The only Tamil member of the Urban Council in the predominantly Muslim region of Kinniya in Trincomalee district was shot and killed January 26 the latest of a number of Tamil politicians assassinated by Army-backed paramilitaries.

Mr. Thangarajah Ithayarajah, a member of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK), the name under which the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) contested the local government elections, was killed while he was on his way to Kinniya from his village, Alankerni.

A friend of Mr. Ithayarajah was wounded in the shooting.

Mr. Ithayarajah, a father of two, was shot and killed by gunmen at Idiman, on the border between Tamil and Muslim areas, when he parked his motorbike near a shop with his friend.

The gunmen had followed them to the shop. The assassins escaped on the motorbike after shooting the politician in the Army controlled area.

The killing comes three months after the assassination of the only Tamil TNA member of the Sinhala dominated Seruvila Pradeshaia Saba in the same district.

Kopalasundaram Pathmakalapan, 26, who was the only TNA member of the nine member Seruvila Pradesiya Sabha was shot dead on October 30.

Meanwhile, 10 Tamil members who had won the Trincomalee Urban Council have received death threats, Tricomalee District Tamil parliamentarian, K. Thurairatnasingham told reporters

He blamed the Sri Lankan security forces.

Mr. Thurairatnasingha charged that the assassinations and death threats were part of a planned terror-campaign with a political agenda by the forces that seek to suppress the democratic representation of Tamils in Trincomalee district.

In the elections held at the end of March 2006, The TNA alliance party ITAK won one seat each in Kinniya UC, Seruvila PS, Morawewa PS, Kantalai PS, and two in Thamplakamam PS, three in Kuchchaveli PS and four in Muttur PS in addition to capturing power in the Trincomalee UC with 10 seats, Trincomalee Town and Gravets PS with 6 seats and Verugal PS, uncontested, with 7 seats.