Govt lifts ban on several banned LTTE outfits

21 November 2015 02:31 pm - 27 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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By a gazette extraordinary issued on Friday, the Sri Lankan government lifted the ban on several outfits and individuals previously thought to have been working for the LTTE.

On March 21, 2014, 16 organizations and 424 individuals were proscribed under the UN Act No: 45 of 1968. But the latest gazette notification bans only eight organizations and 155 individuals.

The de-listed organizations are: Global Tamil Forum (GTF); British Tamil Forum (BTF); National Council of Canadian Tamils (NCCT); Tamil Youth Organization (TYO); World Tamil Coordinating Committee (WTCC); Canadian Tamil Congress (CTC); Australian Tamil Congress (ATC); Tamil National Council (TNC).

Organizations which are still banned are: the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE); Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO); Tamil Coordinating Committee (TCC); World Tamil Movement (WTM); Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TGTE); Tamil Eelam Peoples’ Assembly (TEPA); World Tamils’ Relief Fund (WTRF) and Headquarters Group (HQG).

Enunciating the Sririsena government’s policy on proscriptions, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera had said in parliament on March 18: "Reviewing this list of individuals and entities is an important exercise at this juncture when the government of President Sirisena is seriously committed to expediting the reconciliation process.".

The initial proscription by the Rajapaksa government was done in haste, and was not subject to a rigorous process of assessment and verification, the Minister pointed out.

"It was done to build up hysteria about LTTE regrouping. There was hardly any tangible evidence to link them to the LTTE. Some of those sought had died," he said.

The present government’ calculation is that Lankan law enforcement and intelligence agencies will now be able to target their resources more accurately and purposefully. The government is legally committed to reviewing the list annually and the expectation is that organizations and individuals who publicly abjure separatism and violence will be de-listed.

Canada accounts for the single largest number of wanted persons. 22 of the wanted are in Canada. Denmark comes second with 17; Sri Lanka 14; UK and the Netherlands account for 12 each; France 11; Germany 8; India 7; Italy 4; Malaysia 3; Norway 2; US, 1 and Thailand 1. The wanted man in the US is Visuvanathan Rudrakumaran, head of the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam (TNGTE). Interpol Red Notices stand against 26. The two Sinhalese among the wanted are Gunaratna Bandula Gajaweera of Akkaraipattu and A.Chaminda Darshana of Trincomalee. The latter is believed to be in India.

Apart from Gajaweera, others believed to be hiding in India are: Sivaganasundaram Sivakaran; Aganila alias Gemini; Amuthan; Suresh alias Kapil Msater; Rajendran Murthy; Velupillai Revathan; Vigneswaran Parameswari.

It is significant that the Gazette notification de-listing half of the proscribed organizations and 63 percent of the proscribed individuals, was issued a day ahead of the visit to Colombo of Samantha Power, the US Permanent Representative in the UN in New York, an expert on genocide and an advisor to President Barack Obama.(New Indian Express)

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Comments - 27

onlooker Sunday, 22 November 2015 09:39 AM

Keep going Mangala, Chandrika lost only one eye we know that you have nothing to loose. Sorry for the country.

Pollokka Sunday, 22 November 2015 08:00 PM

Forward thinking will another round of Terrorism to country.

Azmath Buhar Sunday, 22 November 2015 07:32 PM

Let these chairman or secretaries of each groups give their allegiance to support to grove of our motherland instead of funding the terrorist.We need to find solutions instead of complaining for each steps taken by governments.

Sapu Sunday, 22 November 2015 06:11 PM

Denon so Tamils are not Sri lankans?

Vas Sunday, 22 November 2015 06:07 PM

Gotha swindled the country and created racist divide so that he can carry on robbing. Please wake up guys think clearly before commenting!!!

Andrew Pitugala Sunday, 22 November 2015 06:07 PM

Positive move by Srilanka to shred all hatred and build a new righteous nation. Unity is strength.

lokka Sunday, 22 November 2015 04:31 PM

backward thinking is never going to help srilanka

lokka Sunday, 22 November 2015 04:18 PM

why do you think stupidly,,think positively man

R.R.Rohan Sunday, 22 November 2015 02:34 PM

For Gotha every one except a budhist is a terrorist. thank God he is gone.

mohan Sunday, 22 November 2015 01:40 PM

Than got you did not say they voted him :)

BuffaloaCitizen Sunday, 22 November 2015 12:16 PM

Still it is better than robbing that from the state coffers (ITN, SLTB, SLPA, Helping Hambantota.....

BuffaloaCitizen Sunday, 22 November 2015 12:14 PM

This comment proves that Sinhalese are a majority with a severe minority complex.

Denon Sunday, 22 November 2015 10:49 AM

Exactly. This is a clear evidence that the current regime has become a Muppet of western amidst disappointing Sri Lankans (Sinhalese and Muslims)

Sampath Kumara Sunday, 22 November 2015 10:37 AM

You have note the point, "previously thought to have been working for the LTTE". There is no prove that they work for LTTE. Previous regime just banned it because of Jealous.

John Fernandez Saturday, 21 November 2015 08:17 PM

While other countries are tightening the rope around terrorists, SL is making a fool of itself by loosening the grip.

Ganesha Sunday, 22 November 2015 09:32 AM

All the comments manifest how the racist thugs are ignorant, uncouth not knowing that the LTTE has not dropped from hell or heaven but gradually groomed and created by the Sinhala racist politicians . Now the motives of the government will entreat the Tamils instead of alienating them. However some born fools from both Tamils and Sinhalese can not understand or they need sadism and tragedy for ever and ever. Idiots !

TJ Sunday, 22 November 2015 09:22 AM

List the ban until the UN investigations are over and then ditch them as how we did to Karuna.

sene Sunday, 22 November 2015 09:15 AM

Nice dream. These orgs do not intend for any war

patript Saturday, 21 November 2015 11:45 PM

Early christmas present for the US. Can see where the country is heading to. Pray for Sri Lanka.

pras Saturday, 21 November 2015 11:49 PM

end of Srilanka. i really cant believe this via DM Android App

Dev Saturday, 21 November 2015 11:41 PM

How do we know whether these pro eelamist organizations did not fund your presidential election? Mr hoppers are you there?

Nish Saturday, 21 November 2015 11:40 PM

Next invite them for a carnival and label us as racists while they enjoy from our tax money

Ramola Saturday, 21 November 2015 11:31 PM

Be ready for another 30 years of mayhem at any time now.

sene Saturday, 21 November 2015 11:02 PM

"The present government’ calculation is that Lankan law enforcement and intelligence agencies will now be able to target their resources more accurately and purposefully" I agree. If we ban on every Tamil group its hard to see what real pro-LTTE groups do

K.Senarathne Saturday, 21 November 2015 11:01 PM

By looking at the names you can see that the govt only removed ban on mderate groups while Pro-LTTE groups are still banned

Country Eater YAMAPALANA Saturday, 21 November 2015 08:57 PM

Country Fnished, Work of YAHAPALANA falling down from cloths

John Fernandez Saturday, 21 November 2015 08:20 PM

It clearly shows that Yahapala (is a) Nayek!

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Govt lifts ban on several banned LTTE outfits

Comments - 27

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