- Kousalyan killed in ambush by Sri Lanka Paramilitary
[TamilNet, February 07, 2005]
Mr. E. Kousalyan, head of the Liberation Tigers' political division for Batticaloa-Amparai district was killed in an ambush on the highway to Batticaloa 7 February 2005, Monday night around 7.45, Sri Lanka military sources said. Three persons who were travelling with him were killed and four were injured including two policemen in the attack which took place between Sri Lanka army garrisons at Welikanda and Punanai, northwest of Battialoa, according to the SLA. Mr. Kousalyan was traveling with Mr. Ariyanayagam Chandra Nehru, former TNA MP for Amparai district, who was seriously injured in the ambush.
Mr. Kousalyan is the most senior LTTE official to be killed after Colombo and Tigers signed a cease fire in February 2002.
He was returning from Vanni after discussing the expansion plans for Tsunami rehabiltation in the east, LTTE sources said. The military identified two of the dead as Mathimaran and Kumanan, both members of the LTTE. The injured policemen were providing escort to Mr. Chandra Nehru's vehicle. Liberation Tigers blamed paramilitary operatives working with the Sri Lankan armed forces for the attack. Meanwhile, LTTE officials in Kilinochchi scotched rumours that Mr. S. Thamilenthi, Head of LTTE's FInancial Division, was among the killed in the ambush. "Mr. Thamilenthi is in Kilinochchi", one of them said.LTTE officials added that Mr. Kousalyan was accompanied by Vinothan, Puhalan, Senthamil and Nithimaran in his journey Monday from Kilinochchi to Batticaloa.
- UN Secretary-General condemns the killings of Kousalyan and colleagues
[TamilNet, February 09, 2005]
The UN Secretary-General on Tuesday condemned the killings of Mr. E. Kaushalyan, a senior political leader of the LTTE Eastern Province Division, and several colleagues traveling with him, said a UN statement extending Kofi Annan's sincere condolences and deepest sympathies to the families of all the victims. The Secretary-General urged all parties to exercise calm and restraint so as to avoid actions that could disrupt the Cease-fire Agreement of February 2002 or the long-term interest of peace in Sri Lanka.
Full text of the UN statement follows:
"New York, 8 February 2005 - Statement Attributable to the Spokesman for the Secretary-General on Sri Lanka
"The Secretary-General condemns the killings of Mr. E. Kaushalyan, a senior political leader of the LTTE Eastern Province Division, and several colleagues traveling with him, when their vehicle came under attack yesterday evening. He extends his sincere condolences and deepest sympathies to the families of all the victims of these callous killings.
"The Secretary-General urges all parties to exercise calm and restraint so as to avoid actions that could disrupt the Cease-fire Agreement of February 2002 or the long-term interest of peace in Sri Lanka."
- Colombo cannot disclaim responsibility for Kausalyan killing- TNA
[TamilNet, February 09, 2005]
The killings of LTTE Political Head for Batticaloa and Amparai districts Mr.E.Koushalyan, TNA former parliamentarian Mr.A. Chandra Nehru and four others on February 7 raise question as to "how such an attack was carried in an area, which has a strong Armed Forces presence. The question also arises as to who could have carried out such an attack without being deterred by the strong presence of Armed Forces," said Mr.R.Sampanthan, TNA parliamentary group leader in a statement made in parliament Wednesday morning, parliamentary sources said.
The full text of the statement follows: -
"Mr. Speaker,
I seek you leave to move the adjournment of parliament for the purpose of raising the hereinafter-stated matter of urgent public importance.
1. The former TNA Member of parliament for the Amparai district Mr.Ariyanayagam Chandra Nehru, Mr.E.Koushalyan, the political leader of the LTTE for the Batticaloa and Amparai districts, three other LTTE cadres, and the driver of the vehicle in which the aforesaid persons travelled towards Batticaloa were shot and killed on 7th February 2005 around 7.45 p.m. at Pilaiyarady between Welikanda army camp and the Punnanai army camp, on the Pollonnorawa-Batticaloa road. One other LTTE cadre and two police officers who travelled in the same vehicle were injured.
2. This attack occurred in government-controlled territory in the Pollonnorawa district within the North Central Province. The following army camps exist along the main road leading to Batticaloa in close proximity to, and not too far from the scene of attack. (a) The Minneriya army camp (b) The Welikanda army camp (c) The Punnanai army camp; within the Pollonnorawa district and, (d) the Navallady army camp (c) The Valaichchenai army camp; within the Batticaloa district.
The said attack as stated earlier occurred between the Welikanda and the Punnanai army camps both of which are situated in the Pollonnorawa district. Substantial Army personnel man the aforesaid camps. Between the aforesaid army camps are several army posts also manned by army personnel.
3. This attack was clearly planned and pre-arranged. Several persons have participated in the attack, and the victims were properly targeted.
4. Other than the two police officers, none of others who travelled in the vehicle were armed. There is no evidence to suggest that there was an exchange of gunfire. The conclusion is irresistible that un-armed persons were shot and killed
5. The question arises as to how such an attack was carried in an area, which has a strong Armed Forces presence. The question also arises as to who could have carried out such an attack without being deterred by the strong presence of Armed Forces in the said area. The government cannot disclaim responsibility for an attack, which has occurred in government-controlled territory with a strong Armed Forces presence. These factors have raised serious questions in the public mind in regard to the role and/or the complicity of the government and its Armed Forces in the attack.
6. This attack is clearly aimed at destabilising the peace process. It is well known that there are some sinister forces in the country that have a vested interest in destabilizing the peace process.
7. The government's action in the past several months despite verbal assurances of a commitment to the peace process have had the effect of delaying and frustrating the furtherance of the peace process in a meaningful way.
8. Despite the tsunami disaster, and the immense destruction and devastation caused to the North East, and despite efforts being made to establish a suitable mechanism to undertake tsunami related development activities in the North East, it has not been possible to set-up such a mechanism due to delays on the part of the government.
9. This attitude on the part of the government calls into grave question the sincerity of the government's commitment to the furtherance of the peace process and even to meaningful participation by the Tamil speaking Tamil and Muslim peoples of the North East in the post-tsunami related development activities. It also encourages the commission of acts that further destabilize the peace process such as the above referred to attack of 7th February.
10. We wish to strongly impress upon the government that this unhealthy trend needs to be immediately corrected if the peace process is to have any chance of success."
"The cowardly act of the Sri Lankan government has taken away Kousalyan and his colleagues from us. Kousalyan came back to Batticaloa with many dreams. He came back with ambitious plans to rebuild this land, devastated by the Tsunami and impoverished by the war imposed by the Sinhala chauvinist state", said Mr. S. P Thamilchelvan, head of LTTE's political division on Thursday, speaking at the funeral of Mr. E. Kousalyan, at Thandiyadi Martyr's Memorial in Batticaloa.
"We thought the Tsunami disaster which killed Tamils, Muslims and Singhalese, regardless of their race and class, would have driven some sense into Sinhala political leaders. Kousalyan's murder shows they have not changed. They are still intent on crushing the Tamil nation by foul means", said senior LTTE leader, Mr. V. Balakumar in his address.
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