Switzerland/Sri Lanka: Whether Sri Lankans living in Switzerland were forced to make financial contributions to the LTTE between 1990 and 1996
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 January 1999 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | ZZZ30894.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Switzerland/Sri Lanka: Whether Sri Lankans living in Switzerland were forced to make financial contributions to the LTTE between 1990 and 1996, 1 January 1999, ZZZ30894.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6aba34.html [accessed 21 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Migration News Sheet reported in May 1996 that the previous year the Swiss Federal Police had registered 143 cases of extortion of funds involving ex-Sri Lankan and Yugoslav nationals.
In a 26 July 1996 Asiaweek article on the LTTE international network, Anthony Davis stated that
hard-knuckle extortion seems to have played a part in LTTE fundraising in Switzerland, where there are some 23,000 Sri Lankan Tamils. According to LTTE sources, Tamil donors are coaxed to part with $40 to $80 each month. Encouragement does not always stop at friendly chats. Following a spate of violent incidents, including several murders, Swiss police finally moved. A nationwide round-up in the early hours of April 10 netted 15 suspects including the LTTE's Swiss chief, Nadarajah Muralidaran. He and others are charged with extortion and threats of violence.
The Colombo-based English-language weekly The Sunday Times, and Migration News Sheet, also reported the 10 April 1996 arrests by Zurich police of 15 LTTE activists, including Swiss LTTE leader N. Muralitharan, for extorting funds from Sri Lankan Tamil expatriates in Switzerland, fundraising, issuing threats and using physical violence (21 Apr. 1996; May 1996).
Davis stated in his Asiaweek article that the LTTE collects $660,000 monthly from Switzerland, according to the best guesses (26 July 1996).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Asiaweek [Hong Kong]. 26 July 1996. Anthony Davis. "Tiger International: How a Secret Global Network Keeps Sri Lanka Tamil Guerrilla Organisation Up and Killing." (Document No. CX19538/CISNET)
Migration News Sheet. May 1996. No. 158. "Switzerland: Tamils in Extortion Racquet Arrested." (Document No. CX16809/CISNET)
The Sunday Times [Colombo]. 21 April 1996. "Tigers Rounded Up Worldwide." [Internet]
