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Sri Lanka's LTTE Designated for Ban by Britain
Sri Lanka's separatist Tamil Tiger rebels are among 21 international groups designated as terrorist organizations under Britain's new anti-terrorism law which was designed to prevent funding and support for Britain-based militant groups, the official Daily News reported on Thursday.
It is reported that British Home Secretary Jack Straw recommended Wednesday in a written statement to the parliament that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) be included in the banning list. The decision has yet to be approved by British parliament.
The Sri Lankan government had previously warned Britain that failure to ban the Tamil rebels would impose considerable strain on bilateral relations while the Tiger rebels threatened to pull out of peace talks if they were named.
According to reports from London the LTTE rebels last week withdrew all its propaganda materials such as videos, newspapers, magazines and calendars offered for sale via Tamil owned shops in London.
In their London-based International Secretariat the LTTE rebels launch their propaganda campaign against the government and raise funds for fighting against government forces in the north and east of the country for an independent Tamil state.
In a statement issued on Wednesday night, the British High Commission in Colombo said that the decision reflects the British government's firm stance against international terrorism. It should have no bearing on the peace process in the country if both sides are genuinely committed to the search for a negotiated settlement to the country's long-running ethnic conflict.
Meanwhile, the British High Commissioner Linda Dufield informed the Tamil political parties that their request to meet British Prime Minister Tony Blair was not granted. These parties had intended to urge Blair not to proscribe LTTE rebels.
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