The South African Connection LTTE infrastructure in South Africa By Rohan Gunaratna

President Mandela orders dismantling of LTTE training bases in South Africa on request by President Kumaratunga

Daily News : 11 Nov 1998

......President Kumaratunga also said that "The LTTE's claim to be a 'liberation organisation' is an insult to organisations such as the African National Congress and the South West African People's Organisation, which courageously struggled against minority rule, racism and oppression and, with equal courage, negotiated the creation of the democratic,
non-racial States of South Africa and Namibia." She added "The LTTE's claim to be a 'liberation organisation' is negated
by its unilateral resort to violence and its reluctance to put its claims to the true test - that of participating in an open,
democratic and peaceful process of consultation with the people." ......

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Unconfirmed reports say that the LTTE may be shifting its international headquarters from the UK to South Africa, following the passage of a tough anti-terrorist law by British Parliament last Friday.

The new British law could hit the LTTE hard as it makes it an offence to conspire in the UK to commit any offence, including a terrorist act, in another country.  Even sending faxes or E-mail by groups indulging in such activities is barred. The law allows courts to take the statements to senior police officers as evidence.

The LTTE is said to be viewing South Africa as an alternative base for a variety of reasons. It had had links with the ruling African National Congress when the latter was an armed liberation movement. Then there is presence of a 6,00,000 strong 'Tamil' or 'Dravidian' community in South Africa which has historically felt deprived and is now receptive to the extreme Tamil nationalism touted by the LTTE.

Furthermore, the mainstream South African parties see this Dravidian/Tamil community as a vote bank. National elections are due next year and the LTTE's help might be necessary. Above all, President Nelson Mandela is naturally sympathetic to liberation movements. He had touted the Kashmiri case during the Durban NAM summit. The LTTE is cultivating him.

His Excellency Nelson Mandela

President of Republic of South Africa

Union Buildings (West Wing)

Government Avenue

PRETORIA 0002

Your Excellency,

We wish to bring to Your Excellency’s notice the report published in the Hindustan Times of September 8, 1998, which stated that the LTTE (better known to Sri Lankans as Tamil Tiger terrorists) are planning to shift their international headquarters from UK to S. Africa.

This move is a direct result of the new anti-terrorist laws passed by the British Parliament. It is a law that makes it an offence for any group to conspire against another government using Britain as a base. The new law ban even the sending of a fax or e-mail by agents of terrorism in UK. Needless to say that this law has deprived the LTTE of its long-standing base -- a foreign base used by the LTTE agents in UK to fund and organise acts of terrorism against the Sri Lankans who are yearning for peace.

Their latest act of terror was to assassinate the Mayor of Jaffna, P. Sivapalan, on September 11, 1998 when he was attending a conference in the Administrative Centre of Jaffna. Three months ago the LTTE murdered the Mayoress of Jaffna, 62-year-old widow, Sarojini Yogeswaran. She is the first to hold that office in thirteen years. The only crime committed by these two courageous Tamil Mayors was to renounce violence and enter the democratic process by contesting the local council elections held in April this year. The ruthless Tiger terrorists have earlier liquidated 17 elected Parliamentarians, eleven of whom are Tamils. They are targeting their own Tamil people who refuse to toe their political line. These acts of terror are also aimed at preventing the people of Jaffna choosing an alternative leadership to that of the LTTE. Tamil Tiger terrorists are hell bent on suppressing the will of the people and, consequently, subvert the democratic process.

Their main source of strength is derived from their agents abroad who had established their international headquarters in 211, Katherine Road, East Ham, London. Britain finally decided to take firm action against terrorists using their country as a base to destabilise friendly and foreign countries after the horrendous bombing of Omagh by IRA terrorists. It would have been morally indefensible for Britain to take drastic action against the IRA terrorists who were destabilising their country whilst turning a blind eye to similar terrorists destroying other nations. Mounting criticism from Africa (particularly from President Mubarak of Egypt) and Asia (Sri Lanka and India) too accused Britain of giving protection to political criminals who were terrorising Afro-Asian countries.

