Eastern Province (NA): Timeline (Terrorist Activities) -2003

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) commemorated the 10th death anniversary of senior LTTE commander colonel Kittu, on January 16, 2003. Kittu and nine LTTE cadres committed suicide when their ship mv Ahat was cordoned-off by the Indian Navy in the Bay of Bengal. Kittu was the head of the LTTE's International Secretariat at the time of his death. At a commemoration function, in Trincomalee district, Kittu’s the mother-in-law lit the flame of sacrifice. Several others, including Tamil National Alliance Member of Parliament R. Sampanthan, participated in the event. Similar commemoration meetings were held at several other places. Read less...

The state-run Daily News said, on January 18, the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM) has asked the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to replace its representative in the Batticaloa Peace Committee, Sinnaiah, immediately. SLMM deputy chief Hakrup Haukland was quoted in the Daily News as saying, "We are not satisfied with his behaviour. We are very displeased over the manner [in which] he handled the issue of the LTTE member who took cyanide," he said. Reports quoting unnamed police officials in Batticaloa said an LTTE cadre had taken cyanide and was admitted to a hospital through the SLMM. Following his recovery, Sinnaiah mediated to hand over the cadre back to LTTE. Reports, however, made no mention of the date on which the cadre was admitted to a hospital or handed over to the LTTE. Read less...

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) reportedly turned away five youth, aged under 16 years, on January 21, when they approached the LTTE to join its ranks. All of them were handed over in Batticaloa to their parents in the presence of the Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM), reports said. LTTE’s Maamangam political-wing head Jothipalan said, "We are strictly adhering to the principle of not admitting anyone below 18 years into our movement". Contrary to what is widely accepted and known he claimed, "We have never recruited under-age children and we will not do so in the future. He added that the LTTE was strictly adhering to international law and would not let children under 18 years of age to participate in armed conflicts. Read less...

Interior Minister John Amaratunga said on January 26, while addressing a seminar in Trincomalee, it is difficult to resolve within a year all the differences that had arisen during the 20 year-old ethnic conflict. The seminar was organised to mobilise support for the ongoing peace talks between the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). He said neither the government nor the LTTE would abandon the peace process. "We and LTTE leader Prabhakaran are firm in our stand to achieve a political solution through negotiation," he said. He dismissed as "canard" People’s Alliance General Secretary D. M. Jayaretna’s remarks that the government would be dismissed in May this year (2003). "This is a canard by the main opposition to sabotage the Aid conference" [due in Japan in June]," Amaratunge said. Read less...

Media reports said the government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), on January 30, discussed the Muslim factor in the East, child recruitment and complaints on truce violations at a meeting held at the Vavunativu Divisional Secretariat, in Batticaloa. Read less...