Country of Origin Information Report
Tamil National Alliance (TNA)
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- [5a] (Internal Affairs, 29 April 2010)
- [38d] Tamileela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (Tamil People’s Liberation Party) (TMVP)/Karuna faction
- [39a] United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA)/People’s Alliance
- Go to list of sources Annex D: Prominent people FONSEKA Sarath
- Jayaratne D. M.
- [51d] KARUNA Colonel (nom de guerre of Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan, aka Karuna Amman)
- Pathmanathan Kumaran (alias KP)
- [5a] (Security, Post-conflict situation, 29 April 2010) In June 2010 he was reported to be playing a leading role in helping the government in reconciliation process [9r]
- [11s] PILLAYAN [PILLEYAN] (Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan)
- [37b] (p15) [53b] RAJAPAKSE Gothabaya
- [5a] (Political Leadership, 29 April 2010 , President Mahinda Rajapakse) WICKREMASINGHE Ranil
- [5a] (Political Leadership, 29 April 2010, Opposition leader Ranil Wickremasinghe) Return to Contents Go to list of sources
- HIV/AIDS
- LTTE Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
Tamil National Alliance (TNA) “The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) or Sri Lanka Tamil Government Party (Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi) is a political alliance of several Tamil parties formed in 2001 just before the 2001 elections. The alliance was formed by the All Ceylon Tamil Congress, Eelam People's Revolutionary Liberation Front (Suresh), Tamil Eelam Liberation Organisation and Tamil United Liberation Front (formerly the Federal Party). Since its formation, the TNA has acted in close co-operation with the rebel LTTE, and has frequently behaved as its advocate and political wing in parliament. In the April 2004 election, in which the SLFP and JVP alliance led by President Kumaratunga came to power, the TNA led by R Sampanthan won 6.9 per cent of the popular vote and 22 out of 225 seats in the Sri Lankan parliament.” (Jane’s Sentinel Country Risk Assessments, Country Report, Sri Lanka, accessed on 27 August 2010) [5a] (Internal Affairs, 29 April 2010) ITAK obtained 14 seats in the 2010 general election. (Official website of the Department of Elections, Parliamentary General Election – 2010, Composition of Parliament, accessed on 2 June 2010) [39a] On 30 June 2010 the website TamilNet reported that the Tamil National Alliance “applied to the Elections Commissioner to register as a new political party with R. Sampanthan as the leader and Mavai Senathirajah as the General Secretary. Earlier TNA it was not registered. Hence TNA contested on the ticket of Ilankai Thamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK).” [38d] Tamileela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (Tamil People’s Liberation Party) (TMVP)/Karuna faction “Tamil Eela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TVMP: Tamil Eelam Peoples Liberation Tigers) is the political wing of the paramilitary group formerly known as the 'Karuna group'. It was formed by breakaway LTTE leader V. Muralitharan (alias 'Colonel Karuna'), who led a split in the LTTE in 2004, leading to the secession of a large part of the organisation in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. Much of the breakaway group was wiped out and disbanded during 2004 in a military counter-offensive by the mainstream LTTE. However, it was rebuilt during 2004-05 by Karuna and his close associates, under the support of the Sri Lankan military. Between late 2006 and early 2007, the Karuna group fought together with the Sri Lankan armed forces against the LTTE in the Eastern Province. “Human rights reports in 2007 have alleged that the Karuna group recruits underage youths as fighters, and furthermore, that these recruits are forcibly abducted and coerced into joining. The Karuna group is also alleged to be behind the spate of kidnappings of wealthy Tamils in Colombo since mid-2006. In mid-2007, press reports suggested that there was a split within the Karuna group between Karuna himself and one of his key lieutenants. In October 2007, news emerged that Karuna had been expelled from the TMVP, and that he had been forced to seek refuge in another country. Karuna subsequently resurfaced in the UK in November 2007, where he was arrested for immigration offences. “While Karuna spent time in detention in the UK on immigration offences, the paramilitary TMVP was registered as a political party, and the government installed Tamil paramilitary leader Pillaiyan as the chief minister of the Eastern Province following elections