Besides, Britain could not be seen to be out of step with the rest of the international community who were taking the Tamil Tiger terrorists head-on. In response to requests from Sri Lanka USA has banned the LTTE as a terrorist organisation in 1997. India and Malaysia too has banned the LTTE earlier. Australian government has adopted the policy of refusing to talk to the agents of the LTTE lobbying for support until they renounce violence. Britain is the latest to join the list of growing nations that will take firm action against the LTTE.

In the post-Cold War era separatism tied to terrorism has posed the biggest threat to global peace. The separatist violence of the Tamil Tiger terrorist is no exception. Separatism and terrorism are inseparable. Separatist terrorism in Sri Lanka has already claimed the lives of Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi of India and President Ranasinghe Premadasa of Sri Lanka not to mention the old Tamil leadership, including Appapillai Amirthalingam who was the leader of Tamil parliamentarians.

Terrorism linked to separatism is an evil force that stalks every continent, including Africa. We note that a considerable part of Your Excellency’s leadership is now devoted to tackling this threat to African nations. Separatism linked terrorism can thrive only on the support it derives from foreign sources. Your Excellency will agree that separatism can be contained if foreign sources are restrained from collaborating with local groups. This makes it imperative that S. Africa should not be turned into another base to destabilise Sri Lanka.

We understand that the LTTE has influenced a certain section of the Indian population in S. Africa, mostly of Dravidian origin, to lobby on their behalf. If their lobbying succeeds then, we are told, the LTTE will find an alternative base in S. Africa. We are aware that the LTTE had won some support in the past in S. Africa mainly on the basis of a total misrepresentation of the realities of Sri Lanka’s post-independent history. Without repeating the realities of that history, we wish to state that the international community has now accepted the new measures introduced by President Chandrika Bandaranaike’s government to work out an amicable solution. If at this critical stage, the S. African government decides to grant the LTTE another safe haven for them to perpetuate their terrorist acts against another member of the Commonwealth and a pioneering member of the Non-Aligned Movement it would be detrimental to the stability and the progress of South Asia.

The greatest gift that Your Excellency can give to the Sri Lanka is to deny the Tamil Tiger terrorists a base in S. Africa. We, therefore, humbly beg of Your Excellency to consider the plight of the war-weary people of Sri Lanka and reject any proposals to provide a terrorist base for the LTTE in S. Africa. No doubt, Your Excellency’s enlightened leadership on this issue will help to end the 14-year-old war in Sri Lanka.

Wishing Your Excellency all success in all endeavours to bring peace and stability to Africa and the rest of the war-torn world.

Yours sincerely,

Society for Peace Unity and Human Rights (Inc).

(SPUR is a non-governmental organisation established in Australia to promote peace and unity among all communities in Sri Lanka.)

Archbishop Desmond Tutu urged South Africans of all colours to accept the final report of his truth commission, has come to represent the moral conscience of the Rainbow Nation.     ......

Handing over the report of his Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Archbishop Tutu said it was time of South Africa to come to terms with its bloody apartheid past.    .........

"Let the waters of healing flow from Pretoria today.... to cleanse our land, to cleanse it's people and to bring unity and reconciliation. We will have looked a beast in the eye.... and holding hands together, black and white, stride together into the future." Archbishop Tutu said when presenting his report yesterday.....

(Reference : The Age dated 31 October 1998)

Click here to visit the Truth and Reconciliation Commission

LTTE may move base, Lanka cautions South Africa

Amidst reports that the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is winding down operations in London in the wake of tough anti-terrorism laws in the UK, Sri Lanka has conveyed its ``serious concerns'' to South Africa that the violent separatist group may shift its headquarters there.

For full details, click Indian Express : 30 Oct 1998

Attempts to establish LTTE headquarters in S.Africa:
S.Africa taking serious note of Lanka's concerns
Daily News : 2 November 1998

Foreign Affairs Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar said on Saturday he is convinced that the South African Government is taking serious note of Sri Lanka's concerns about the LTTE's plan to shift their international base to South Africa.

