In February 2002, the Sri Lankan government and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) signed a ceasefire agreement, which stipulates that both parties "abstain from hostile acts against the civilian population," including extortion (SLMM n.d.). However, 2005 and 2006 news and human rights sources consulted indicate that extortion of persons in Sri Lanka by the LTTE has continued (The Globe and Mail 12 Dec. 2005; Reuters 16 May 2006; The Hindu 27 Sept. 2006; US 8 Mar. 2006, Sec. 2.c; AI 3 Feb. 2006).

In a news article in the Colombo-based Daily News, Sri Lanka's Cabinet Spokesman and Media and Information Minister was cited as stating that, between February 2002 and February 2006, there were over 100 reported cases of extortion in the country (10 Feb. 2006). The Hindu cites a study conducted by the Strategic Foresight Group (SFG), a think-tank based in Mumbai, that reportedly found that the LTTE's annual income is between 175 million and 385 million United States dollars (USD), with local "taxation" and extortion accounting for approximately USD 30 million (27 Sept. 2006).

News sources from 2005 and 2006 indicate that Tamil businessmen have been targeted for extortion by the LTTE (Daily News 2 Oct. 2006a; The Globe and Mail 12 Dec. 2005; Hindustan Times 14 Sept. 2006). A 12 December 2005 article in The Globe and Mail reports that, following the December 2004 tsunami, several Tamil businessmen were subjected to extortion by the LTTE after having received money for reconstruction work (12 Dec. 2005). The article further notes that, according to "veteran observers,"

[e]xtortion of Tamils is a new tactic for the LTTE ... and it may signal a new urgency in the movement's fundraising, in part because its navy was devastated in the tsunami and because the Tigers appear to be preparing for an all-out war (The Globe and Mail 12 Dec. 2005).

A 3 February 2006 report by Amnesty International (AI) indicates that Tamil and Muslim businesspeople, as well as persons "with a substantial income" are being targeted for extortion by the LTTE. According to the report, the LTTE "taxes" businesspeople and high income earners between five and ten percent of their income; those who are unwilling to pay "face the threat of being harassed or abducted" (AI 3 Feb. 2006; see also Reuters 16 May 2006). The AI report further notes that

those returning from the Middle East, where many Sri Lankans migrate for work, are particularly targeted for extortion and ... some people do not keep bank accounts because they believe the LTTE can access their account details (3 Feb. 2006).

The extortion of businesspeople by the LTTE is reportedly taking place in Sri Lanka's North (Reuters 16 May 2006) and East (AI 3 Feb. 2006; The Globe and Mail 12 Dec. 2005), as well as in Colombo and its suburbs (Daily News 2 Oct. 2006a; Hindustan Times 14 Sept. 2006).

The Karuna faction of the LTTE is also believed to be involved in extorting money from businesspeople in the North (TamilNet 16 Mar. 2006; Reuters 16 May 2006) and the East (AI 3 Feb. 2006). According to a 16 May 2006 Reuters news article, while both the LTTE and its Karuna faction are involved in extorting money from local business leaders, "Karuna members demand more money and have a greater tendency to kill if they do not get it." The Reuters article also indicates that the Sri Lankan army may be supporting the Karuna faction in its activities (16 May 2006; see also TamilNet 26 Mar. 2006). According to Amnesty International (AI), those facing extortion by the Karuna faction, may also be threatened by the LTTE (3 Feb. 2006).

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2005 indicates that Muslims in the East of Sri Lanka are being intimidated and subjected to extortion by the LTTE (US 8 Mar. 2006, Sec. 2.c). In October 2006, Daily News reported that a fisherman, now seeking asylum in the United States, had been kidnapped in Jaffna district [northern Sri Lanka] by the LTTE but was released after being forced to pay the group approximately USD 500 (2 Oct. 2006b). In September 2006 in the district of Trincomalee [eastern Sri Lanka], a civilian was reportedly killed by LTTE members for refusing to pay extortion money (SATP n.d.).

A 30 May 2006 Daily News article indicates that LTTE extortion in the North-East of Sri Lanka "goes on unabated" and that "every single activity is subjected to a levy." The Social Services and Social Welfare Minister of Sri Lanka, cited in the same article, stated that "[t]hose [persons], including government officials, who refute [LTTE] orders are treated mercilessly" (Daily News 30 May 2006). One of the "levies" collected by the LTTE includes a toll on the main A-9 highway (AP 9 Nov. 2006; Sri Lanka 27 Nov. 2006; Sunday Observer 25 June 2006). A 9 November 2006 Associated Press (AP) article indicates that the A-9 has been closed since August 2006 as a result of the conflict between the LTTE and the Sri Lankan security forces. The AP article also notes that the government has been reluctant to re-open the main highway because it believes the LTTE will use the road to move its equipment and fighters to government-controlled areas and to extort civilians travelling on the road (AP 9 Nov. 2006). According to a 25 June 2006 article in the Sunday Observer, the Sunday edition of the Daily News, the toll at the Pallai entry-exit point on the A-9 provides the LTTE with an estimated monthly income of 200 to 300 million Sri Lankan Rupees (LKR) [approximately CAD 2.1 million (XE.com 11 Dec. 2006a) to CAD 3.2 million (ibid. 11 Dec. 2006b)].

