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NGO banned for “links” with LTTE

COLOMBO: Colombo on Thursday banned the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation , an international NGO , on charges of links with the LTTE.

The announcement, following a decision by the Cabinet, came days after the U.S. proscribed it as it was a front organisation raising funds for the LTTE. Colombo had frozen the bank of TRO in 2006.

It is not clear if the ban is a prelude to a similar action against the LTTE. The U.S. last week froze TRO’s assets saying, “According to sources within the organization, the TRO is the preferred conduit of funds from the U.S. to the LTTE in Sri Lanka.”

Colombo said the international wing chief of TRO Vinayagamurthi and his wife had been detained in the U.S. “He is believed to be a mastermind behind LTTE naval strength. He is supposed to be involved with developing and the use of sea submarines in their sea attacks.”

Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama has appealed to the international community to follow the example of U.S. and proscribe the TRO.

Recent information indicates that the LTTE has ordered international NGOs operating in its territory to provide all project funding through local NGOs. “This arrangement allows TRO to withdraw money from the local NGO accounts and to provide a portion of the relief funds to the LTTE,” said the U.S.

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