TRO’s Executive Director competes for vacuum LTTE leadership

(August 23, Oslo, Sri Lanka Guardian) Following the defeat of the LTTE, the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) Executive Director K P Reggie is said to have thrown his hat into the leadership battle that is raging behind the scene in Europe. The Oslo based Nediyavan who was the second in command of Veerakathi Manivannan alias Castro is said to be the other contestant.

Reggie, an asylum claimant in the United Kingdom, is said to be exerting his authority through a section of the British Tamil Forum (BTF). Publicity shying Reggie due to his immigration status, is exerting his authority with sheer force on the grounds that he was very close to the LTTE hierarchy.

Sources in the British Tamil Forum (BTF) said that real BTF leadership is unable to extricate themselves from the heavy pressures of Reggie and Nediyavan. Reggie is said to have the overriding authority due to his wide exposure including his handshake with the former US President Bill Clinton few years ago.

There are also speculations that battle for the leadership of the LTTE lead to the arrest of KP in Malaysia as the competing parties had passed information about KP’s whereabouts to the authorities in Sri Lanka.

In a further development, following complaints to the Norwegian police by a person opposing Nediyavan, he was said to be arrested and interrogated for few hours two weeks ago and was allowed to go free.

-Sri Lanka Guardian