Combatting terrorism, trans-national crime:

Sri Lanka calls for political will

Sri Lanka called for political will by the International Community to combat terrorism and trans-national organized crime. Sri Lanka also called on the member States of the UN to exercise their political will to render tangible and meaningful assistance to other nations who face the challenges of terrorism and trans-national organized crimes.

Addressing the 12th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice in Salvador, State of Bahia, Brazil, April 15, Sri Lankan Ambassador to Brazil A.M.J. Sadiq underscored the importance of international cooperation to combat terrorism, money laundering and other trans-national organized crimes. "If member States do not exercise their political will to do so their professed commitment to combating international terrorism and trans-national organized crimes would amount to nothing more than pious pronouncements and paying lip service to eliminating these evils which have plagued the contemporary world," he said.

Speaking further at the 7th meeting of Committee 1 of the Congress the Sri Lankan Ambassador drew the attention of the assembled audience to the inextricable and close nexus between terror groups and criminal gangs in carrying out their illicit activities, including narcotics smuggling, gun running, human trafficking, money laundering, extortion and other organized crimes.

He elaborated on the victory achieved last year under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa in defeating LTTE terrorism in Sri Lanka. He pointed out that the military operations carried out by the three armed forces in eradicating the military and political leadership of the LTTE was achieved with minimal civilian casualties, as they strictly adhered to the "zero civilian casualty doctrine" proclaimed by President Rajapaksa.

Ambassador Sadiq, however cautioned that it was not possible to remain complacent, since it was a known fact that although the top LTTE leadership had been eliminated during the military campaign last year, the international network of the LTTE is very much intact and active. He noted that today a number of vessels belonging to the LTTE's shipping fleet, which had been hitherto involved in drug trafficking and gun running, are engaged in the lucrative business of human trafficking.

Ambassador Sadiq estimated that the overseas LTTE network has amassed assets worth anything between US$ 3 billion and US$ 5 billion through its vast range of illicit and nefarious activities over the last three decades. He called upon Member States of the UN, especially countries in which the LTTE and its various front organizations continue to operate with impunity to pro-actively go after the ill-gotten assets of the LTTE and seize such assets and repatriate the proceeds to Sri Lanka. He said that these funds could then be applied in an equitable manner by the Government to compensate the thousands of families who have been victimized by the LTTE in its three decade long terror spree as well as to rebuild the war ravaged infrastructure of the North and East of Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka was honoured at the 12th UN Congress on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice by being elected Vice Chair by acclamation of one of the two Committees of the Congress - Committee 1, at its second plenary meeting on 12th April.

The 10-day UN Congress ended April 19, with the adoption of the Salvador Declaration. The next Congress will be held in Doha, Qatar in 2015.