there in May 2008. “Karuna subsequently returned to Sri Lanka in mid-2008 and coexisted uneasily with Pillaiyan under a nominally united TMVP, although in reality both leaders commanded separate militias (the TMVP comprised two separate factions that controlled different parts of the east). In what was likely an effort by Rajapakse to separate the two rival Tamil paramilitary leaders, Colonel Karuna joined the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) in March 2009 and was sworn in as minister of national integration, a non-cabinet ministerial portfolio. In April of that year, Karuna became the vice-president of the SLFP.” (Jane’s Sentinel Country Risk Assessments, Country Report, Sri Lanka, accessed on 23 August 2010) [5a] (Internal Affairs, 29 April 2010) See also Section 10 on Abuses by non-government armed forces and Annex D: Prominent people Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) Founded in 1976 following the merger of the All Ceylon Tamil Congress and Federal Party. [1a] United National Party (UNP) http://www.unp.lk/portal/ [28] The conservative UNP was founded in 1947. It advocates the development of the country through free markets and inter-communal co-operation. The UNP formed the Government from 1947-1956 and again from 1965-1970. In 1977 it secured a landslide victory under J.R. Jayawardene, holding office for the following 17 years. The party lost power in 1994, but regained power in the December 2001 elections. It came second (with 82 seats) in the April 2004 general election. [8] (p563) The party obtained 60 seats in the 2010 general election, coming again second. (Official website of the Department of Elections, Parliamentary General Election – 2010, Composition of Parliament, accessed on 2 June 2010) [39a] United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA)/People’s Alliance http://www.sandanaya.lk/ Founded in 2003, it is an alliance of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), JVP, LSSP, CPSL, SLMP, DVJP, MEP and National Unity Alliance (NUA). [56] It reverted to original founding name of People’s Alliance in April 2007. Leader Mahinda Rajapakse. [1a] (Political organisations) “The UPFA is the coalition holding the single largest share of seats within the Sri Lankan parliament… However, the composition of the government benches of parliament has undergone significant changes in the three years since the elections. The two most important movements have been the departure of the second largest constituent, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) by early 2007, and the arrival of new members who had defected from the opposition UNP.” Jane’s Sentinel Country Risk Assessments, Country Report, Sri Lanka, accessed on 23 August 2010)
Represents the interests of workers, mainly of Indian Tamil origin, on tea plantations. [1a] Return to Contents Go to list of sources Annex D: Prominent people FONSEKA Sarath Former army commander who led the military campaign against the LTTE. Main opposition candidate in the January 2010 Presidential election. [4e] [75d] “Over a career of four decades, Gen Sarath Fonseka has been Sri Lanka's most high-profile and arguably its most tactically successful army officer. The retired general went into the January 2010 elections hoping to capitalise on his status as a war hero among Sri Lanka's majority Sinhalese community after leading troops to victory over Tamil Tiger rebels in 2009. Official results, however, showed President Mahinda Rajapaksa beat him soundly to win a second term, despite claims by Gen Fonseka that the vote was unfair. Gen Fonseka was arrested shortly after the elections and in August 2010 he was found guilty of engaging in politics while on active service. A court martial sentenced him to be stripped of his rank and medals. He also faces a jail term after being found guilty of corruption in arms procurement deals in a second court martial in September. The general and his supporters maintain that the charges were politically motivated. In April's parliamentary elections, he won a seat for the opposition Democratic National Alliance (DNA) while still in jail. (BBC News, Profile: Gen Sarath Fonseka, 17 September 2010) [9b] See also Latest News; Section 4 on January 2010 Presidential election; Section 15 on Opposition groups and political activists and Annex C Jayaratne D. M. Prime Minister [44 a] “Dissanayake Mudiyanselage Jayaratne became Sri Lanka’s new Prime Minister on 22 April [2010] after the incumbent government’s party, the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA), won the parliamentary elections on 8 April.” (IISS Armed Conflict Database, Sri Lanka, Political Trends (undated, website accessed on 16 August 2010) [51d]
