Why
a Peace Rally Against LTTE Terrorism?
The LTTE is one of the most ruthless
and violent terrorist organizations in the world today.
It has not only completely undermined the prospects for
peace in Sri Lanka, but also posses a serious thereat to
international peace and stability. In recognition of this
basic fact the US banned the LTTE in 1997. India
banned it following the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi by
an LTTE suicide bomber. Malaysia also banned it
recognizing it as a terrorist organization. However,
there are a number of countries including Britain where
the organization has a relatively free reign to continue
its fundraising, arms purchasing and other activities
that contribute to its campaign of violence. This Peace
Rally is an effort to highlight this fact and persuade
the British government also to do what is right and just
and ban the LTTE to prevent it from using Britain as a
staging post to commit acts of terrorism in Sri Lanka.
It is vital that we mobilize the
maximum number at the Peace Rally to convey this
important message effectively to the British
government. Thus we urge you to make a special
effort to come and to bring along with you friends be
they Sri Lankan, Americans, or any other nationality.
Nationality is not important. What is important is
that they share the conviction that LTTE terrorism is
a menace not only to Sri Lanka but also to all peace
loving people who want to see a world free of
terrorism.
The following
is only a small sample of the acts of terrorism committed
by the LTTE in recent years:
Killing of Mrs. Yogeswaran, the
Tamil mayor of the northern city of Jaffna who was
elected to that office in March 1998 by the Tamil
people of that city in a democratic election
(Previously, her husband who was a member of
parliament was also assassinated by the LTTE as a
part of its campaign to eliminate all democratic
forces in the Tamil community.)
January 1998 bombing of the Temple
of the Tooth, Kandy venerated by the world Buddhists
community as one of the most sacred places of worship
(it is the equivalent
of the bombing of, say, the Sistine Chapel in the
Vatican, or the Kabah in the Islamic holy city of
Makkah.
A series of suicide bombings in
Colombo that started in the 1980s, usually in crowded
streets, bus stations, trains, and offices that have
killed several hundreds, and injured or maimed
thousands of others including a number of foreign
visitors.
Assassination of the former prime
minister of India Rajiv Gandhi, president of Sri
Lanka R. Premadasa, senior cabinet minister and
presidential candidate Gamini Dissanayake, and scores
of other senior Sri Lankan officials. In many of
these killings the LTTE used suicide bombers whose
indiscriminate and murderous action killed not only
the individuals named above but also large numbers of
others who were present in the vicinity.
Why Britain
should ban the LTTE?
LTTE uses Britain as a principal
base for fund raising, arms purchases, and propaganda
to promote terrorism.
LTTE is a significant supplier of
narcotics to Western European countries.
LTTE and its agents have been
involved in defrauding the British National Health
Services, Inland Revenue, Social Security, and Local
Councils.
The moment has arrived
for Britain to courageously take the only reasonable step
that it could take in regard to the LTTE - Declare it a
terrorist organization and prohibit its activities in
Britain.
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