CLASSIFIED | POLITICS | TERRORISM | OPINION | VIEWS

When one charity is banned LTTE finds another to raise funds in the UK

By Dr. Tilak S. Fernando

How did the LTTE terrorist's front organization which operates under the disguise of "White Pigeon" charity succeed to continue the activities of the defunct UK charity TRO (Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation?)

UK sources indicate that a major fund raising programme has been organised to take place on the 12 January 2008 under a pseudo name of 'Mega Musical Festival - 2008' and the venue, is going to be the Alexandra Palace in North of London, one place, for some unknown reason, the LTTE does not seem to have any problem in booking the massive hall which can accommodate 10,000 people, despite the terrorist outfit is banned in the UK under the Prevention of Terrorism Act.

It is equally ironic how the Terrorists have managed to get down officially a few Tamil Nadu cinema stars and entertainers costing them over £30,000 ( Rs.6,840,000). The cost of hiring the hall is expected to be in excess of £25,000 ( Rs.5,800,000). Entry tickets for the show are going to be priced at £25 (single) £75(family), and£100(VIP).

Sources further add that since the UK Charity Commission clamping down on the pro-LTTE TRO, their front line activities still continue under a different charity name called 'White Pigeon'

'White Pigeon's founder and present chairman is said to be Dr N Sathiyamoorthy, also known as Dr Moorthy who was the chairman of TRO in the UK at the time of Charity Commission's regulatory arm intervened and subsequently ordered its closure.

He is said to be a former armed cadre of the LTTE in the Trincomalee area who has since coming over to the UK claimed political asylum in the United Kingdom. He is known as one of the frontline activists of the LTTE in the UK who makes political commentaries from the LTTE front line media. He is also believed to be involved in fund raising activities for the terrorist organisation. At a remembrance mass held very recently at the Harrow Leisure Centre in aid of Thamilselvan who perished under SLAF bombing, Dr N Sathiyamoorthy was entrusted to garland the picture of the deceased, source further add. .

Tamil Rehabilitation Centre (TRO) was closed after findings in a report reviewed by The Home Office and H.M. Treasury in the UK to protect and safeguard the charitable section in England and Wales.

The report concluded by stating that 'the charity's representatives had liaised with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (a proscribed organisation under the Terrorism Act 2000) to make decisions about where funds should be applied'.

The White Pigeon is accused of proving funds for LTTE sanctioned projects in the LTTE controlled area. It is alleged that so far they have not given details about the large sums of money collected in the UK for Tsunami Relief work in 2004/2005 following the Tsunami disaster. White Pigeon dominated the fund raising activities by mobilising the LTTE cadres to collect money from the public on the streets and major city centres after the Tsunami.

What is ironic is the fact that the UK government having all such data and information on their sophisticated computerised systems, and while bragging all the while about fighting the terrorist menace from this earth, how they still manage to turn a Nelsonian eye when it comes to Sri Lankan affairs and how the LTTE terrorists are allowed to get away with 'murder'!

Sri Lankan expatriates in the UK, as usual, have already briefed the British authorities again about the proposed event in January 2008 but how long do the British authorities expect to be spoon fed in this manner every time the terrorists find ways and means of throwing sand in their eyes and continue to carry on their fund raising activities regardless !

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