Thursday, December 08, 2005

EU under pressure to ban LTTE by M Rama Rao

New Delhi , 08 December, (Asiantribune.com): As the post-presidential election scene continues to be a period of uncertainty and anxiety in Sri Lanka with LTTE sending conflicting signals, European Union is coming under pressure to follow the American lead and declare the Tigers as a terrorist organization.

The EU leadership is expected to take up the issue at their next meeting on December 19.

Already for the past three months Tigers are barred from entering the EU member states; they have been asked to 'demonstrate their commitment to the peace process and their willingness to change'

New Delhi is impressing upon the EU to ban the LTTE. A formal diplomatic note has been delivered by the Indian foreign office. A dossier prepared by the Indian interior ministry highlighting how the Tigers had assassinated charismatic Rajiv Gandhi in May 1991 and its links with Indian Left extremists was sent along.

Indian case appears to rest on the fact that LTTE has been using the continent for resource mobilization and for spreading its 'disinformation' besides arms procurement.

A ban by EU would mean tough time in 25 –European nations and it will have a crippling blow on LTTE. It will hit fund collection and fund transfer.

The Indian document is understood to have dealt at length the growth and reach and ideology of the Tigers while highlighting how the LTTE has been indulging in gross violation of human rights in the areas where it holds sway in the island and within its own network.

United States, Britain, Canada, Australia, and Malaysia have banned the LTTE besides India considering it as 'a lethal and well-organized terrorist group' in South Asia, which believes in gun culture.

Last week the EU has declared Hizbul Mujahideen, (HM) as a Kashmiri terrorist outfit.

- Asian Tribune -

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