Former leader of Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP). From October 2008 Member of Parliament of the United People's Freedom Alliance and from March 2009 national integration and reconciliation minister. The Official Government News Portal of Sri Lanka recorded on 7 October 2008 that “Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan was born in Kiran, in the Batticaloa district in 1966. He joined the LTTE in 1983 and became a top commander. He participated in several rounds of peace talks as a member of the LTTE delegation after the Ceasefire Agreement was signed in 2002.” [10i] As recorded in Jane’s Sentinel Country Risk Assessments, Country Report, Sri Lanka (accessed on 23 August 2010), V. Muralitharan (alias 'Colonel Karuna'): “led a split in the LTTE in 2004, leading to the secession of a large chunk of the organisation in the Eastern Province of Sri Lanka. Much of the breakaway group was wiped out and disbanded during 2004 in a military counter-offensive by the mainstream LTTE. However, it was rebuilt during 2004-05 by Karuna and his close associates, under the support of the Sri Lankan military. Between late 2006 and early 2007, the Karuna group fought together with the Sri Lankan armed forces against the LTTE in the Eastern Province. In mid-2007, press reports suggested that there was a split within the Karuna group between Karuna himself and one of his key lieutenants. In October 2007, news emerged that Karuna had been expelled from the TMVP, and that he had been forced to seek refuge in another country. Karuna subsequently resurfaced in the UK in November 2007, where he was arrested for immigration offences.” [5a] (Internal Affairs, 29 April 2010) “[On 25 January 2008] Renegade LTTE leader Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan alias 'Colonel' Karuna was sentenced to nine-month imprisonment by a UK Court for identity fraud. He was arrested in London on November 2, 2007, for carrying an apparently genuine Sri Lankan diplomatic passport issued under a false name. Karuna told the Isleworth Crown Court in West London that he had received the false diplomatic passport from the Sri Lankan Government. He said Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapakse, who is also the brother of President Mahinda Rajapakse, had arranged the documents for him. Karuna, who founded the Tamil Makkal Vidhuthalai Pullikal (TMVP), was sentenced to nine months in jail under the Identity Cards Act after he pleaded guilty.” (SATP Timeline, Year 2008) [37c] As noted in comments dated 9 May 2008 and posted on 12 May 2008 on the website of the British High Commission, Colombo: “A British High Commission spokesperson said ‘Vinayagmoorthy Muralitharan (aka Karuna Amman) was released yesterday [8 May 2008] following his imprisonment [in the UK] for possessing false documents, contrary to Section 25 of the Control of Identification Documents (Offences) Act 2005. He now remains under immigration detention custody. We have made clear our concerns at the circumstances by which Karuna travelled to the UK. We are deeply concerned that Karuna and his faction have allegedly been responsible for murder and abductions and are still believed to be involved in intimidation and child recruitment. The Crown Prosecution Service has advised the Metropolitan Police Service that there is insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction for any criminal offences in the UK.’" [15l] On 7 October 2008 the Official Government News Portal of Sri Lanka announced that “Leader of the Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (TMVP), Vinayagamoorthi Muralidaran, was sworn in as a Member of Parliament of the United People's Freedom Alliance… Muralidaran is the first member of the TMVP to enter parliament.” [10i] In early March 2009 Vinayagamoorthy Muralitharan joined the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) along with many of his followers and was given a non-cabinet post in the government, as national integration and reconciliation minister. (EIU, Country Report Sri Lanka, April 2009 [75k] (p10) See also Section 3: History; and Annex C (TMVP) Pathmanathan Kumaran (alias KP) “After the decimation of the Tamil Tiger leadership, Selvarasa 'Kumaran' Pathmanathan (known as KP) was the most senior rebel left alive. In June[2009] he announced a provisional transitional government for Tamil-majority areas in Sri Lanka. His declaration demonstrated the difficulties facing the LTTE. Lacking international legitimacy, the Tigers were unable to announce a more traditional government-in-exile, which would have required