The Liberation Tigers this week urged the European Union this week to reconsider its decision to bar them from visiting its member states and desist from listing them as a terrorist organisation.
The EU said Monday it “is actively considering the formal Listing of the LTTE as a terrorist organisation.”
“In the meantime, the European Union has agreed that with immediate effect, delegations from the LTTE will no longer be received in any of the EU Member States until further notice,” a statement said.
“The European Union has also agreed that each Member State will, where necessary, take additional national measures to check and curb illegal or undesirable activities (including issues of funding and propaganda) of the LTTE, its related organisations and known individual supporters.”
Responding Wednesday, the head of the LTTE’s Political Wing, Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan described the move as a “serious setback to the peace process.”
The EU’s decision will appease, and indeed will give moral support to, extreme Sinhala nationalists who are demanding the abrogation of the peace-talks and resumption of war, he said.
Mr. Thamilchelvan pointed out the EU’s comment were badly timed, coinciding with an “anti-Tamil” campaign being advanced through political propaganda platforms in the South, in reference to the stridently Sinhala nationalist campaign by the ruling party’s candidate in the Presidential elections.
Mr. Thamilchelvan recalled that EU’s support was a key factor in the LTTE’s decision to enter into negotiations in 2002 with the Sri Lankan government.
“We urge the European Union to desist from being partial to one party and to rescind its recent declaration,” Thamilchelvan was quoted by TamilNet as saying.
In its harshly worded statement Monday, the EU deplored the assassination of Sri Lanka’s foreign minister in August - a murder the government blames on the Tigers – and slammed the “continuing use of violence and terrorism by the LTTE.”
“The pursuit of political goals by such totally unacceptable methods only serves to damage the LTTE’’s standing and credibility as a negotiating partner and gravely endangers the Peace Process so much desired by the people of Sri Lanka,” the EU said in a statement.
“The European Union repeats its condemnation of the shocking murder of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar and of so many others in Sri Lanka in recent weeks,” the statement said.
“The European Union furthermore repeats its serious concern at the continuing recruitment and retention of child soldier cadres by the LTTE and reminds them that there can be no excuse whatsoever for this abhorrent practice to continue.”
“The European Union takes this opportunity to underline the Statement of 19 September by the Co-Chairs of the Tokyo Donor Conference calling on the LTTE not least to take immediate public steps to demonstrate their commitment to the peace process and their willingness to change.”
“The European Union calls upon all parties in Sri Lanka to show commitment and responsibility towards the peace process during the coming period of elections and to refrain from actions that could endanger a peaceful resolution and political settlement of the conflict.”
The LTTE has already been banned in Britain – which presently heads the EU – as well as the United States and India. The LTTE is precluded from raising funds in Australia and Canada as well.
Last week the Co-Chairs of the Tokyo Donor Conference – the EU, US, Japan and Norway - warned that the Norwegian peace effort in Sri Lanka was facing “its most serious challenge” since the February 2002 cease-fire brought a halt to fighting between the government and the Liberation Tigers.
That statement, however, rapped both the LTTE and the Sri Lanka government by implication for the serious situation and urged both parties to “engage constructively” with a Norwegian special representative, Major General Furuhovde, scheduled to visit the island in October “to find practical ways of improving implementation” of the truce.
While the Co-Chairs statement stopped short of directly accusing the Tigers of killing of Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar last month, it strongly hinted that the LTTE was responsible in the view of the Co-Chairs.
The assassination was branded an “unconscionable act of terrorism” that casts “profound doubts on the commitment of those responsible to a peaceful and political resolution of the conflict.”
The Co-Chairs demanded that the LTTE take “immediate public steps to demonstrate their commitment to the peace process and their willingness to change.” They also called for “an immediate end to political assassinations by the LTTE and an end to LTTE recruitment of child soldiers” as “two such steps.”
The Sri Lanka government was criticised for not disarming paramilitaries said to be operating with the support of the armed force. However, Colombo was commended for its “restraint” following Kadirgamar’s assassination.
The Co-Chairs said they “deplore the activities of paramilitary groups, which fuel the cycle of violence and unrest and … underscore the responsibility of the Sri Lankan government under the Ceasefire Agreement to disarm or relocate these groups from the north and east.”
