South Africa may ban LTTE

The legislation will cover all terrorist bodies, including activists of white mercenary groups involved in destabilising a number of African governments, he said in an interview to the Sri Lankan newspaper The Island published today.

“Mr Matsila has said that the Nelson Mandela government is planning to enact legislation to proscribe all alien groups such as the LTTE as well as those by white South African mercenaries,” the newspaper said.

The proposed legislation is necessary to prevent international terrorist organisationsfrom converting South Africa to a base for their activities, Matsila said.

Such a step will also be supportive of peace and democracy in the countries affected by terrorist violence, he said.

The South African envoy said his government would not allow the LTTE to set up a base in South Africa and an assurance to this effect had been given by Foreign Minister Aflfred Nzo to his Sri Lankan counterpart, Lakshman Kadirgamar who has just completed an official visit of Pretoria.

If implemented, South Africa will be the third country along with India, the United States and Canada to ban the LTTE. Britain too has brought in a new anti-terrorism legislation recently to curb activities of various terrorist organisations, including the LTTE.