Cabinet to consider tougher laws to curb LTTE activities

Manjula FERNANDO

COLOMBO: The Cabinet of Ministers on Wednesday will consider a 'number of options' including the possibility of bringing in tougher legal provisions to curb the LTTE's ruthless activities, in the face of mounting pressure on the State to proscribe the LTTE organisation in Sri Lanka.

Peace Secretariat Chief Dr. Palith Kohona said the State was extremely concerned about the LTTE's conduct lately. "A decision will be made by the Cabinet on Wednesday," Dr. Kohona said without elaborating on the 'important options' he referred to as going to dominate the Cabinet meeting's agenda, the day after tomorrow.

It is also learnt that the Cabinet will also focus on the re-imposition of Prevention of Terrorism Act.

The State has also decided to cut all direct contacts that the LTTE is permitted with foreign entities and NGOs.

"As an initial step the Government decided that there shall be no contacts permitted between diplomatic missions, NGOs and INGOs and the LTTE," he said

As a result the proposed visit of the Norwegian special envoy Hanssen Bauer to Kilinochchi will also be cancelled, he said.

Pressures from political parties especially the JVP and JHU and religious organisations to ban the LTTE as a terrorist organisations have mounted following the latest suicide attack on Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa on Friday.

He survived the attack without a scratch but two of his bodyguards died.

At the Cabinet meeting on Friday, Chaired by the President upon his return from India, most of the Ministers have strongly suggested banning the Tigers while some have proposed a conditional ban that will not lead to annul the ceasefire agreement or affect the peace process.

The President also called a meeting of key stakeholders including Attorney General's Department officials, Defence officials, SCOPP representatives to discuss the re-introduction of legal provisions to reinforce action against terrorism on Saturday.

They will deal with terrorist fund raising, propaganda activities and any other unlawful support to the LTTE, Presidential office sources said.