US calls Tamil Tigers terrorists

US calls Tamil Tigers terrorists

By Sue Bull

On October 8, the United States announced moves to make it illegal to give money or other material support to 30 foreign groups designated as terrorist. Visas will also be denied to members or representatives of the groups.

The list includes the Tamil Tigers (LTTE) in Sri Lanka.

The Sri Lankan government applauded the decision. "It's a victory for Sri Lanka's foreign policy and testimony of a strong and healthy bilateral relationship with the United States", said foreign ministry spokesperson Ravinatha Aryasinha.

The Sri Lankan government has never agreed to the demands for self-determination by the Tamil people. Since 1983, 75,000 people have been killed in the conflict. The government has persistently rejected peace negotiations.

At the time of the US decision, a Tamil activist and academic, Dr Sachithanandam Sathanathan, was on an Australian speaking tour. Sathanathan is the founder and secretary of the Action Group of Tamils in Colombo. At a public meeting with Janet Hunt from the Australian Council for Overseas Aid, he said that the US action would make it harder to seek peace.

"The violence in Sri Lanka is logical and predictable given the history of the situation." He added that the only solution was a federal system, steadfastly refused by the Sri Lankan government throughout the last four decades.

The government has frequently been accused of human rights abuses. The murder of the Reverend Arulpalan of the Jaffna Diocese of the Church of South India, taken into custody by the Sri Lankan army on August 25 and found dead on September 9, is one of a long list of atrocities.

In March, 53 international NGOs urged the UN Human Rights Commission to persuade the Sri Lankan government to end its army's atrocities and human rights abuses.

From GLW issue 295