The Army categorically and unreservedly ridicules LTTE's blatant attempts to discredit and blame its troops for Sunday (20) afternoon murder of the Rev Fr M.X. Karunaratnam when he was on Mallavi-Vavunikulam road in un-cleared areas, about 50 kms to the north of Wanni in Mullaithivu district.

The LTTE upon this unfortunate demise, as is the case in many instances, has been hell-bent on feeding their mouthpieces worldwide and attributes the incident to the Army, with a view to tarnishing its image and trying to hold it responsible for this crime, particularly in the wake of negative criticism the LTTE was receiving regarding the recent holy Madhu church episode.

Late Rev Fr Karunaratnam, well known as "Father Kili" among LTTE cadres serves the North-East Secretariat on Human Rights (NESoHR) and has been provided an LTTE security escort whenever he travels in un-cleared areas, the intelligence has confirmed. Equally, he has expressed concerns about violation of Human Rights in un-cleared areas.

Likewise, the place of the attack on the clergy in un-cleared areas is situated, about 50 kms away from the nearest security detachment in cleared areas where no troops of the Army are operating.

Reliable information in the aftermath of this assassination further re-affirmed the fact that the clergy was with a leading Tiger (LTTE) member, called "Yogan" who was formally with the LTTE Sea Tiger wing when the incident occurred.

Therefore, the Army while unequivocally condemning the brutal murder, which bears all the hallmarks of LTTE brutality, and further points to probable internecine feuds, flatly refuses LTTE's shrewd and baseless allegations, leveled at the Army which has nothing to do with the killing of an innocent clergy.

Courtesy - Army Media