Tamil Diaspora demonstrations during Sri Lanka-England test match : Govt. protests with UK over display of LTTE emblem

By Kelum Bandara  

Sri Lanka protested with the UK Home Office regarding the display of LTTE emblems during a demonstration organized by the Tamil Diaspora activists, an official said.   

A protest took place on September 8 outside the main entrance of the Oval Stadium, ahead of the third day of the Sri Lanka-England third Test match. They called on the International Cricket Council (ICC) to ban Sri Lankan cricket, citing human rights violations committed by the Sri Lankan state.   

Protesters were seen displaying the emblem of the LTTE, a terrorist outfit banned all over the world. Sri Lankan High Commissioner in London Rohitha Bogollagama told Daily Mirror that he raised it with the UK Home Office.   The UK Proscribed Organisations Appeals Commission this year rejected an appeal by the TGTE (Transitional Government of Tamil Eelam) to lift the proscription on the LTTE in Britain as a terrorist organisation.   

On March 29, 2001, the UK Secretary of State added the LTTE to the list of proscribed organisations in Schedule 2 of the Terrorism Act 2000 (Proscribed Organisations) (Amendment) Order 2001. Pro-LTTE diaspora activists have made attempts previously to get the ban lifted.