A slap in the face

EU BAN: The decision by the European Union (EU) to list the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) as a banned terrorist organisation is a diplomatic slap in the face for the rebels. Although the United States, Britain, Canada and India have outlawed the LTTE, the EU was reluctant to take harsh measures.

Following the assassination of former Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, there was pressure on the bloc to ban the rebels, but it did not yield and issued only a travel ban that prevented rebel delegations coming to EU capitals.

The EU was not only sympathetic to the rebels, who have been fighting for a separate homeland for ethnic Tamils in Sri Lanka's North and East, but also providing opportunities to raise much needed funds from the expatriate Tamils living in Europe.

The EU's action now follows a meeting of Sri Lanka's main donors - Japan, Norway, the United States and the EU which together have pledged $4.5 billion in aid to foster peace in the island.

The Tokyo meeting assessed the island's deteriorating security situation and the EU appeared to have agreed that the recent escalation of violence was not taking anyone anywhere.

The EU ban has certainly jolted the LTTE's image in the international arena. All these years the rebels could operate in many countries through their front organisations.

The expatriate community contributed handsomely because the rebels could convince them that most of the money was being used for humanitarian work in the war-torn regions in the North and East.

The Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO), considered to be the humanitarian arm of the LTTE, still has many branches in many Western countries.

Although the TRO ran into trouble in the UK late last year when the government-run Charity Commission removed it from the list of charities following reports that the TRO had not been able to account satisfactorily for the application of funds of the charity.

But it could operate in other European countries and it came for praise for the swift humanitarian work it carried out in Tamil areas of Sri Lanka soon after the 2004 tsunami disaster.

There is feeling among diplomatic communities that the EU freeze on assets of the LTTE in Europe would definitely hurt the war chest of the rebels, and that realisation would eventually force the rebels to the negotiating table.

The ban would certainly be welcomed by the Sinhalese hardliners and all those opposed to the ruthless activities of the rebels. But what is to be remembered is that the LTTE is not just a rebel group, but one that is committed to win the cause that it champions.

By fighting a full-scale conflict that killed more than 64,000 people over the years, the rebels are battle hardened. They have gone through many trying times to feel to be threatened or intimidated by the ban.

However, if the international community can stand united, the rebels can be brought before the negotiating table - the only way to avoid derailing the Sri Lankan peace process altogether.

Courtesy: GULF TODAY, Sharjah