During a question and answer session on the national television network Rupavahini's 'Janamandali' live program the Minister also recalled that President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga appealed to the South African people about the LTTE's plan.

"President Mandela was one of the great exponents of non-violent political struggle. That was his strength. But the LTTE is exactly the opposite. It is totally committed to violence and terror", Mr. Kadirgamar told the interviewer. He also expressed confidence that the large South African Indian community will be alert to the danger of the LTTE going into liaison with other subversive guerilla movements if they make a base in South Africa.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q. What has been the response of the South African Government to your show of concern. I remember President Kumaratunga appealed to the people of South Africa during the Durban summit about the LTTE's plan to shift to South Africa.

A. The South African Government I am convinced is taking serious note of our concerns. We have been frank with the South African Government. They are a friendly Government. When the ANC was fighting its great struggle against apartheid Sri Lanka and all the other developing countries were very supportive of the ANC. Everybody will recall that Mrs. Bandaranike, when she was chairperson of the Non Aligned Movement in 1976, played a very important role in promoting the cause of the ANC. President Mandela has often acknowledged, in my presence and in the presence of President Kumaratunga, how much Madam Bandaranaike did for the ANC's struggle against apartheid. Against that background we are not confronting the South African Government on the LTTE issue. We are just saying to them there is a serious problem. We have information that the LTTE is trying to make a base in South Africa. Please do not allow that to happen, and remember
that the LTTE is totally different from the ANC. President Mandela was one of the great exponents of non-violent political struggle. That was his great strength. But the LTTE is exactly the opposite. It is totally committed to violence and terror.

Q. While it is a victory for our Government and your efforts that it is becoming uncomfortable for the LTTE in the UK, their moving into South Africa involves a risk of other third world subversive guerilla movements, if you like, coming into contact with the LTTE or going into liaison with them.

A. Such possibilities exist all the time. Global security forces have information that terrorist networks are in touch with each other. They are mutually supportive and reinforcing. You cannot discount that. The LTTE, if it really makes a base within South Africa, will try to do that within the South African Indian community. There is a large South African Indian
community. They have been there for a long time, they are not new-comers in South Africa. But I am sure the Indian community will be alert to this danger. It was the LTTE that assassinated Rajiv Gandhi on Indian soil. The LTTE is banned in India. Its leader has been convicted of the murder of Rajiv Gandhi.

Mandela’s folly

Editorial of The Island : 3 November 1998

A supreme irony of contemporary Sri Lankan history is the attempt made by leaders of South Africa such as Nelson Mandela and Bishop Desmond Tutu to provide an international base for the Sri Lankan terrorist organisation, the LTTE, while countries like the United States and Canada have cracked down on this organisation and even Britain is now moving against them.

The post -World War II era was considered an era of decolonisation in which Sri Lanka, one of the few nations to gain Independence soon after the war, was at the forefront with other Third World nations demanding that the colonial empires be
disbanded and the people of these countries be given their freedom. South Africa immediately after the last World War had the white supremacist regime enforcing its abhorrent Apartheid polices that treated the black people as a sub-human species.
Sri Lankan leaders, particularly the SLFP leader Mrs. Sirima Bandaranaike, was one of the leading personalities of the Non Aligned Movement that made the West accept that Aparthied was indeed the dirtiest of words in the international political lexicon. Every Non Aligned Summit while having special resolutions on decolonisation never failed to focus on the plight of the South African people and their leaders who were being imprisoned by the white supremacists.

One of the few successes of the Non Aligned Movement, it could be said, was the rapid decolonisation process it brought about particularly in Africa. Sri Lanka today can point out to the many passionate pleas made on behalf of South African leaders in world fora such as the United Nations, Non Aligned Summits and meetings of the Commonwealth. In contrast silver tongued Sri Lankan politicians and diplomats were never at a loss for words to bash the former colonial powers such as Britain and France and of course the neocolonialist superpower the United States accusing them of giving covert support to Apartheid rulers of South Africa.

