PETITION IN AUSTRALIA'S FEDERAL
PARLIAMENT REQUESTS THE GOVERNMENT TO PROSCRIBE LTTE UNDER CRIMINAL
ACT
By Walter Jayawardhana
Don Randal, a member of Australia¡¦s Federal Parliament
from Western Australia¡¦s Canning electorate has presented
a petition signed by 1448 Australian citizens requesting the federal
government to proscribe Sri Lanka¡¦s Liberation Tigers
of Tamil Eelam under the Australian Criminal Code Act of 1995 until
the group gives up terrorism ¡§in word and deed.¡¨
¡§I support the petition and I hope that the other members
of this House and the community will also support this good intention,¡¨
Randal said addressing Canberra¡¦s Federal parliament.
The Liberal Party parliamentarian by presenting the petition was performing
a long standing parliamentary procedure in Australia to redress grievances
of citizens . After such a petition is presented a minister concerned
would either present a written response or take immediate action to
redress the concerns of the petitioning citizens.
Randal said that he was presenting the petition to satisfy the aspirations
of all communities in Sri Lanka without compromising the sovereignty
and territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.
He said he was calling upon the members of the federal parliament to
list the LTTE, which is already named a terrorist group , to be proscribed
under the Criminal Code Act making the group and its front organizations
in Australia illegal under a stronger force.
The parliamentarian from Western Australia said he was referring to
various articles regarding the matter and one was regarding that happened
last Friday , when a court case was heard regarding three accused ,
belonging to the LTTE collecting money worth 1.9 Australian Dollars
from the Tamil citizens of Australia ostensibly for charity , but using
the greater chunk of that money to buy electronic equipment and marine
equipment similar to that used in suicide bombing.
The Federal member of parliament said, that the case was before a magistrates
court so he would not tell anything more but maintained that Australia
cannot let groups in this country perform terrorist acts in another
country. He pointed out the parliament has got to do something about
all the front organizations acting on behalf of the terrorist group.
¡
§This petition will go a long way towards addressing , in this
country , the issue that a terrorist organization like the LTTE should
have shadow groups here raising money for it and on its behalf for acts
of terrorism back in its home land,¡¨ he told the parliament.
¡§The petition of certain citizens and residents of Australia
draws to the attention of the House that the two nations of Australia
and Sri Lanka share a longstanding friendship based on immigration,
trade and sport, and by membership of the Commonwealth of Nations. Being
countries located on
the ¡¥Indian Ocean Rim¡¦, they also share strategic
interests, including maritime security, prevention of, money laundering,
.anti the crackdown on global terror networks,¡¨ said the
petition.
¡§The petition also draws to the attention of the House
that the ongoing conflict in Sri Lanka has a significant impact on Australians
of Sri Lankan origin, as well as on ¡¥Australian Companies
who have invested in .Sri Lanka. Large numbers of Sri Lankan Australians
who travel to Sri Lanka on a regularbasis are at great risk because
of Tamil Tiger (LTTE) terrorism, as explicitly stated in Travel Advisories
issued by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
¡
§Your petitioners wish to point out that the LTTE is not only
the biggest impediment to peace in Sri Lanka, but is also a player in
global terrorism. It continues to use its international network to raise
material and financial support, often using deception on general public
of Australia and coercion of the Sri Lankan community. The ongoing investigations
into the Tamil Tiger network in Australia which recently led to raids
in Melbourne and Sydney, and the charging of two persons for involvement
in terrorism related activities is a case in point,¡¨ the
petition further added.
The petitioners therefore made the following requests:
¡
§Support a resolution of the Sri Lankan conflict that satisfies
the aspirations of all ƒncommunities without compromising the Unity
and Territorial Integrity of Sri Lanka. ƒnAssist the people of
Sri Lanka with both humanitarian and economic measures. Ensure that
Australian Aid to Sri Lanka is not siphoned off by ¡¥front-organizations¡¦
of armed groups to fund campaigns of violence. Support measures to share
defense and intelligence capabilities that are of benefit to both Australia
and Sri Lanka. Impose further sanctions on the LTTE by listing it under
the Australian Criminal Code Act of 1995, until it has given up terrorism
in word and deed.¡¨
|