a permanent location and therefore tacit state support. The LTTE had been proscribed by India (in 1991), the US (in 1997), Canada and the EU (both in 2006). Although this left more than 160 countries in which the LTTE could have theoretically announced a government-in-exile, the combined diplomatic weight of many of the world's developed countries limited the legitimacy available to the group. The inherent weakness of the transitional government was further weakened when KP was arrested in August 2009 in Kuala Lumpur and returned to Sri Lanka via Thailand.” (Jane’s Sentinel Country Risk Assessments, Country Report, Sri Lanka, accessed on 23 August 2010) [5a] (Security, Post-conflict situation, 29 April 2010) In June 2010 he was reported to be playing a 'leading role' in helping the government in 'reconciliation process' [9r] to have set up a new non –governmental organization known as the North – East Rehabilitation and Development Organization (NERDO). [11s] PILLAYAN [PILLEYAN] (Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan) TMVP leader (IISS Armed Conflict Database, Sri Lanka, Political Trends (undated, website accessed on 16 August 2010) [51d] On 16 May 2008 Pilleyan, was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the Eastern Provincial Council after obtaining the highest number of votes for Batticaloa District in the Provincial Council elections. (The Official Website of the Government of Sri Lanka, 16 May 2008) [10a] See also Annex C PRABHAKARAN (PIRAPAHARAN) Velupillai (26 November 1954 – 18 May 2009) Leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). His death was announced on 18 May 2009. “To his followers, Vellupillai Prabhakaran was a freedom fighter struggling for Tamil emancipation. To his adversaries he was a secretive megalomaniac with a complete disregard for human life. Under his leadership, the Tamil Tigers became one of the world's most highly disciplined and highly motivated guerrilla forces. But in recent months they fought a desperate rearguard action as the Sri Lankan military inflicted defeat after defeat on them, ending their dream of a separate homeland in the north and east. “It is believed that Prabhakaran founded the Tamil New Tigers in 1973 or 1974, although the exact date is unknown. It was just another in a series of pressure groups and organisations protesting against what they saw as the marginalisation of the Tamil people in the post-colonial Sri Lanka. In 1975 he was accused of the murder of the mayor of Jaffna, who was shot at point blank range while he was about to enter a Hindu temple… A year later Prabhakaran's group was renamed the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), commonly known as the Tamil Tigers. The Tigers became a formidable force numbering upwards of 10,000 soldiers, including women and children…He encouraged a cult of martyrdom among his followers which led to the first use of suicide bombings as a common form of attack, often against civilian targets. “Under his leadership the LTTE was branded a terrorist organisation by many countries and he was wanted by Interpol, the global police network for murder, terrorism, organised crime and conspiracy. He was a shadowy figure, constantly under threat of arrest or assassination…Vellupillai Prabhakaran remained a secretive figure throughout his life, his movements between his various jungle hideouts carefully planned to avoid capture or assassination.” [9v] See also Annex C RAJAPAKSE Basil Minister of Economic Development. [44a] Previously he was a Senior Advisor to President Mahinda Rajapakse (who is his brother) and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force for Resettlement Development and Security in the Northern Province.” [37b] (p15) [53b] RAJAPAKSE Gothabaya Defense Secretary and brother of the President Mahinda Rajapakse (EIU, Country Report Sri Lanka, May 2009) [75n] (p12) RAJAPAKSE Mahinda President. He was re-elected in the Presidential election held on 26 January 2010 winning 57.8 percent against 40.2 percent for Fonseka. [4e] See also Section 4 on January 2010 Presidential election On the previous Presidential election held on 17 November 2005 14, “Mahinda Rajapakse secured a narrow victory over his closest rival, Ranil Wickremasinghe, winning 50.29% of the vote, compared with 48.43% for Wickremasinghe.” (Europa World Online) [1a] (Recent History) Jane’s Sentinel Country Risk Assessments, Country Report, Sri Lanka, (accessed on 23 August 2010) recorded: “Mahendra Percy 'Mahinda' Rajapakse was born on 18 November 1945 in the Hambantota district of southern Sri Lanka…He is a lawyer by training and has been a political activist for most