London 24.10.2020 – British Citizens of Sri Lankan descent launched a SOS request titled “Stand up against lifting the ban on brutal LTTE Tamil terrorists’ organisations in the United Kingdom!” via Change.org petition addressed to Her Majesty the Queen, PM Boris Johnson and to other politicians, opposing lifting of the ban on the brutal Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) Terrorist Organisation.  

The LTTE has been designated a Proscribed Terrorist Group under the UK’s Terrorism Act 2000 since 29 March 2001. However, in a controversial judgement given on 21st October 2020, the Proscribed Organisations Appeal Commission (POAC), a British tribunal has ruled against the ban on LTTE. It was based on an appeal from the Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam’s (TGTE) against the current proscription of the LTTE.  TGTE itself consists of ex-LTTE operatives.

POAC found that the Secretary’s decision to keep LTTE proscribed as a terrorist organisation was “flawed” and unlawful. Having issued its judgement in London on 21st October, the Commission will now hold a second hearing to decide on the nature of relief to be afforded to the applicants. Since TGTE consists of ex-LTTE operatives, several questions were raised on how LTTE can appeal its own ban as TGTE consists of former LTTE operatives.

Following the launch of the petition, thousands of British citizens have taken their own initiative to oppose the balderdash judgement by the Proscribed Organisation Appeal Commission (POAC). Few thousands displayed frustration of the LTTE’s money laundering and bogus asylum factories, irrespective of their cultural heritage.