Government defends de-listing diaspora groups

The Government today defended the de-listing of several diaspora groups and individuals earlier accused of having links to terrorism.

State Defence Minister Ruwan Wijeywardena, speaking in Parliament, said that the?de-listing was carried out following a comprehensive study conducted?out on the groups and individuals by a high level committee.

He said that the study concluded that the diaspora groups and individuals who were de-proscribed recently were not involved in terrorism related activities over the past three years.

Opposition Parliamentarian Dullas Alahapperuma earlier questioned the basis on which the groups and individuals were cleared of links to terrorism.

He said that the even the Global Tamil Forum (GTF) which was de-listed has not publicly denounced separatism and continues to promote ‘Eelam’ on its official website.

The Government recently de-listed eight organisations and 267 persons.?Sri Lanka proscribed 16 organisations and 424 individuals under Gazette Extraordinary No. 1854/41 on 21 March 2014 using powers under the United Nations Act No. 45 of 1968.?(Colombo Gazette)