The immorality of South Africa attempting to support the LTTE goes beyond the interests of Sri Lanka. The Nehrus of India it will be recalled fought against apartheid South Africa as no other nation did. Jawarhalal Nehru led the chorus of strident
anti-apartheid voices for many years and he was succeeded by his daughter Indira and later grandson Rajiv. South African leaders cannot feign ignorance about the LTTE being the assassin of Rajiv Gandhi. They cannot ignore the fact that the LTTE
is a proscribed organisation in India and the LTTE leaders and his cohorts are wanted in India for the murder of Rajiv Gandhi. A special correspondent, writing in this page today suggests that Nelson Mandela and his colleagues must be in their dotage to support an international terrorist organisation which has done irreparable damage to two countries which were consistent in their support for the South African people to gain their freedom.

Some political observers point out that South Africa has a large population of Tamils who had migrated or were taken there by the British during colonial times and that the present day leaders would be under pressure from this community to support the LTTE. Undoubtedly the racists LTTE would have used the ties of blood to drum up support for them but as against this is the hallmark of South African leaders of today: their principled politics. Nelson Mandela and his colleagues won the admiration of the entire world when they were magnanimous enough to bypass the crimes committed on their black people by the white South African regimes and forge a multi-racial regime. Mandela’s achievement could be compared even greater than that of Mahatma Gandhi because a new South Africa nation was born sans the bloodshed unlike that of India where Independence and partition led to the death of thousands of innocent people. Thus, it is inconceivable that leaders of that calibre could have descended to accept the levels of bestiality ever so often demonstrated by the LTTE.

Even before the end of Apartheid, there were regular reports of South African leaders such as Bishop Desmond Tutu making pro-LTTE pronouncements. Bishop Tutu is known for his histrionics and the LTTE propagandists may have found it easy
to win him over. But if Mandela too has been swayed then it is a challenge to both President Chandrika Kumaratunga and Foreign Minister Kadirgamar to launch a diplomatic offensive to convince these South African leaders of their folly.

LTTE TERRORIST OFFICES, FRONT ORGANISATIONS AND OTHER SYMPATHETIC ORGANISATIONS THAT ESPOUSES THE SAME TERRORIST CAUSE, BASED IN THE UK

By Curtsy of Umberto Gui

The South African Government is investigating reports that the Sri Lankan Tamil Tiger rebels may be setting up a base in Pretoria because their London offices face closure.

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Reports of Tamil Tigers setting up bases in SA
The Hindustan Times : 16 Nov 1998

JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 15 (Agencies)

Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar has arrived here for urgent talks with the Mandela government amidst reports that the Tamil Tigers are setting up bases in South Africa.

The Sri Lankan Government has charged that the ltte was taking advantage of the presence of the large Indian Tamil community in South Africa and has opened a number of military training camps in that country.

It also charges that the extremist organisation is planning to shift its international headquarters from London to Pretoria, in view of the new anti-terrorism legislation brought in by the British Government.

There was no immediate confirmation from Colombo about the purpose of the unannounced visit of the Minister, with a spokesperson for the South African Foreign Affairs Department saying "we don't know what the discussions will centre
on".

During his visit, Kadirgamar will hold talks with leaders of the African National Congress (ANC) which was alleged to have been maintaining close relations with the ltte. Sri Lanka wants South Africa to assure it that Pretoria will not allow the
extremist Tamil Tigers to establish a base there.

According to Colombo there are several Tamil Eelam support movements in Durban, Johannesburg, Cape Town and other cities and all of them are vociferously concerned about what they call 'genocide' of the Tamil people in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lankan minister in SA to block Tigers' move

The Indian Express : 16 Nov 1998

COLOMBO, NOV 15: Sri Lanka has sent its foreign minister to South Africa for talks aimed at preventing the
island's Tamil Tiger separatists establishing a base there, a press report here said on Sunday.

Lakshman Kadirgamar left for Pretoria on Saturday on a mission aimed at blocking the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil
Eelam (LTTE) shifting their international secretariat from London to South Africa, the Sunday Times said.

There was no immediate word from the Sri Lankan foreign office about the unannounced visit of the minister, who
warned earlier that the LTTE was seeking the support of the Indian community in South Africa to raise money.