The EU said Monday it “is actively considering the formal Listing of the LTTE as a terrorist organisation.”
“In the meantime, the European Union has agreed that with immediate effect, delegations from the LTTE will no longer be received in any of the EU Member States until further notice,” a statement said.
“The European Union has also agreed that each Member State will, where necessary, take additional national measures to check and curb illegal or undesirable activities (including issues of funding and propaganda) of the LTTE, its related organisations and known individual supporters.”
Responding Wednesday, the head of the LTTE’s Political Wing, Mr. S. P. Thamilchelvan described the move as a “serious setback to the peace process.”
The EU’s decision will appease, and indeed will give moral support to, extreme Sinhala nationalists who are demanding the abrogation of the peace-talks and resumption of war, he said.
Mr. Thamilchelvan pointed out the EU’s comment were badly timed, coinciding with an “anti-Tamil” campaign being advanced through political propaganda platforms in the South, in reference to the stridently Sinhala nationalist campaign by the ruling party’s candidate in the Presidential elections.
Mr. Thamilchelvan recalled that EU’s support was a key factor in the LTTE’s decision to enter into negotiations in 2002 with the Sri Lankan government.
“We urge the European Union to desist from being partial to one party and to rescind its recent declaration,” Thamilchelvan was quoted by TamilNet as saying.
In its harshly worded statement Monday, the EU deplored the assassination of Sri Lanka’s foreign minister in August - a murder the government blames on the Tigers – and slammed the “continuing use of violence and terrorism by the LTTE.”
“The pursuit of political goals by such totally unacceptable methods only serves to damage the LTTE’’s standing and credibility as a negotiating partner and gravely endangers the Peace Process so much desired by the people of Sri Lanka,” the EU said in a statement.
“The European Union repeats its condemnation of the shocking murder of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar and of so many others in Sri Lanka in recent weeks,” the statement said.
“The European Union furthermore repeats its serious concern at the continuing recruitment and retention of child soldier cadres by the LTTE and reminds them that there can be no excuse whatsoever for this abhorrent practice to continue.”
“The European Union takes this opportunity to underline the Statement of 19 September by the Co-Chairs of the Tokyo Donor Conference calling on the LTTE not least to take immediate public steps to demonstrate their commitment to the peace process and their willingness to change.”
“The European Union calls upon all parties in Sri Lanka to show commitment and responsibility towards the peace process during the coming period of elections and to refrain from actions that could endanger a peaceful resolution and political settlement of the conflict.”
The LTTE has already been banned in Britain – which presently heads the EU – as well as the United States and India. The LTTE is precluded from raising funds in Australia and Canada as well.
Last week the Co-Chairs of the Tokyo Donor Conference – the EU, US, Japan and Norway - warned that the Norwegian peace effort in Sri Lanka was facing “its most serious challenge” since the February 2002 cease-fire brought a halt to fighting between the government and the Liberation Tigers.
That statement, however, rapped both the LTTE and the Sri Lanka government by implication for the serious situation and urged both parties to “engage constructively” with a Norwegian special representative, Major General Furuhovde, scheduled to visit the island in October “to find practical ways of improving implementation” of the truce.
While the Co-Chairs statement stopped short of directly accusing the Tigers of killing of Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar last month, it strongly hinted that the LTTE was responsible in the view of the Co-Chairs.
The assassination was branded an “unconscionable act of terrorism” that casts “profound doubts on the commitment of those responsible to a peaceful and political resolution of the conflict.”
The Co-Chairs demanded that the LTTE take “immediate public steps to demonstrate their commitment to the peace process and their willingness to change.” They also called for “an immediate end to political assassinations by the LTTE and an end to LTTE recruitment of child soldiers” as “two such steps.”
The Sri Lanka government was criticised for not disarming paramilitaries said to be operating with the support of the armed force. However, Colombo was commended for its “restraint” following Kadirgamar’s assassination.
The Co-Chairs said they “deplore the activities of paramilitary groups, which fuel the cycle of violence and unrest and … underscore the responsibility of the Sri Lankan government under the Ceasefire Agreement to disarm or relocate these groups from the north and east.”
