (Velu); R.S. Rajendra. The organisation is serviced by a team of experienced Consultants: Prof. S. Pathmanathan, Dr.M. Pathinathan, and D. Peiris, H. Fernando, and Miss. Janaki Kuhanendran. “Nectar” banks with HSBC, Colombo 1, and KRESTON MNS and Co., a leading accountancy firm in Sri Lanka, act as its auditors.

“We take no pride in obstructing and preventing an NGO from conducting charitable work in our country so long as they are not linked to the LTTE or any other terrorist organisation.”