Jane's Intelligence Review, in its August 2007 edition will publish a major expose on the Global financial network of the LTTE, according to a press release issued by the JIR.
This will be some what the most updated and informed report on LTTE's international funding and procurement network, published on the public fora in resent times and surely will be welcomed by almost all who are interested in LTTE and its rain of terror.
This report will be a chronicle of LTTE's culture of fear and deceit as lions share of its funding are gained through 'taxes' from overseas Tamil Diaspora and the people living in areas under the LTTE in Northern Sri Lanka.
Reuters commenting on the Jane's report added that the report paints a picture of a powerful global network of professional managers -- both Tamils and others -- across a string of countries with operations perhaps from shipping to drugs and extortion.
Furthermore, Christian LeMiere, managing editor of Jane's Country Risk, commented to Reuters "Some of the money will go on arms, some of it on administrating areas controlled by the LTTE," and It further states that "with financial and procurement structures well organized and strategically positioned around the globe, the group has a profit margin that would be the envy of any multinational corporation – some USD200 to 300 million per year"
Some of the interesting aspects of the envisaged report as highlighted by the JIR press release are the LTTE's channeling of Tsunami aid money, LTTE use of fronts and cover organisations involved in charity and social work, transfer of arms, narcotics ,contraband and people smuggling. Press Release further indicates the reports details of how the LTTE convert the gains into arms, utilizing a charitable façade's tax-free status and legitimacy.
This report will be very much welcomed in terms of understanding the depth of the LTTE's reach and its nature as a global financial terrorist group. I guess the LTTE will face more increased pressure once the report will be public, so are the governments who's territory are being used by LTTE for its illegal activity.
Of the main hubs of LTTE activity the report has highlighted Cambodia and Southern India, being its principal staging posts, while it lists some other countries in Southeast Asia and rest of the world as sources of arms for the LTTE.
How much the Sri Lankan government will do to curb such activity in terms of raising this issue with host governments remains a question.
Below is the full text of the Press Release issued by the Jane's:
USD200 million profit margins maintain sophisticated Tamil Tiger war
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has created one of the most sophisticated insurgencies in the world, largely due to a complex global network of financial resources and weapons that are integral to prolonging its campaign for a separate Tamil state in Sri Lanka.
In a unique report on the financial operations of the LTTE, Jane's Intelligence Review reports that with financial and procurement structures well organised and strategically positioned around the globe, the group has a profit margin that would be the envy of any multinational corporation – some USD200 to 300 million per year.
The Tamil Tigers is consequently the only known insurgent organisation with its own army, navy and now even a rudimentary air force, with access to financial resources and weapons giving it the luxury of introducing bold, new dimensions to the conflict.
The report details two overarching financial and procurement bodies that provide the main source of LTTE money, manpower and weapons; the Aiyanna Group and the Office of Overseas Purchases (nicknamed the KP Department).
The Aiyanna Group functions as the group's intelligence and operations body, likely to be responsible for monitoring and ensuring the organisation's financial support and revenue streams, while the KP Department is most probably the LTTE's procurement arm.
In addition, the LTTE creates and staffs some charitable organisations, projecting its influence through this front to raise money from Tamil communities and, ultimately, convert the gains into arms.
The Jane's Intelligence Review report says that the system works as an efficient way to move funds wherever investment or procurement opportunities arise while utilising a charitable façade's tax-free status and legitimacy.
Geographically, the LTTE use a myriad of methods to maintain this formidable, non-state support structure. The southern province of Tamil Nadu in India plays a pivotal role in LTTE procurement and has become an essential transit point in the LTTE arms, narcotics, contraband and possibly human smuggling.
Beyond Sri Lanka's neighbour, Cambodia is one of the most significant single sources of weapons for the insurgent group. The remainder of internationally procured weapons are believed to originate from the rest of Southeast Asia, North Korea, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Cyprus, Greece, Turkey and Ukraine.
The report adds that the procurement of anti-aircraft technology, given the destruction wrought by the Sri Lankan Armed Forces' aerial assets, will be the primary driver of the LTTE's continued international fundraising campaign. (ENDS)
No comments:
Post a Comment