Tamil tiger victims file claim against billionaire Rajaratnam
Posted on October 5th, 2011
ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ P.A.Samaraweera Australia.
“Vanity Fair” of 30th Sept reported that 30 Tamil tiger victims had filed aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ claim againstƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Rajaratnam, founder of the Galleon Group, Hedge Fund, who is convicted of insider trading. On behalf of these victims,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ South Carolina law firm, Morley Rice,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ hadƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ filed a law suitƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ in the Federal Court, New Jersey, USA.
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In 2010, Raj’s net worth reached $1.8 billion and heƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ topped this by payingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ millions of dollars asƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ insider tips and had lavishly funded the LTTE. Some of the funds for the LTTE had gone through the Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation, which had been active in 17 countries.
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According to this report, Raj’s link with the LTTE had been revealed by an undercover career, who had trailed him for 11 years. The informant, a Sri Lankan Tamil, had played a critical role in fund raising for the LTTE. But got angered with the LTTE for a personal matter and decided ‘to bring them down’ and became a FBI undercover agent. Being a leading international Fundraiser he had access to top LTTE operatives in the Vanni and overseas.
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He had carried FBI recording devices with him in his missions and taped activities related toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Raj’s lavish LTTE donations. Raj had been the largest private donor and overall he had donated 35 per cent of the LTTE funds. So he was paying for LTTE terrorism through insider trading. He had not only supplied funds but had ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ also spoken in LTTE sponsored functions. In Nov 2002, addressing a meeting sponsored by the LTTE, he had asked the audience to support the LTTE saying ‘They are our terrorists’.
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So quite rightly, the 30 Tamil tiger victims are suing him for a claim against humanity. Taking this as a test case, Tamil tiger victims in Sri Lanka as well should sue the present LTTE leadership and other terror backers, taken refuge overseas,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ responsibleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for supporting tiger atrocities, recruitment of child combatants, engaging girls as suicide bombers etc., for compensation.
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Countries like the UK and Canada who are promoting the LTTE rump andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ conducting a diplomatic offensive,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to suspend Sri Lanka from the Commonwealth should study the Galleon Group HedgeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ FundƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ case and change their stance.!
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Australia.
October 5th, 2011 at 3:55 pm
SL govt should immediately take steps to facilitate the creation of “LTTE VICTIMS ORGANISATION” made up of people claiming to be victims of LTTE bomb attacks, village attacks, attacks on places of economic interest, child soldiers, assassinations, etc.
They will have family members of 26,500 dead soldiers, dead politicians, political activists, child soldiers, bomb blast victims, etc.
They should file cases in Canada, USA, UK, EU, Australia, etc. DEMANDING COMPENSATION from the LTTE rump and foreign governments for allowing LTTE raise money to kill.
This can screw both the LTTE rump, peaceful Tamil Elam organisations, their PAID supporters (like Boyle, Bruce), western countries trying hard to save the LTTE rump, local NGOs getting LTTE runmp money and TNA finances.
Do it now. There is no time to waste.
If it fails GOSL should canvass for a major law suit among ALL third world countries and non-state actors at ICC against CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY by western colonialists from 1492 – 1950 demanding compensation and return of stolen/exploited resources.
That will teach them a lesson!
October 5th, 2011 at 11:06 pm
I think there are many well to do Sinhalese Lawyers out there who can organise a victims group to file a case against all the living Tigers including Adel Balasingham. We do not have to wait for GOSL to do it. They obviously have done the necessary part by eliminating the Tigers of SL soil. Now it is our turn. Lets get together!
October 6th, 2011 at 3:17 am
It is hard to believe that Rajaratnam Saga would take this turn. It all started in 1970s at Singer Company , 83, Chatham Street, Colombo. It was a three story building next to “Noor Hamims”, the little Gem and Postal stamp trader. When I was a child, my brother and I accompany mother to “Chands”, the sports shop to buy cricket gear, Noor Hamims to buy “old stamps”, and then head to Pagoda for Chinese rolls, Chicken pies and Ice Cream. They were all in the same side of the road.
Early 1970s, old man Rajaratnam, who was known as Jim or Jimmy (His Christian name may be Jesuthasan) was the CEO at Singer. He was known to be a fine genial gentleman. He was later succeeded by finest men like Namasiwayam and Hemaka Amarasuriya.
At the time I joined Singer, Mr. Amarasuriya was the Financial Controller. It was a great place to work. The job applicants faced an IQ test and the last interview with Mr.Amarasuriya. What a dignified, great guy he was. Old Mr. Rajaratnam was head of Singer Asian operations and later he went to Singer New York as a Director. I don’t remember any details now. I believe Raj Rajaratnam may have studied at St.Thomas, Mount Lavinia, but my memory could be wrong.
Fathers success in USA led the son to England and America. When I read this sad story, I wonder what is wrong with human beings. Nothing is enough. Why can’t we live with what we have. Why can’t a man be happy with 1800 million dollars? It is the same old story we hear from America. Greed. Greed. Greed. Perhaps we humans must go back to fundamentals of our Religions and rethink about the way we live.
October 6th, 2011 at 4:11 am
Investigators must find out whether LTTE terrorists have invested their money in Raj Rajaratnam’s Galleon Group. LTTE income mainly came out of various criminal and terrorist activities such as human smuggling, Drug smuggling, Illegal weapon trade, Sell know-how to other terrorist gangs, Credit cards frauds, financial frauds, extortions and Bank robberies etc.
October 6th, 2011 at 5:10 am
Lorenzo’s idea is excellent. Lanka sufferred for 30 years, due to terrorism that obtained its funding from the West, using fraudulent means and deception, bogus refugees etc. West turned a blind eye to terrorist activities and completely ignored the human rights of the victims of terrorism.The whole scam needs to be exposed and victims compensated. There has to be a proper structure and funding to claim damages. GOSL should help.
October 6th, 2011 at 5:11 am
Rajaratnam was not only the funder to the terror Ltte, but also to the SLG politicians.
Now, both sides are bashing him.
October 6th, 2011 at 3:29 pm
Finally, innocent Tamils are brave enough to speak out. Good for them.