A paramilitary leader who is accused of rights abuses and is a staunch backer of the Rajapaksa regime has reportedly been “assured a ministerial post,” if he wins a seat in next week’s parliamentary elections.
Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pullikal (TMVP) leader Pillayan, who is currently in remand over the 2005 Christmas Day murder of Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian Joseph Pararajasingham, was reportedly made the offer, according to reports in the Daily Mirror.
The paramilitary leader broke away from the LTTE with Karuna in 2004, and since then has been accused of committing executions and other rights abuses with the support of the Sri Lankan state.
Pillayan was appointed by Mahinda Rajapaksa as Chief Minister of the Eastern Province in 2008, and his paramilitary organisation will be contesting under Rajapaksa’s Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) in some areas.
