Call to curb LTTE activity in France

Manjula FERNANDO

COLOMBO: Two non-political organisations, National Movement Against Terrorism (NMAT) and the Patriotic Bhikkhu Association of Sri Lanka handed over petitions to the French Embassy yesterday calling for action to curb all LTTE fund raising activities and extortion in France.

"We appreciate the French Government's move to ban the LTTE but action should follow to stop LTTE undercover operations as well," NMAT International Affairs coordinator Malinda Seneviratne said.

The Chief Security officer on duty received the two petitions on behalf of the Embassy announcing that the ambassador was on official holiday.

The French celebrated 'Bastille Day' yesterday and the protests were organised to coincide with this event.

The EU's blanket ban on the LTTE as a terrorist organisation led to the proscription of the Tigers in France.

However, a French Magazine quoting French intelligence sources recently exposed mass scale fund raising carried out by Tiger members, forcing the Sri Lankan Tamil expatriates to contribute to their cause. There are an estimated 50,000 Sri Lankan Tamils in France.

The French Police have confirmed that the LTTE asks for 2,000 euros from each Tamil home and 6,000 euros from each Tamil shop, especially in the area of La Chapelle, Paris.

The Le Figaro Magazine quotes Tamils as saying that they contribute against their will for the fear of their loved ones back in Sri Lanka.

The petition addressed to Ambassador Jean Bernard De Vaivre has pointed out that these funds are used to purchase weapons which are then turned on innocent civilians and political opponents.

"We want the French Government to take action to bring to book the LTTE operatives carrying out this mission on their soil, defying the recent ban," Seneviratne said.

The Patriotic Bhikkhu Association led by Ven. Bengamuwe Nalaka thera in their petition called for action to stop LTTE activities still carried out in their country and the beaming of the Tamil Television Network, allegedly operated for a LTTE propaganda campaign in the west.

"The LTTE will look for loopholes to escape from the ban. It is imperative that France takes the lead to close such loopholes and enforce the ban to the very letter."