The foreign ministry said earlier this month that it believed the LTTE was shifting its operations from London to South
Africa because of new anti-terrorism laws in Britain.

There has been no reaction from the LTTE to the ministry's claims. The US government last year designated the LTTE as
a ``foreign terrorist organisation,'' making it illegal for theguerrillas to raise money there for their separatist war at
home. Three South African diplomats based in New Delhi were here last week for talks with officials and
non-governmental organisations following calls from Colombo to investigate Tiger links in their country.

The issue of the LTTE has strained relations between the two countries but the Government insisted that it was not
confronting the South African government. ``We are just trying to say to them there is a serious problem,'' the foreign
ministry here said two weeks ago.

The visiting South African diplomats said last week that Pretoria was investigating reports that Tiger rebels may have
links with officials of President Nelson Mandela' s government. South African diplomat C H Qomoyi said
Pretoria was investigating charges that the LTTE was operating from his country. ``For us what is important is our
relations with governments and not with any group,'' Qomoyi said, adding the allegations of Tiger rebels acquiring
helicopters from South Africawere ``unfounded.''

``Sri Lanka is more important to us than LTTE politics.'' However, he added that LTTE guerrillas may be drawing
support from members of the Indian community in South Africa, a concern raised by Sri Lanka's foreign minister
earlier.

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga has said she is ready for talks with the LTTE without a prior
agreement on a ceasefire, if the rebels settled for a stipulated time-frame for negotiations, the state-owned Sunday
Observer reported today.

``We are prepared to talk to them (LTTE) within a stipulated time-frame and decide on the ceasefire depending on the
progress of the talks,'' Chandrika told a delegation of the leaders of the moderate Tamil United Liberation Front
(TULF). Significantly, Chandrika did not repeat her earlier conditions which included the token surrender of arms and
renunciation of the demand for a separate state by the LTTE.

International and Regional Implications of the Sri Lankan Tamil Insurgency
by Rohan Gunaratne

LTTE Tamil Tiger Atrocities

LTTE activities in Canada

British Suresh, the LTTE and the Canadians (Sunday Times : 21 December 1997)

H L De Silva incisively analyses the Suresh judgement in Canada (Sunday Island : 21 December 1997)

A university student was innocent victim in doughnut shop slaying in Scarborough in Canada (The Toronto Star : 30 December 1997)

Canadian LTTE chief to be deported to Sri Lanka (The Island : 11 January 1998)

Lankan refugee now sells Canadian citizenship (Sunday Times : 19 July 1998)

Royal Canadian Mounted Police does not get its man (sunday Times : 12 July 1998)

Tiger leader arrested in Canada (Daily News : 18 Sept 1998)

Top LTTE activist held in Canada (Hindu: 18 Sept 1998)

'Swiss Murali' arrested in Canada (Island : 18 Sept 1998)

WORLD OPINION

• LTTE is a Terrorist Organisation - US States Department
• Designation of Terrorist Organisations by USA
• US Senate is unanimous on identifying LTTE as a terrorist organisation (The Island July 1997)
• Violence and Terrorism perpetrated by the LTTE is totally unacceptable to Australia - Australian Foreign Minister
• International & Regional Security Implications of the Sri Lankan Tamil Insurgency
• Tiger International (The Secret International Network that keeps Sr Lanka's Tamil Guerrillas Alive - and Dangerous Report - ASIA WEEK
• The one-way fighter - The Child Soldiers of Sri Lanka: as a reward, death is waiting
• A Tamil Tiger Primer on International Arms Bazaar
• International Condemnation of LTTE Bombing in Colombo
• Asia's Latest Master of Terror - The New York Times (28 May 1995)
• Terror in Sri Lanka - The Economic Leader (10 February 1996)
• Sri Lanka's Agony - New York Times Editorial (2 February 1996)
• British Government condemns the Colombo Central Bank bomb blast (Island : 17 October 1997)
• LTTE links with South African mulitants suspected (Sunday Times : 28 December 1997)