Major LTTE fund raising event in crisis

(December, 26, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) The ‘Mega Musical Festival – 2008’ organised by the LTTE front ‘White Pigeon’ Charity has got into serious difficulties following revelations in the media that it is an LTTE fund raising event.

The LTTE front White Pigeon which succeeded the activities of the defunct UK charity Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO) is holding this major fund raising event on 12 January 2008 at the 10,000 seating capacity Alexandra Palace.

Some Tamil Nadu cinema stars and musicians costing over £30,000 were arranged to perform at the event. The hall hire cost itself is said to be in excess of £25,000. The organisers have pitched the prices of the tickets at £25 (single) £75 (family) and £100 (VIP).

Various media reports filed in Tamil language in India confirm the stars invited saying that they have not committed themselves to participate in the event. Some said they were told it was a fund raising event for a temple in London and that they did not know it was a LTTE function.


The Tamil cinema star Sathiaraj confirmed he was approached by the White Pigeon, but he only thought it was a charitable event. He has expressed his reservations following revelation it is a function arranged by the LTTE.

Since the clamp down on the TRO by the UK Charity Commission, its frontline activists have formed another charity in the name of ‘White Pigeon’ which is functioning as the UK arm of the TRO in the LTTE controlled Vanni. White Pigeon’s founder and present chairman is Dr N Sathiyamoorthy also known as Dr Moorthy was the chairman of TRO in the UK at the time of Charity Commission’s regulatory intervention which lead to its closure.

The White Pigeon Chairman is said to be a former armed cadre of the LTTE in the Trincomalee area in Sri Lanka before he claimed asylum in the United Kingdom. He is one of the frontline activists of the LTTE in the UK giving political commentaries in the LTTE front media and is involved in the fund raising activities. He was given the honour to garland the picture of LTTE’s Thamilchelvan at a remembrance event at the Harrow Leisure Centre. Thamilchelvan died under suspicious circumstances in the LTTE controlled Vanni in November 2007.

In a report published by the Charity Commission reference the closure of Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation in the UK. The report stated: ‘Further investigation concluded that the charity’s representatives had liaised with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (a proscribed organisation under the Terrorism Act 2000) to make decisions about where funds should be applied’.

The White Pigeon is accused of proving funds for LTTE and sanctioned exclusive projects in the LTTE controlled area. It has so far not given details about large sums of money collected in the UK for Tsunami Relief work in 2004/2005. Following Tsunami tragedy, White Pigeon dominated the fund raising activities to the extent of sending the LTTE cadres to collect funds from the public on the streets and major city centers.

Despite the cine stars distancing themselves from the event, the White Pigeon organizers are giving extensive publicity about the function. Posters with the pictures of the stars who will not be attending have been displayed in the Tamil shops in London. In addition, the LTTE front IBC radio and the Deepam TV are giving extensive coverage. The Deepam TV too is displaying the pictures of the stars who will not be attending. Paid advertisements are appearing the satellite TV station CITV which is telecast through a Sky channel.