DATE=6/2/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-250094
TITLE=LANKA / TAMIL TIGERS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=VANDANA CHOPRA
DATELINE=COLOMBO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: SRI LANKA'S TAMIL TIGER REBELS HAVE DENIED MEDIA REPORTS
OF A PLOT TO ASSASSINATE THE PRESIDENT OF THE INDIAN CONGRESS
PARTY, SONIA GANDHI. VANDANA CHOPRA HAS THE DETAILS FROM
COLOMBO.
TEXT: THE TAMIL TIGER REBEL GROUP SAYS IT HAS NO INTENTION TO
INTERFERE NOR ACT IN ANY WAY PREJUDICIAL TO THE INDIAN NATIONAL
INTEREST.
IN A STATEMENT FAXED FROM ITS LONDON HEADQUARTERS, TIGER
SEPARATISTS SAY THEY ARE SHOCKED AND DEEPLY DISTRESSED TO LEARN
THAT RESPONSIBLE INDIAN NEWSPAPERS HAVE, IN AN IRRESPONSIBLE
MANNER, HIGHLIGHTED, WHAT THEY CALLED, THIS MALICIOUS AND
BASELESS STORY .
TWO INDIAN NEWSPAPERS HAD REPORTED THAT TAMIL TIGER REBELS, WHO
WERE EARLIER BLAMED FOR KILLING HER HUSBAND FORMER INDIAN PRIME
MINISTER RAJIV GANDHI, WERE NOW CONSPIRING TO KILL SONIA GANDHI,
SINCE SHE MAY CRACKDOWN ON TAMIL ACTIVITY ONCE SHE BECOMES THE
PRIME MINISTER.
TIGER REBELS HAVE BEEN BLAMED FOR SEVERAL POLITICAL
ASSASSINATIONS IN THE PAST.
EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE INDIAN SUPREME COURT CONFIRMED DEATH
SENTENCES FOR FOUR OF THE 26 PEOPLE CONVICTED OF CONSPIRING TO
KILL RAJIV GANDHI.
MR. GANDHI, AN OPPOSITION LEADER AT THE TIME OF HIS ASSASSINATION
WAS KILLED BY A WOMAN SUICIDE BOMBER IN 1991, AS HE MINGLED WITH
CROWDS DURING AN ELECTION RALLY IN INDIA'S SOUTHERN STATE OF
TAMIL NADU.
PROSECUTORS SAY TIGER REBELS SOUGHT REVENGE ON RAJIV GANDHI
BECAUSE HE SENT INDIAN TROOPS IN 1987 TO SRI LANKA UNDER AN
ACCORD WITH THE COLOMBO GOVERNMENT.
RAJIV GANDHI'S ITALIAN-BORN WIDOW ENTERED ACTIVE POLITICS IN 1998
AND STARTED HER CAMPAIGN IN THE TOWN WHERE HE WAS KILLED.
SONIA GANDHI IS NOW LEADING INDIA'S CONGRESS PARTY TOWARD A
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER ELECTION WHICH WAS CALLED AFTER THE COLLAPSE OF
PRIME MINISTER, ATAL BIHARI VAJPAYEE'S RULING COALITION LAST
MONTH.
THE REBEL TIGERS HAVE BEEN FIGHTING FOR 15 YEARS FOR A SEPARATE
HOMELAND FOR THE MINORITY TAMIL COMMUNITY IN SRI LANKA'S NORTH
AND EAST. (SIGNED)
NEB/VC/PLM
02-Jun-99 3:28 AM EDT (0728 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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