of his adult life.Rajapakse hails from a well-known and influential family in southern Sri Lanka, of which several members have figured prominently in politics. His father was a founder member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) and a close associate of late, former prime minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike. Rajapakse first entered parliament in 1970 at the age of 25, as the representative of the parliamentary constituency of Hambantota District which his father had represented from 1947 to 1960.” “After the elections of April 2004, Rajapakse mustered a broader spectrum of support to assume the position of prime minister. His appointment strengthened his position within the party as successor to Kumaratunga for the presidential elections of 2005. By August 2005 it was apparent that Rajapakse had gained the backing of his party, despite Kumaratunga's clear hostility towards him. Rajapakse was elected president in November 2005 by a slim margin over rival candidate Ranil Wickremasinghe. Rajapakse's victory owed much to an election boycott of the Tamil vote enforced by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). As the overwhelming majority of Tamils were hostile to Rajapakse's Sinhala nationalist campaign allies, the LTTE boycott effectively robbed Wickremasinghe of the votes that would have clinched him a winning margin. “Rajapakse's tenuous parliamentary majority remained constantly subject to stress, the risk of defection, and the threat of premature elections. The government only narrowly survived the threat of defection during the budget vote in December 2007. “Rajapakse's government has faced widespread criticism from domestic opposition and international human rights groups for the treatment of the Sri Lankan press since he came to power. Long subject to censorship, the press has faced extreme intimidation, including violence and threats, since the resumption of the civil war in mid-2006. “The army declared a military victory against the LTTE and the death of rebel leader Prabhkaran in May 2009. Riding on the back of this victory, Rajapakse decisively won a second presidential term (with close to 60 per cent of the votes) in the January 2010 election, and his ruling UPFA won a clear mandate in the April 2010 parliamentary poll.” [5a] (Political Leadership, 29 April 2010, President Mahinda Rajapakse) WICKREMASINGHE Ranil Leader of the main opposition party, United National Party (UNP) and former PM “[He] returned to power as prime minister for a second time, following his victory in the parliamentary elections of December 2001. After this, Wickremasinghe consolidated his position as leader of his party, demonstrating his commitment to the continuing peace efforts with the LTTE, despite the assertion by his detractors that he was being outmanoeuvred. However, Wickremasinghe survived just over two years of his five-year term as his government was dismissed and fresh elections ordered in April 2004, which he subsequently lost. Despite this electoral defeat, Wickremasinghe remained the most obvious UNP candidate for the Sri Lankan presidency following the end of Kumaratunga's reign. He narrowly lost the 2005 presidential contest, but remains leader of the UNP as virtually all of his strong internal rivals defected to the government in late 2006 and early 2007. He did not contest the January 2010 presidential poll. In the parliamentary election, four months later, the opposition United National Front, which included the UNP, was trounced by the UPFA, securing a mere 60 parliamentary seats.” (Jane’s Sentinel Country Risk Assessments, Country Report, Sri Lanka, (accessed on 27 January 2010) [5a] (Political Leadership, 29 April 2010, Opposition leader Ranil Wickremasinghe) Return to Contents Go to list of sources Annex E: List of abbreviations AHRC Asian Human Rights Commission AI Amnesty International BHC British High Commission CEDAW Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women CID Criminal Investigations Department CPA Centre for Policy Alternatives CPJ Committee to Protect Journalists ERs Emergency Regulations EU European Union FCO Foreign and Commonwealth Office (UK) FH Freedom House GDP Gross Domestic Product GOSL Government of Sri Lanka HIV/AIDS Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome HRC Human Rights Commission HRW Human Rights Watch ICRC International Committee of the Red Cross IDP Internally Displaced Person IMF International Monetary Fund IOM International Organisation for Migration LTTE Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam Download 1.84 Mb. 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