July 03, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Sani 28, 1429

COLOMBO: Eight years ago Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pilliyan was a Tamil Tiger guerilla fighting in the jungles of the east and the Marxist –cum-Nationalist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna’s (JVP) Propaganda secretary,Wimal Weerawanse was storming political platforms in Colombo crying out for the annihilation of the LTTE.

The annihilation, in the totality promised by the government is yet to happen but what has occurred is that neither Sivanesaturai Chandrakanthan nor Wimal Weerawanse is in their respective organisations anymore. And what one would see soon is Sivanesaturai Chandrakanthan, now deputy leader of the political party the Tamil Makkal Viduthilai Pulikkal (TMVP) and Wimal Weerawanse parading on the same political platform. Crying out for a common cause.

Weeks after Wimal Weerawanse was ousted from the JVP and Sivanesaturai Chandrakanthan was appointed the chief minister of the eastern province by President Mahinda Rajapakse, the two have met in ultra secret talks.

Weerawanse, now having established his own JVP break-away political party calling itself the National Freedom Front (NFF) met at the party office in the suburb of Battaramulla last Saturday.

The meeting was kept secret till the last minute due to security considerations, political sources said confirming that the two had agreed to form an alliance to contest future elections together and ‘to cooperate in all other matters’.

The alliance comes as the JVP mainstream under the leadership of Somawanse Amarasinghe vowed to begin an all island trade union strike that is likely to further cripple Sri Lanka’s already gasping economy and further complicate the life of President Mahinda Rajapakse and his government.

Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) sources said it rejected a call from President Mahinda Rajapaksa for talks to avert a general strike planned by its trade unions demanding pay hikes amidst the soaring cost of living.

President Rajapaksa has been informed in writing that the strike action will be carried out on July 10 if the JVP trade unions’ demands are not met. Political analysts say that the link being established between the ex-JVPer Wimal Weerawanse and ex-LTTE rebel turned Eastern Chief Minister Chandrakanthan would be aimed at acting as a ‘buffer’ for President Rajapakse’s ailing government.

Meanwhile, commenting on the new found partnership, TMVP sources said the party was ‘obliged’ to Weerawanse for defending the paramilitary group for continuing to carry arms in the volatile east of the country.“

We are carrying arms because we are under threat from the LTTE and we have an obligation to support the former Propaganda Secretary of the JVP who came to our defence,” a TMVP source said. One reason for Wimal Weerawanse to be ousted from the JVP was his refusal to toe the party line demanding the disarming of the TMVP.

Meanwhile, political sources said the TMVP is to put forward proposals demanding police, land, educational and financial powers for the provinces. The proposals are to be handed over to the All Party Representatives’ Committee (APRC) deliberating a devolution of power as a political alternative to the Tamil ethnic question.

While political observers said it is yet to be seen how the TMVP and the NFF will ease the problems of President Mahinda Rajapakse and his government, the JVP mainstream is lambasting the appointment of Chandrakanthanas eastern Chief Minister claming it was carried out on the instigation of India., an allegation staunchly denied by the UPFA regime.