A variety of nationalist-terrorist organizations throughout the world rely heavily on financial contributions made by expatriate communities in Europe and North America. The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) have longed represented the premiere terrorist organization in this type of fundraising activity, generating a substantial percentage of its yearly operating budget from a robust Diaspora community.
The benefits of acquiring a financial operating budget via expatriate communities, or open sources, are two-fold. First, legitimate donations conceal income obtained through illicit activities, such as narcotics trafficking, extortion rackets, and credit card fraud. Second, expatriate contributions allow terrorists organizations to claim the support of the people they claim to represent. This claim garners certain legitimacy among the international community, transforming the group from a terrorist organization into a nationalist-separatist movement that is seeking freedom from an “oppressive occupier.” This embodies the long-standing terrorist versus freedom fighter argument.
Tamil Diaspora Targets the West
A considerable percentage of Tamil expatriates reside in Western Europe, North America, and Australia. Beginning in the early 1980s, the Tamil Tiger leadership actively encouraged and facilitated the growth of Tamil expatriate communities in countries with extensive welfare systems and developed economies. Tamil communities flourished, providing handsomely for LTTE operations. During the 1990s, an estimated US$1-2 million a month was being collected from the Tamil Diaspora in Canada alone. Although these contributions deteriorated significantly during the LTTE-Sri Lankan government ceasefire negotiations from 2002 until 2003, the resumption of hostilities in 2004 accelerated Tiger financing activities.
Tamil Tiger Henchman/Enforcer
Tamil expatriates who decline to contribute to the LTTE war effort are often coerced into donating. A variety of means expedite the “donation” or “war tax.” An LTTE strongman is often used to physically threaten the individual or his family, particularly any relatives still residing in Tamil-controlled Sri Lankan territory. Several western governments have detained suspected LTTE henchmen for intimidation and physical assault against Tamil expatriates refusing to contribute a “war tax.”
LTTE enforcers are highly organized and efficient. Working in collaboration with regional and international enforcers, he can determine who needs to contribute through regional lists of Tamil expatriates living and working in that particular area. The international Tamil Diaspora is comprised of an estimated 600,000-800,000 individuals. Although collecting in their entirety is difficult, a large percentage of these expatriates have contributed or will be asked to contribute in the future.
Willing Contributions Made by Tamil Expatriates
Although a certain portion of expatriate fundraising contributions are made under duress, the remainder is by Tamil persons willing and eager to assist the war effort. Sophisticated propaganda videos created by LTTE cadres show the “brutality” of the Sri Lankan military, streaming images of massacred Tamil women and children. Such images generate considerable outrage among Tamil expatriates, who, in turn, willingly contribute to thwart the perceived government-imposed brutality.
Additionally, interviewed Tamil expatriates who have willingly given to the LTTE cause often claim guilty consciences as their prime motivations for contributing. An inability to contribute physically to the campaign leaves them at least to contribute financially, thus ensuring LTTE cadres are well equipped.
Efforts Made by National Governments to Curtail LTTE Fundraising
Recent decisions by both the European Union and the Canadian government to declare the LTTE a terrorist organization will negatively affect the fundraising ability of the LTTE within the Tamil Diaspora. Psychologically, the designation of the LTTE as a terrorist group will allow Tamil expatriates, unwilling to support terrorism, to cease donations to the LTTE. Finally, Tamils that continue to contribute to the LTTE can now be detained for contributing to a recognized terrorist organization.
Canada’s Prime Minister Stephen Harper has demonstrated his commitment to curtailing terrorist planning and fundraising on Canadian soil. Likewise, European leaders have expressed their antipathy with LTTE operations, seeking to eliminate financial operations on EU soil as well. The reduction of Tamil Diaspora’s financial contributions to the campaign will adversely impact the LTTE’s ability to execute offensive operations against the Sri Lankan government. This, in turn, may help bring about peace in Sri Lanka.
A concerted effort by both the European Union and the Canadian government to curtail LTTE financing will produce varied effects over the long-term. LTTE attacks have escalated over the past several months and will continue for sometime, as LTTE cadres possess the weaponry and personnel to endure any reduction to or elimination of their fundraising. However, the termination of Tamil expatriate donations could prove calamitous to the LTTE in the long-run, as the group lacks a state sponsor, which could provide funding.
Curtailing terrorist financing is a slow and arduous process and must be undertaken in conjunction with military, economic, and political operations to eliminate the threat that exists. Both the Canadian and European Union governments have considerable work ahead if they wish to end the impunity with which the LTTE has operated in these countries. The commitment displayed thus far is a positive step and must be carried into the future to properly extirpate LTTE financing operations.
