LTTE Elements in Upcountry with Police Patronage

“Many youth would like to support Tamil Eelam because they are worried about the country's political system. Some of the top level LTTE cadres have been living in some of our areas. They are successfully preaching on the LTTE’s way of liberation to Tamil youth.”

By: Our Defence Correspondent

(November, 26, Badulla, Sri Lanka Guardian)

A shocking report of increased LTTE activity under police protection was heard while we visited the Upcountry area a few days ago. Our visit covered Haton, Badulla, Bandarawela, Nuwaraeliya, Ragala, and Udapussellawa. The story is the same everywhere. This is an area of Sri Lanka where Tamils preponderate and maintain close friendship with the Sinhalese majority of the Country.

The area is beautiful and the people live without fear for their lives compared to the war affected areas in the country. Indeed they enjoy life. The area became a relative paradise after Black July. The catastrophe of racist violence in Sri Lanka has been on the wane since the early 90s. The Upcountry had become a particularly peaceful area, free even of the bombs and killings that periodically wracked Colombo.

“The area is beautiful and the people live without fear for their lives compared to the war affected areas in the country. Indeed they enjoy life. The area became a relative paradise after Black July. The catastrophe of racist violence in Sri Lanka has been on the wane since the early 90s.”

However, the situation has been changing a little by little as the area was transformed into an LTTE dominant area. Hundreds of LTTE cadres were moving in and locals recruited without any problem.

Our sources claim that known LTTE cadres travel in the area without any obstacles.
According Perumal, a retired government servant, “Many youth would like to support Tamil Eelam because they are worried about the country's political system. Some of the top level LTTE cadres have been living in some of our areas. They are successfully preaching on the LTTE’s way of liberation to Tamil youth.”

“Some youth also went to LTTE controlled areas and took weapons training. Parents do not know of these developments as they believe that their children are seeking new jobs in Colombo,” he added.

Furthermore, LTTE cadres in the Upcountry have been involved in random kidnappings and various anti-social activities, he said.

“These persons have been arrested so many times by the Police but they were always released in the following days without any punishment. They are responsible for so many robberies, attempted murders and murders in the area." Photo: Ravi Chandran

Meanwhile, some elements in the Upcountry police are also supporting the LTTE elements due to financial support from Wanni. The Badulla police are especially noted for this by locals. Even some at officer-level in the area strongly offer support to the LTTE because of personal enmities or benefits.

Two of the most important LTTE persons have been involved with many crimes in Badulla. One cannot walk about some of the places in Badulla after 7.00 O’clock in the evening because of this. Police in Badulla have recorded some of the largest crime figures within one day. But the reaction or investigation by police for the crimes has been scandalously slow. Following their arrests, some of these most dangerous parsons were released on bail within a few hours by the Police in Badulla.

Raman Ravi Chandran who is in living at the address No 12 Laime, Elakaluwapan, New Phase, Hali Ela, and Welaudan Balamurali who is at Office Junction , Nil Amba , Galaha are two of the most important elements of the LTTE who have led so many crimes in the area including killing of innocent persons.

According the neighbours of both of them, "These persons have been arrested so many times by the Police but they were always released in the following days without any punishment. They are responsible for so many robberies, attempted murders and murders in the area."

Said a neighbour, “They have lots of money but they do not hold any obvious job that is paying them.”

"These two persons are strongly allied with the intelligence net work of the LTTE and they have had good weapons training under the LTTE," a Tamil youth living near Ravichandran's home told the Sri Lanka Guardian.

Both these criminal have visited LTTE controlled areas once a month to share new developments in the area with new intelligence records, sources said.

The peaceful situation in the area has been deteriorating as the power of the LTTE in the area is ascendant. People in the area know very well about the elements of the LTTE and who they are. But security persons do not seem to be countering these fearful developments in any way.