The much awaited British Terrorism Act came into force on March 20. For months prior to this, there was strenuous canvassing by the Sri Lankan government and the LTTE with regard to the banning of the latter.

The LTTE mobilised their sympathisers all over the world for a show down to get off the hook. They held demonstrations, protest marches, signed petitions, withdrew propaganda materials such as newspapers, magazines, cassettes, videos etc. from Tamil shops in London. And finally, threatened the British that they would, ‘show the meaning of terrorism' if they were banned.

After the Act came into force, because of the delay in publishing the list, there was much speculation about the foreign terrorist organisations which would be included in the list. In the meantime, LTTE sympathisers in the UK, Australia and Canada celebrated behind closed doors, the delay in the release of the list as a victory for the LTTE.

But to their horror, it was shortlived. On March 1, the curtain was drawn, and the LTTE with 20 others was designated as a terrorist organisation. Now that the LTTE is exposed, the UK is no longer a safe haven to them and they cannot pose as crusaders. Irritated by the ban, Anton Balasingham, spokesman for the LTTE observed,"... that the peace initiatives depend precariously on the leniency or the harshness in which this draconian legislation is enforced...", He also commented that the British ban is a triumph for ‘Buddhist racism and fascism’. It is of course common knowledge that the LTTE has always been highly critical of Buddhists to get the sympathy of the international community and the church.

The firm stance taken by the British government against foreign based terrorist is welcomed. And hats off to the British for separating the chaff from the wheat. The President and the Minister of Foreign Affairs should be commended for their untiring efforts and strenuous campaign conducted to expose the LTTE who were wolves in sheep clothing. It is a diplomatic triumph for the government a substantive set back for the LTTE and loss of face for the UNP. Surprisingly, the UNP was dead silent when a worldwide vigorous campaign was conducted to ban the LTTE by political parties, organisations, religious orders and so on, both by India and Sri Lanka.

In contrast to UNP's role, the vice chairman of the European Parliament delegation addressing the media said,"... Terrorism is terrorism. We cannot interpret it differently. We cannot say that it does not exist. We cannot condone it. We have urged the British government to ban all those engaged terrorism..."

And on November 5, 1996, Mr. Downer, Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs said in Parliament."...We frequently get requests from the Sri Lankan Tamil community for meetings with me. I want to make it clear to the house, that my position is that I will not see Tamil groups in Australia unless they indicate to me in writing that they condemn the terrorist activities of the LTTE...." And last week, Canada confirmed that they would introduce a Terrorism Act.

Now that the USA, India and Malaysia have banned the LTTE, we hope that countries like Australia, Canada, France, and Germany would follow suit and to refresh their memories here are some indiscriminate terrorist acts of the LTTE selected at random from their track record.

1984 - the LTTE kills 127 civilians mostly Sinhalese in the north, 1985 - The LTTE kills 150 Sinhala civilians at prayer in Anuradhapura. 1986 - (May 3) The LTTE bombs an AirLanka plane in Colombo killing 16 people and (May 7) bombs the Central Telegraph Office, Colombo killing 14 people, 1987 - the LTTE kills 113 people in Colombo by exploding a car bomb and in June kills 29 Buddhist monks at Aranthalawa, 1988 - The LTTE kills 15 Sinhalese civilians in Morawewa on March 3, blows up a truck in Trincomalee killing 24 civilians on March 5 blows up a bus in Trincomalee killing 22 passengers on May 1 and kills 27 Sinhalese civilians in a bus on Nov. 14, 1989 - the LTTE kills by hacking and shooting 34 Sinhalese civilians at Duluwewa on February 11, kills 76 Sinhalese civilians at Borawewa on Feb. 28 and kills 51 people in Tricomalee on April 23, 1990 - the LTTE massacres 600-700 policemen who surrender on government orders during the LTTE-UNP talks, the LTTE uses machetes, guns and grenades to kill 40 Muslims praying at a mosque in eastern village of Kattankudy on Aug. 3, the LTTE massacres 122 Muslims in Eravur on Aug. 12, 1991 - the LTTE kills 21 Sinhalese villagers in Moneragala on April 21 and kills 27 civilians in Batticaloa, 1992 - the LTTE kills 56 Muslims at Alinchipathana on April 29, explodes a bicycle bomb in Batticaloa on Oct. 15 killing 22 Muslims, the LTTE massacres 166 Muslims in Palliyagodella on Oct. 15, 1993 - the LTTE assassinates Sri Lankan President Ranasingha Premadasa on May 1 together with 22 others, 1994 the LTTE kills 15 bus passengers at Anuradhapura on Jan. 19, the LTTE kills 22 fishermen in Puttalam on March 21, the LTTE kills Sri Lankan Opposition Leader Gamini Dissanayake and 51 others in Colombo during the LTTE-government talks on Nov. 24, 1995 - The LTTE kills 42 Sinhalese civilians at Kallarawa, the LTTE kills 24 Sinhalese civilians in Colombo on June 4, 1996 - the LTTE bombs the Central Bank killing 82 civilians, the LTTE bombs Hotel Galadari killing 18 civilians in October 1998 - the LTTE bombs Dalada Maligawa killing 16 persons, the LTTE explodes a vehicle bomb in Maradana killing over 10 civilians in May, 1999 - the LTTE explodes a bomb at the Kandy private bus station killing two civilians, the LTTE assassinates TULF MP Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam in July, the LTTE makes an attempt on President Chandrika Kumaratunga in December and kills 22 civilians, the LTTE bombs a UNP election rally on the same day killing 10 civilians, 2000 - the LTTE kills Minister C. V. Gooneratne and 22 others in June, the LTTE kills 6 persons opposite the Eye Hospital in October.

Dr. P. A. Samaraweera
Colombo