Opinion divided on possible U.K. ban on LTTE

By Nirupama Subramanian

COLOMBO, FEB. 3. Sri Lanka is whipping itself into a frenzy over the United Kingdom's new anti-terrorism legislation under which the LTTE could be proscribed on British soil, with opinion divided along ethnic lines on the impact it could have on the resolution of the island's conflict.

The Terrorism Act 2000 passed by the British Parliament in August last is to come into effect on February 19 and the British Home Office is preparing a list of organisations to proscribe under it.

Leading the high-decibel crusade for the inclusion of the LTTE in that list is the Sri Lankan Government with the Foreign Minister, Mr. Lakshman Kadirgamar, saying a failure by Britain to ban the LTTE would constitute an ``unfriendly act''.

Centre for LTTE activities

For over a decade, London has been an important centre for fund- raising and propaganda by the LTTE in western Europe, which has a significant population of expatriate Tamils. Their monetary contributions are said to form a significant portion of the LTTE's earnings, and used to buy arms in the war against the Sri Lankan Government. It has been Sri Lanka's demand for several years that the U.K. should take action to curb the activities of the LTTE on its soil.

According to the new legislation, ``terrorism'' is the use or threat of action designed to influence the Government or to intimidate the public or a section of the public made for the purpose of advancing a political, religious or ideological cause. An action is deemed terrorist if it involves ``serious violence'' against a person, ``serious damage'' to property, endangers others lives or puts them at ``serious risk''.

Under the Act, a terrorist action anywhere in the world is a punishable offence in the U.K. Those who are members, solicit support or funds for an organisation banned under the Act, are offenders.

According to the Sri Lankan Government, the LTTE is qualified to be banned under this law on all counts. Mr. Kadirgamar said that with the enactment of the new law, the U.K. would have no excuse not to ban the group.

Sinhala hardline groups, which argue that the conflict requires no political solution but only a firm hand, are also at the forefront of the demand that Britain outlaw the group.

There is no doubt a decision by the U.K. to proscribe the LTTE will be a huge diplomatic victory for Colombo. It will further discredit the group internationally and give a shot in the arm to the Government at home, especially with hardline Sinhala opinion.

Though LTTE supporters say it will have no effect on either its propaganda network or fund-raising capabilities, it will strangle to some extent the group's functioning in western Europe.

But the Government should also prepare for possible disappointment. So far, the U.K. has refused to commit itself on whether or not the LTTE will be included in the list of banned organisations, saying it is aware of the concerns of the Sri Lankan Government, and that all views are being considered.

Vehement Tamil opposition

Tamil opinion is vehemently against the proscription, arguing that outlawing the LTTE at this stage will be counter- productive, and tantamount to throwing a spoke in the Norwegian initiative to bring it to the negotiating table. Several Tamil parties, including the Tamil United Liberation Front, have conveyed this to the British Government.

Disputing the assertions by Mr. Kadirgamar that a British ban would not be an obstacle to talks between the two sides, these parties have said the international community must keep its lines open with the LTTE to exert moral and political pressure on it. The U.K. would be ruling out a role for itself in resolving the conflict if it proscribed the group.

The LTTE, too has been lobbying against the ban. Recently, its supporters organised a meeting with British MPs to plead its case. It is widely believed that the need to avert a possible ban may be one of the reasons behind the LTTE's unilateral ceasefire.

All the arguments are obviously being weighed by London, but the final outcome may also depend to some extent on British domestic politics in an election year.

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Section  : International
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