SUMMARY
The LTTE - K was created in March 2004, due to splits in the LTTE movement between northern and eastern Tamils. The LTTE’s Eastern Commander, Colonel Muralitharan (whose nom de guerre is Karuna), in early March that year claims that the eastern Tamils (of Batticaloa and Amparai primarily) are discriminated against in the LTTE hierarchy, and that he is leaving the movement to seek the betterment of the eastern regions of Sri Lanka. The main LTTE movement in turn accused Karuna of embezzlement and collaboration with the Sri Lankan Army (SLA). The dispute soon turned violent, and is the advent of the LTTE versus Karuna faction conflict.
The LTTE-Karuna faction soon formed a political front, the Tamileela Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal (Tamil People’s Liberation Tigers, or TMVP), to further the political cause of the eastern Tamils. The exact extent of Tamil political support for this party is however unknown, as is the exact strength of the Karuna faction’s fighting force. What is clear however is the Karuna faction’s wish to wage armed conflict and a political struggle against the main LTTE in the name of the interest of the eastern Tamils. There are small cultural differences between what is commonly called ‘Jaffna Tamils’ and Tamils in the eastern districts of Sri Lanka.
From the outset of the creation of the Karuna faction the main LTTE organisation has accused the Karuna faction of collaborating with and receiving direct support from the Sri Lankan government and the SLA. The truth in these allegations is hard to gauge, although the faction appears to not be under direct attack or persecution from the SLA, and some evidence exists to corroborate these links. The TMVP (the political arm of the movement) has also formed a united front with the Indian-based party Eelam National Democratic Liberation Front (ENDLF).
The leader of the LTTE-Karuna faction is called Colonel Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan, more widely known by his nom de guerre Karuna. He has been the leader since the group split from the main LTTE organisation. The General Secretary of the TMVP is G.E. Gnanarajah.
LTTE – K has been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organised violence.
