Colombo, Sept 20: Tamil Tiger rebels have firmly denied they were setting up new camps in Trincomlee with an aim to attack the north-eastern district and said there was no danger to the Indian oil company facilities located there. Reacting to the charges levelled by former foreign minister Lakshman Kadirgamar in New Delhi last month, Tigers' Trincomalee leader Pathuman told reporters that "LTTE wants to take forward the peace process, thwarting all attempts by the anti-peace elements, which are now very active in derailing the peace process by spreading baseless and unfounded allegations,".

Kadirmagar was sent to New Delhi by Kumaratunga's People's Alliance (PA) to warn India that the rebels were preparing to attack Trincomalee and that Indian oil company facilities there were in danger.
Later, Kadirgamar told reporters here that he believed New Delhi had gone into "sleepy mode" after failing to secure a favourable response from the Indian authorities.

Pathuman also denied that the LTTE was involved in killing of members of the rival Eelam People Democratic Party (EPDP) and the Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (EPRLF).

He said the killing of EPDP and EPRLF members are taking place in Sri Lankan government controlled areas and not in LTTE controlled areas. "We are only answerable if the killings of members of these groups took place in our controlled areas," Pathuman said.

Bureau Report