Central Bank investigating TRO's financial transactions

Manjula FERNANDO

COLOMBO: The Financial Intelligence Unit of the Central Bank has begun investigating the Tamils Rehabilitation Organisation's (TRO) financial transactions under the recently introduced Financing of Terrorism Law.

As a result the Central Bank froze all funds of the controversial NGO deposited in State and private banks last week, blocking the withdrawal of funds by the organisation.

Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal confirmed yesterday the action to freeze their funds was taken under the Financing of terrorism law in line with an on going investigation.

Sources revealed with the new disturbing developments in Colombo three senior TRO members are now in Kilinochchi to meet with the LTTE leaders while its Administration Director Lawrence Thilakar had left the country to consult its international heads.

The Government has called on other countries to ban the operations of the TRO, allegedly a front organisation of the LTTE, collecting funds from the Tamil diaspora and other unsuspecting international donors to further the LTTE's military cause, but the TRO still remains a registered humanitarian organisation in Sri Lanka.

An official who wished to remain anonymous said "Other countries have already begun probing financial operations of this NGO and we started late."

The Organisation claims that its members came to know of the Central Bank's action when they attempted to make withdrawals from the Banks in Kilinochchi and Colombo on Friday.

These members had been notified by the respective Banks that no withdrawals were possible until further notice.