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LTTE Batti-Amparai Political Head Kaushalyan killed in ambush in Punani

In an ambush attack at Punani, a hamlet near Welikanda in the Batticaloa-Polonnaruwa boundary, Mr.Kaushalyan, Head of the LTTE Batticaloa-Amparai political division, was shot dead. Three other LTTE cadres who were travellig with Kaushalyan and the driver of the vehicle were also killed in this attack.

Mr. Chandranehru Arianayagam, a former parliamentarian representing Amparai and his personal guards, two police constables were also injured and admitted to Polonnaruwas hospital. Mr.Chandranehru Arianayagam succumbed to his injuries. The assailants have not been identified as yet, but it is believed that this is the handy work of para-military groups having links with the military in view of the location and its proximity to two military complexes.

Mr. Kaushalyan and his team were in Kilinochchi attending to discussions with the LTTE leadership on matters relating to post-tsunami relief, rehabilitation, re-construction and development activities in Batticaloa-Amparai in the post-tsunami scenario. They were returning to Kokkatticholai in Batticaloa in a private vehicle after passing through the Sri Lankan Military check point in Omanthai yesterday afternoon.

The Cease Fire Agreement (CFA) provides for such travel of unarmed LTTE political cadres to and through government and military controlled areas. This ambush was carried out at a location called Namalgama in the Welikanda police division in between the Sri Lankan military check - points at Welikanda and Punani.

Mr. Kaushalyan happens to be the senior-most LTTE leader killed in this manner since the CFA came into operation in Feb 2002. Mr. Chandranehru Arianayagam, a former TULF parliamentarian, though not directly involved in active parliamentary politics now, is actively engaged in social work. A Human Rights Activist, Chandranehru Arianayagam is a founder member of the NorthEast Secretariat On Human Rights (NESOHR) and has participated in many seminars held in Geneva and other European locations, sponsored by NESOHR with participation from Human Rights Watch, ICRC, International Commission of Jurists, Amnesty International and Human Rights and Refugees.

08 February 2005

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