Among the outlawed groups, branded as “foreign terrorists,” are the British Tamil Forum, Canadian Tamil Congress, Global Tamil Forum, Transnational Government of Tamil Eelam, Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation and World Tamil Movement, and Australian Tamil Congress. These groups are mainly operating from Western countries.

The Ministry of External Affairs declared that the order was made under United Nations Security Council resolution 1373, passed after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the US targets This resolution gave sweeping powers to governments worldwide to suppress terrorist organisations and groups.

External Affairs Minister G. L. Peiris said the order was based on a recommendation by the defence secretary, (who is a brother of the President) as the competent authority “regarding identification of persons, groups and entities believed on reasonable ground to be committing, attempting to commit, facilitating or participating in commission of acts of terrorism.”

According to the order, “all funds, assets and economic resources belonging to or owned by” these groups and related individuals have been frozen. Anyone who fails to comply will be “liable to heavy penalties.”

Military spokesman Ruwan Wanigasooriya insisted that “it will be illegal to have any contact with these organisations.” This declaration indicates that political parties and Sri Lankan nationals will be forbidden from having any contact with the outlawed entities.

The government will also ask the countries where these groups are operating to investigate them, identify their funding and list their members with Interpol as they are being wanted for arrest for terrorist activity.

The Rajapakse government made this move after last month’s UN Human Rights Council meeting in Geneva passed a US-sponsored resolution asking the UN Human Rights Commissioner to investigate the human rights violations and war crimes committed by the military and other government officials during the war against the LTTE.

The government accuses these Tamil Diaspora groups of persuading the US and other major powers to call for the war crimes investigation.  In a manner of speaking, this ban and the accusation exposes Rajapakse government to the charge of whipping up nationalist sentiment and Sinhala chauvinism against Tamil diaspora groups.

The outlawing of Tamil organisations appears to go hand in hand with a resumed crackdown in the Northern Province. Since early last month; the military has been deployed for house-to-house searches and interrogations, especially of young people. Roadblocks have reappeared, checking movements of people and vehicles.

The army is also patrolling beaches, and telling fishermen that a pass system will be reintroduced. The military claims that “terrorists” may come and go via the sea between Sri Lanka’s northern shores and India’s southern coast. During the protracted civil war, deep-sea fishing was banned and fishermen were restricted to certain areas.