• Weerawansa’s NFF slams move

  BY Buwanajee Coralage   Two leading Tamil political representations in Parliament, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and the Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) of the Opposition have welcomed the lifting of the ban imposed on six international Tamil organisations through an amendment to the proscript list of designated persons under Regulation 4(7) of the United Nations Regulations, No.1 of 2012 pertaining to sanctions against terrorism and terrorism financing. However, the National Freedom Front (NFF), led by MP Wimal Weerawansa, has condemned the decision taken by the Sri Lankan Government to lift this ban. Releasing an official press statement yesterday (15), the TNA welcomed the decision taken by the Government to delist 316 individuals and six entities from the designated list. Furthermore, it stated that some of the entities named in the list have been so named without particular evidence, and that this process of re-evaluation and de-proscribing is encouraged to continue further. “We welcome the delisting of some diaspora organisations and individuals from the terrorism list. However, it must be noted that even others who remain on the list have been so named without any evidence connecting them to terrorism, and by not following the prescribed procedure. We urge the Government to at least continue this process of re-evaluating and de-proscribing all individuals and organisations who ought not to have been listed,” it said. Speaking to the media yesterday (15), TPA Leader and Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Opposition MP Mano Ganesan stated that a friendly request based on national unity should be forwarded to the Sri Lankan diaspora abroad, which accounts for 2,500,000 individuals that include Sinhalese, Tamils, and Muslims, to send foreign currency to the island in order to overcome the United States dollar (USD) shortage in Sri Lanka. “The Government under President Ranil Wickremesinghe has lifted the ban that was earlier imposed on several diaspora organisations. Before this, the Government under former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa lifted the ban imposed on Qatar Charity, which is an organisation that used to send money to Sri Lanka, in an attempt to obtain oil. Now, after the ‘aragalaya’ (struggle), it’s high time to think in the correct perspective and listen, so this decision taken by Wickremesinghe is to be applauded. “We are currently under a debt of $ 52 billion, and we are in need of $ 500 million monthly for the purchase of food, medicine, and oil. Now, Sri Lanka has the chance to bring in foreign currency from the 2,500,000 diaspora living abroad. The diaspora does not include only Tamils but also Sinhalese and Muslims. On the foundation of national unity, we should request them for their help in this moment of need,” said Ganesan. However, speaking to the media, NFF MP Mohamed Muzammil relayed a contrary response. He requested an official statement by the Defense Ministry reasoning the lack of threat that these delisted organisations posed to national security. Moreover, he said that the ban on these organisations was placed due to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) terrorist organisation and questioned whether this threat has ceased with the recent change in the Government. “At this moment, we should consider the reason behind the ban of the six organisations whose ban has been lifted by the Government. These were banned due to the threat imposed on Sri Lankan national security. Is that threat condition no longer valid? Have these Tamil diaspora organisations given up their ‘Eelam’ dream with the rather recent Government change? Has the collection of money by the Tamil diaspora and the attempt to activate the Tamil ‘Eelam’ through Constitutional provisions ceased? Has the attempt to bring this about through international organisations and countries by claiming that war crimes occurred during the civil war, stopped? We thus expect an official statement from the Defense Ministry stating the reasons for the loss of the threat that these organisations posed earlier.”