raj rajaratnam

Raj Rajaratnam, Sri Lankan born US-based investor with significant stakes in several companies here both on his own account and through the Galleon Funds he controls would support Sri Lanka’s efforts to rehabilitate ex-LTTE cadres and had pledged USD 1 million for this cause.

Rajaratnam was a supporter and funder of the Tamil Rehabilitation Organization (TRO), widely critiqued as a pro-LTTE organization, helping in post-tsunami and other relief and development work in the country.

A spokesperson for Justice and Law Reforms Ministry fielding questions yesterday emphasized that the businessman’s support for the TRO should not be construed as financial assistance given to the LTTE.

He pointed out that both Tamil speaking people living in the North and East as well as Sinhalese in other parts of the country affected by the tsunami received help from Rajaratnam.

He said Rajaratnam had provided assistance through Hemas, Hayleys and John Keells Holdings apart from the funding made available via TRO.

The official said that it would important to involve the Tamil diaspora in Sri Lanka’s efforts to resettle the war displaced as well as reintegrate ex-LTTE cadres back to civilian life.

Justice and Law Reforms Minister Milinda Moragoda is working closely with the International Organization for Migration to launch USD 23 million program to rehabilitate ex-LTTE cadres ``re-integrating them to civilian life.’’ The governments of Japan, UK and US have pledged support for this program.

The ministry said that this partnership between the public and private sectors would also involve several major companies, including Aitken Spence, Brandix, Ceylon Tobacco, Dilmah, Hayleys, John Keells Holdings, MAS Holdings, Unilever and Ajita de Zoysa, previously Chairman of AMW now controlled by Al-Futtaim Group of the Middle East.

The spokesperson said that it would be a mistake on the part of the country to deny assistance offered by the diaspora. It would send a wrong signal to the international community, he pointed out applauding Rajaratnam’s contribution towards normalizing the lives of ex-combatants in a post-LTTE era.

Apart from Rajaratnam, other members of the diaspora has expressed interest in supporting this project which encompasses education, training and livelihood creation components, the ministry said.

Minister Moragoda stated that this initiative endorses President Rajapaksa’s vision of co-operation between the Government of Sri Lanka, the private sector, the diaspora and the international community to build a prosperous future for all Sri Lankans.