Lanka wants Malaysia to ban LTTE

I / Colombo May 30, 2009, 16:32 IST

Sri Lanka has asked Malaysia, which is home to a large number of Tamils, to ban LTTE in the country to prevent any illegal activity in name of the rebel outfit that has been recently vanquished in the island nation.

Sri Lankan Foreign Affairs Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, during his meeting with the Malaysian Minister of Defence Y B Dato'Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi yesterday in Singapore, conveyed his deep concerns regarding certain illicit overseas activities of the LTTE such as fund raising, arms trading, human trafficking, political patronage and dissemination of false propaganda, according to a Foreign Ministry statement.

The minister said it could have negative rippling effects on peace and stability of Sri Lanka in particular and the region in general.

The Foreign minister is in Singapore to attend the 8th Shangri La Dialogue, a high-profile global conference, primarily focusing on security and its related aspects.

It is attended by Ministers of Defence, Ministers of Foreign Affairs, military strategists and top brass, academia, diplomatic corps, think-tanks and senior bureaucrats from many countries.

Bogollagama during his meeting pointed out that the LTTE is already banned in over 30 countries including the USA, UK, Canada, India and many of the EU nations. He expounded the recent developments in the military front and the manner in which the military forces of Sri Lanka succeeded in annihilating LTTE from the shores of the country, the Sri Lankan foreign ministry said.

The Malaysian Defence Minister congratulated the Government of Sri Lanka for defeating the LTTE. He told Bogollagama that the Sri Lankan Government has earned the respect of the entire world for the bold steps taken to wipe out terrorism, the Foreign Ministry added.

Bogollagama elaborated the measures implemented and executed by the Government with regard to the post-conflict scenario such as rehabilitation, reconciliation and resettlement as well as empowering of the affected people.

He said the government is currently addressing the requirements of about 300,000 internally displaced persons.

Further, the government is conducting extensive rehabilitation programmes and other legal processes for about 8,000 former LTTE cadres.

The minister thanked the Defence Minister for the humanitarian assistance extended recently by the country to the island nation.