Tamil politicians welcome delisting of diaspora organisations 

M.A. Sumanthiran

C.V. Vigneswaran

Mano Ganesan

• TNA says ban imposed was not according to prescribed procedure
• Mano Ganesan offers to mediate between Govt. and diaspora
• Viggy claims ban lifted to score points ahead of UNHRC

By Maneshka Borham

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Spokesman MP M.A. Sumanthiran says the party welcomes the delisting of some diaspora organisations and individuals from the terrorism list. 

The Ministry of Defence on Saturday announced it has decided to lift the ban imposed on six international Tamil organisations, namely the Australian Tamil Congress, Global Tamil Forum, World Dravidian Coordination Committee, Dravida Eelam People’s Congress, Canadian Tamil Congress and British Tamil Forum and another 316 persons.

However, Sumanthiran noted that others who remain on the list have been included in the list without any supporting evidence to connect them to terrorism-related activities. He also said the authorities had not followed the prescribed procedure when banning the organisations and persons. 

Sumanthiran said he urged the Government to however continue this process of re-evaluating and de-proscribing all individuals and organisations who ought not to have been listed. 

The groups were earlier delisted during the tenure of former Foreign Affairs Minister Mangala Samaraweera following talks with representatives of the Tamil diaspora in 2015. The Government had delisted the organisations in an attempt to seek their support for the reconciliation process and development of the North. However, the ban was re-imposed following former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s rise to power. 

In a related development Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Mano Ganesan said the decision made by the Government of President Ranil Wickremesinghe is a positive move. According to Ganesan, the international community will look upon Sri Lankan favourably as a result of it. 

Ganesan made these comments at a press conference held in Colombo yesterday. Mano Ganesan also said that if proper discussions are held with the diaspora, solutions can be provided to the country’s current financial crisis. He also offered to intervene on behalf of the Government to facilitate the talks with the diaspora. “The Government must think differently,” he said. 

Commenting on the delisting, Tamil Peoples’ National Alliance (TPNA) leader MP C.V. Vigneswaran said it is a good move by the Government. However, Vigneswaran also said the decision is perhaps an attempt by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to score points with the international community in exchange for support ahead of the upcoming UNHRC session.