Sri Lanka calls for ban on Tigers down under … in addition to - TopicsExpress

Sri Lanka calls for ban on Tigers down under … in addition to listing under UNSC Resolution meant to suppress fund raising Australia is yet to proscribe the LTTE, though the previous Labour government listed the group under the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) Resolution 1317 to prevent it from collecting funds in the country. The resolution was introduced in 2001. The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) is expected to launch a fund raising campaign in Australia later this month. Sources based in Australia said that fund raising dinners would be held in Sydney and Melbourne. Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop extended the listing for a further period of three years from Nov. 26, 2013. The listings included persons as well as organisations responsible for terrorism. Ministry sources told The Island that External Affairs Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris had, as early as June 2013, urged the then Australian Immigration and Citizenship Minister Brendan Patrick O’Connor to proscribe the LTTE. Sources pointed out that the new Australian government, led by Conservative leader Tony Abbott, was likely to proscribe the LTTE which remained active though it no longer retained a conventional military strength. Asked whether the government would pressure Australia to ban the LTTE, a senior official said that the proscription of the group down under remained a priority. The bottom line was that banning of the group under Australian criminal code would have a far greater impact than it being listed in accordance with UNSC resolution. The resolution was meant only to suppress terrorist financing and that wouldn’t be enough, sources said. They said that bilateral relations between the two countries couldn’t have been better with Australian Premier Abbott recently offering two Bay Class patrol vessels to Sri Lanka Navy to stem human smuggling. The navy will take delivery of vessels next year. The Australian High Commission in Colombo, too, confirmed that the UNSC Resolution 1373 list comprised a total of 83 persons and entities. It fulfilled Australia’s legal obligations to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorism. The effect of the listing is that it is a criminal offence to use or deal with the assets of the LTTE or to make assets available to the LTTE, it said. island.lk/index.php?page_cat=article-details&page=article-details&code_title=92947