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| Tamil Diaspora , Germany (kniestphotography) |
'Legal redress for 423 designated for terror link in Lanka' - Press Trust of India
Sri Lankan military today said legal redress would be
available for 423 individuals, including 32 Sri Lankans currently residing in India,
designated as financiers of terrorism in the country. Sri Lanka last week banned LTTE and 15 other key Tamil diaspora groups for their alleged
terror links and prohibited its nationals from making any contacts with them. Some 423 individuals, including 32 Sri Lankans presently
residing in India,
were listed as members of the banned LTTE offshoots and as financiers of
terrorism.
"These individuals have been only designated not banned.
If they have an issue with it they have the option of resorting to legal
redress," Defence Ministry spokesman Brigadier Ruwan Wanigasooriya said.
"They may even win de-listing if the court deemed our
action to be flawed," he said.
A politician from the north had asked the Sri Lankan
government as to why did it take to so long to designate these individuals if
it had the evidence against them.
Responding to the remark, Wanigasooriya said: "This was
because of his ignorance. These things cannot be done overnight. We have to go
through a complex process of verification before any action could be taken."
Sri Lankan Defence Ministry has said it would now be
requesting foreign governments to take action against the designated groups and
individuals as per the UN Security Council resolution 1373 which is binding on
all states.
New York-based rights group Human Rights Watch has flayed
the move. It said the decision to label the LTTE and 15 overseas Tamil groups
as financiers of terrorism is so broad that it appears aimed at restricting
peaceful activism by the country's Tamil minority.
"The Sri Lankan government is using vague counter
terrorism regulations to tie the major diaspora Tamil groups to the ruthless
but defunct LTTE," Asia director at Human
Rights Watch Brad Adams said.
"This broad-brush sanction could then be used to punish
local Tamil activists and politicians with international ties.