New Delhi, May 30 (IANS) The European Union's decision to ban Sri Lanka's Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) is a body blow to an insurgent group that hates and detests nothing more than international isolation.
'Call us anything you feel like, call us killers if you want to, but don't dub us terrorists,' a LTTE leader had passionately argued with a Western diplomat some time ago.
But that's precisely what has happened. The Monday move by the 25-nation European Union hits the LTTE where it hurts most, that too in the 30th year of its history, puncturing its insistence that it is a 'liberation group' and not a classical terrorist outfit.
'We are not terrorists,' LTTE founder leader Velupillai Prabhakaran had stated in his annual policy statement in 2001, two months after the 9/11 attacks. 'We are not mentally demented to commit blind acts of violence impelled by racist and religious fanaticism.'
He had gone on: 'Misguided by the false and malicious propaganda of the Sri Lankan state, some of the world governments have included our liberation movement in their list of international terrorist organizations. This is regrettable and disappointing.'
Clearly, Prabhakaran's arguments have failed to weave magic. Only in April this year, Canada, home to one of the largest concentrations of Sri Lankan Tamils, outlawed the LTTE as a terrorist group. And after much soul searching, the once hesitant European Union has fallen in line, shunning the fervent appeals of those in the West - and LTTE supporters - that such a ban would only force the Tigers to move away from peace talks.
The European Union move comes 14 years after India became the first country to outlaw the LTTE as a terror group in 1992, a year after the Tigers blew up former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. The ban is extended every two years. The latest extension came earlier this month even as the LTTE was orchestrating protests against a European ban.
Since the Indian action, the US and Britain have followed suit. And besides Canada, Malaysia and Australia also frown upon the LTTE. The European decision will make the Tigers officially a terrorist organization in 24 countries (EU member Britain had already banned it) at one go.
'This is the last nail in the coffin of a group that has for years tried to sell itself as a liberation group, like some kind of a PLO,' a senior Indian official told IANS. 'This is a body blow. The LTTE's isolation will be complete.'
The LTTE has offices in almost all European countries, and in some more than one establishment. The LTTE's 'International Secretariat', earlier located in Britain, is based in Paris. The LTTE's very first overseas office started in 1984 in London.
The LTTE also brings out or operates numerous magazines, radio and TV stations in many of these countries. Its members and supporters operate a variety of businesses all over Europe.
In recent times, Europe has emerged as the biggest source of funds. Raising money will now become a major problem although the Tigers may keep doing so using tested covert methods. But open soliciting of contributions for the LTTE cause will abate if not end.
Public demonstrations of support to the Tamil Tigers will also be hit. Display of LTTE flags and emblems as well as photographs of Prabhakaran and LTTE fighters besides the sale of literature glorifying the LTTE struggle and suicide attacks will have to stop.
However the LTTE, which is known for its ingenuity, may put up fresh front organizations to generate funds. But even if this happens, the result may be disappointing.
The ban by the European Union, some of whose members went out of their way try to bring the LTTE into the democratic mainstream in the past four years at the cost of displeasing Colombo, will have a far-reaching effect. It will diminish sympathy for the Tigers across the rest of the world where the LTTE may still be operating legally.
But in the short run whether the European ban will force the LTTE to return to the negotiation table is open to question. It will not immediately impact the group's military strength despite greatly squeezing its financial clout.
The European Union decision comes 30 years after the LTTE was set up in 1976, to carve out an independent homeland called Tamil Eelam. For many years Tamils regarded the Tigers affectionately as 'our boys'. Three decades later, despite achieving a de facto Tamil Eelam state, the LTTE has turned into an international pariah.
© 2006 Indo-Asian News Service | 
