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The other nations of the world who proscribed the terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam should lift their ban on the LTTE since the Sri Lanka government of Ranil Wickremesinghe has now lifted its proscription of the group said S.P. Thamilchelvan in an interview with Frances Harrison of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC). As quoted by the Sandeshaya, the Sinhala service of the BBC, Thamilchelvan told Harrison that those countries proscribed his group not because any wrong done by the LTTE against those countries but because of an intense diplomatic campaign based on false propaganda carried on by the then Sri Lanka government of President Chandrika Kumaratunga. Thamilchelvan, according to the BBC, “who is in effect number two in the organization” told Harrison that because Sri Lanka de-banned the other countries should follow suit now. Former Foreign Minister of Sri lanka Lakshman Kadirgamar, supported by the Foreign Ministry of the government of India successfully campaigned diplomatically to get proscriptions imposed on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in countries like UK, USA, Canada and Australia. But the present Foreign Minister, Tyronne Fernando condemned that campaign immediately after the present government came into power in an exclusive interview published in the pro-LTTE newspaper, the Sunday Leader of Colombo. Sri Lankan intelligence services say the LTTE, which is still maintaining the world’s biggest squad of suicide bombers to attack political opponents has placed Kadirgamar’s name on the top of their hit list. But the Sri Lankan administration of Ranil Wickremesinghe had assured people of Sri Lanka that other countries would not de-ban LTTE because of a Sri Lankan de-ban. Before that the government also promised the people that Sri Lanka would never de-ban Tamil Tigers, a promise they could not keep. Frances Harrison wrote in the BBC report, Thamilchelvan “spoke of a courage and strength of will demonstrated by the government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.” Harrison also wrote, “He said this time round the Tigers were hopeful and positive about the chances of success.” Just before the parliamentary elections in Sri lanka last December , LTTE’s chief negotiator, Anton Balasingham told a London audience of cheering Tamil supporters that he would get the ban of his group lifted in Sri Lanka first and based on that in other countries later. Critics point out Balasingham made this statement just after the LTTE entered into a secret pre-election pact with the then opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe. (EOM) (02/09/07 go2lanka.com) |