Australia urged to ban LTTE

AUSTRALIA: Health Care and Nutrition Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva who is on an official tour in Australia met Australian Attorney General Philip Hedick and urged him to proscribe the LTTE in Australia as the LTTE is exploiting the Tamil nationals domiciled in Australia, demanding a ransom of USD 50,000 from each of them.

Minister de Silva told Attorney General Hedick that as a result of this demand by the LTTE a large number of Tamils in Australia have parted with their immovable property to meet the demand of the LTTE and pointed out that this LTTE modus operandi will necessarily have an adverse bearing on the future of Australia.

Minister de Silva pointed out that European countries and the USA have already banned LTTE operations in their countries and that some of the LTTE activists are facing prosecution in the States for attempting to bribe American officials. This is in addition to the arrest of a Tiger terrorist who was involved in a clandestine arms deal in Indonesia, he said.

The Minister expressing his views on the detainees who were seeking political asylum in Australia, told Australian Foreign Affairs officials that none of those detainees are residents of the North and East and their claims were fictitious. He requested the Foreign Affairs to deport them to Sri Lanka immediately.

Minister de Silva is due to meet Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer today to discuss the peace process in Sri Lanka and urge the Australian Government to proscribe LTTE activities in Australia.

Education Minister Professor Viswa Warnapala, Mass Media and Information Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Sri Lankan Ambassador in Australia Kusumsiri Balapatabendi accompanied Minister de Silva.