Colombo, Oct 14: Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga has warned that the government's reluctance to act against LTTE's activities in the east is helping the rebels strengthen their ranks and expand their "informal Eelam" from the north to the east. "An informal Eelam has already been established by the LTTE (in the north) and it is now heading for an eastern establishment," Kumaratunga said, addressing her party's trade union wing here yesterday.
She said Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe's government was taking little action against LTTE in deference to his ceasefire accord, but the rebels were repeatedly violating it, increasing their cadre and weaponry.
LTTE cadres had increased to 10,000 from around 6,000, while the government was pandering to the whims and fancies of the LTTE "betraying the people of the country," she said.

"We should not offer things in the name of peace that LTTE leader V Prabhakaran could not win through weapons and war," she said at the trade union wing rally.
Kumaratunga alleged LTTE was behind five major incidents in the east in recent months, apparently referring to LTTE-backed riots two months ago that mostly affected Muslims, attacks on an army camp by students in the north last month and a raid on a police establishment in Ampara district that led to seven Tamils being killed in police firing. Bureau Report