British Govt will not revoke LTTE ban - FM

Uditha Kumarasinghe, Sandasen Marasinghe and Chaminda Perera

Foreign Affairs Minister Rohitha Bogollagama yesterday told Parliament that the British Government has pledged they have no intention whatsoever to remove the ban imposed on the LTTE.

“During my meeting with the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Lord Malloch Brown reiterated that the British Government will not lift the ban imposed on the LTTE,” he said.

Responding to the adjournment motion moved by the JVP MP Bimal Ratnayake, the Minister said the Sri Lankan Government has conveyed to the British Government on the move taken by a group of MPs of the British Government who have expressed their condolence on the killing of LTTE Political Wing Leader Thamil Selvam.

The adjournment debate on “ British Government’s assistance for support in Sri Lanka” which was scheduled to be taken up for debate in British House of Commons on Tuesday did not take place as the Liberal Democratic party Member Simon Hughes was not present in the House due to personal reasons.

During my visit, I met six British MPs. I expressed the Government’s stand to the British authorities, he said.

“I also appealed the British MPs not to make any statements in favour to a terrorist organisation like the LTTE as the Sri Lankan Government is reaching a consensus among political parties to put and end to the conflict.”

Meanwhile the Government also expressed its dissatisfaction to the British Government on the permission given to conduct demonstrations and various commemorative events in London to mark the death of a terrorist leader like Thamil Selvam.

The British Government clearly stated that they are not willing to be a part at any diplomatic level to assist the LTTE, he said.

The Minister said Sri Lanka plays a pivotal role to combat terrorism. The Government should take more steps to educate the international community on its moves taken to combat terrorism. The Foreign Ministry has printed a book which contains various ruthless killings and other human rights violations committed by the LTTE during the past 30 years.

Bogollagama said that he briefed the British authorities that the Government has no intention whatsoever to find a solution to the present conflict through military means.

The Government always maintain its position to find a political settlement to the problem. The APRC had come a long way in evolving a southern consensus on the political settlement that would be offered. The Government’s political proposals will safeguard the interests of all communities.

Bimal Ratnayake said when some British MPs are dealing with the world’s most ruthless terrorist organisation. The British Government or British High Commissioner here do not utter even a single world.

He said after the bomb blast which took place in London in July, 2005, other communities living in Britain have faced to severe arrestments. Various bomb attacks have been made to the mosques in Britain.

Therefore those who make such grave human rights violations speak about human rights violations in Sri Lanka. Even the British Parliament has spoken on the killing of Thamil Selvam. But they do not utter even a single word on the brutal killings and child recruitment of the LTTE, he said.

Ratnayake said a group of British MPs are helping the LTTE with the intention of seeking British intervention here. British MPs always speak on the information provided them by the LTTE. Therefore the Government should create an anti-terrorist media unit to counter to the false information provided to the world by the LTTE.