A 27 November 2006 article by the Media Centre for National Security, a division of Sri Lanka's Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law and Order, lists a number of "extortion rates of the LTTE" for persons living in LTTE-controlled areas. The article outlines the amount of money the LTTE demands from persons having relatives in the Middle East and in Europe, persons owning vehicles, ordinary families and rich families, shop and boutique owners, persons returning from abroad (rate per journey), government employees, individuals traveling along the A-9, as well as other persons (Sri Lanka 27 Nov. 2006). For the Sri Lankan government's complete listing of "extortion rates of the LTTE," please refer to the article, which is attached to this Response to Information Request.

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 for refugee protection. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Amnesty International (AI). 3 February 2006. Sri Lanka: A Climate of Fear in the East. (ASA 37/001/2006) http://web.amnesty.org/library/index/engasa370012006 [Accessed 8 Dec. 2006]

Associated Press (AP). 9 November 2006. Krishan Francis. "Norway Wants Sri Lanka to Explain Firing of Grenades Near Chief Truce Monitor." (Factiva)

Daily News [Colombo]. 2 October 2006a. "Extortionist Arrested by Special Police Team." http://www.dailynews.lk/2006/10/02/sec12.asp [Accessed 1 Nov. 2006]

_____. 2 October 2006b. "Asylum Cases Expose Tigers' Ransom Trail." http://www.dailynews.lk/2006/10/02/sec03.asp [Accessed 1 Nov. 2006]

_____. 30 May 2006. "LTTE Has Created State of Anarchy in North East - Minister Devananda." http://origin.dailynews.lk/ [Accessed 5 June 2006]

_____. 10 February 2006. Ranil Wijayapala and Uditha Kumarasinghe. "5,464 Ceasefire Violations by LTTE." http://origin.dailynews.lk/ [Accessed 14 Feb. 2006]

The Globe and Mail [Toronto]. 12 December 2005. Doug Saunders. "Preying Tigers Eye Aid." (Factiva)

The Hindu [Chennai, India]. 27 September 2006. B. Muralidhar Reddy. "South Asia's Most Militarised Society." (Factiva)

Hindustan Times [New Delhi]. 14 September 2006. "Terrorised Sri Lankan Tamil Traders Flee to India." (Factiva)

Reuters. 16 May 2006. Peter Apps. "Sri Lanka Monitors Believe Ex-Tigers Work With Army." (Factiva)

South Asia Terrorism Portal (SATP). N.d. "Incidents Involving Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE)." ww.satp.org/satporgtp/countries/shrilanka/terroristoutfits/LTTE_tl.htm [Accessed 8 Dec. 2006]

Sri Lanka. 27 November 2006. Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law and Order; The Media Centre for National Security. "A-9, the Life-Line of the Tigers." http://www.nationalsecurity.lk/fullnews.php?id=2522 [Accessed 8 Dec. 2006]

Sri Lanka Monitoring Mission (SLMM). N.d. Agreement on a Ceasefire Between the Government of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam. http://www.slmm.lk/documents/cfa.htm [Accessed 11 Dec. 2006]

Sunday Observer [Colombo]. 25 June 2006. Ranga Jayasuriya. "LTTE Taxation Burden on Masses." http://origin.dailynews.lk/ [Accessed 11 July 2006]

TamilNet. 26 March 2006. "LTTE, TNA Discuss Vavuniya Violence with SLMM." http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=17580 [Accessed 8 Dec. 2006]

_____. 16 March 2006. "Grenade Attack, Extortion Threats Unsettle Vavuniya Businessmen." http://www.tamilnet.com/art.html?catid=13&artid=17481 [Accessed 8 Dec. 2006]

United States (US). 8 March 2006. Department of State. "Sri Lanka." Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2005. http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2005/61711.htm [Accessed 8 Dec. 2006]

XE.com. 11 December 2006a. "Universal Currency Converter Results." http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi [Accessed 11 Dec. 2006]

_____. 11 December 2006b. "Universal Currency Converter Results." http://www.xe.com/ucc/convert.cgi [Accessed 11 Dec. 2006]

Attachment

Sri Lanka. 27 November 2006. Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law and Order; The Media Centre for National Security. "A-9, the Life-Line of the Tigers." http://www.nationalsecurity.lk/fullnews.php?id=2522 [Accessed 8 Dec. 2006]. 6 pp.

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites, including: Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC), British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), European Country of Origin Information Network (ecoi.net), Factiva, Freedom House, Human Rights Watch (HRW), Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre (IDMC), International Crisis Group (ICG), Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), ReliefWeb, Reuters AlertNet, United Kingdom Home Office.