Colombo: Warning Sri Lanka's military and political parties against exploiting the unprecedented break-up in their ranks, rebel Tamil Tigers today (March 17, 2004) said any such attempt could cause "irreparable damage" to the peace process.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said the breakaway regional commander, V Muralitharan alias Karuna, was in contact with the military and political groups in a move to secure recognition and concessions for himself.

"He has established clandestine contacts with the Sinhala military hierarchy and with chauvinistic political forces," London- based LTTE ideologue Anton Balasingham said.

Pointing out that the renegade was acting against Tamil interests, Balasingham told the pro-rebel 'Tamil Guardian' newspaper published from London, "We should let it be known to his contacts that they will cause irreparable damage to the peace process if they exploit Karuna's dissent."

Balasingham played down the impact of the break-up itself on the peace process and said negotiations between them and the Colombo Government could begin shortly after the April 2 Parliamentary elections.

"I do not think Karuna's dissent will seriously undermine the peace process or the Tamil national struggle," he said. "The peace process will resume after the general elections."

Karuna said he was breaking away from the Tiger movement because its leader was preparing to go back to war.

Balasingham denied that Prabhakaran was preparing to go to war while talking peace with the Sri Lankan Government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.