Sri Lankan Envoy Urges European Governments Not To Encourage LTTE Activists

Sri Lanka has urged European governments not to extend any moral or political support for any efforts by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Diaspora to establish a transitional government of Eelam in exile.

Ravinath Aryasinghe, Sri Lanka's envoy in Brussels for Belgium, Luxembourg and the European Union has said that the LTTE, in collaboration with certain groups in western countries, are proceeding with plans to establish a provisional Tamil Eelam state in exile. This is another strategy to resuscitate the terrorist struggle.

Supporting Tamils
These groups have mushroomed through bogus elections and are comprised of a large number of LTTE members and activists. These groups have been formed with the support of several Tamils who had illegally entered western nations. They should have been repatriated to Sri Lanka by now since normalcy has returned to the country, he said.

Aryasinghe added that these elements are involved in a move to establish a rogue Tamil state in exile as an exercise aimed at stoking anew the interest of the Tamil Diaspora and thereby create an atmosphere that will also enable them to extend their stay in those countries. Aryasinghe was addressing the "2010 Diplomatic Security Conference on the Terrorism Situation and Trends in the EU" held in the Colonial Palace in Brussels on 11 May. The conference was attended by diplomats, academics, members of law enforcement agencies and the criminal justice society.
War Against LTTE

"The Sri Lankan story relating to the war waged against terrorism has in it two dominant facts which are of relevance to this conference. First, the victory achieved in the war against the LTTE is a well known fact. Second is the fact that the LTTE is not only a terrorist organization but is also an outfit that maintains an efficient worldwide network.

This organization is multifaceted and they have assets worldwide. They also maintain links with leading organizations. Although the organization has lost its leaders and their core activists have been destroyed, we should not forget the fact that they have adequate wealth, expertise and links. You must not forget that all of these positives which they have are all in your countries", Aryasinghe said.

He said: "There are even some schools which encourage terrorism and sacrifice. Some students from such a school were charged with an attack on the Sri Lankan embassy in Norway."