Sri Lankans in Switzerland
Encyclopedia
Sri Lankans in Switzerland refer to Sri Lankans living in Switzerland
. There are about 46,000 to 55,000 Swiss of Sri Lankan origin and Sri Lankan expatriates are living in Switzerland.
Most of them are ethnic Tamils.
population among Europe
, almost all of them being refugees from Sri Lanka
. Many had already been in the country for more than fifteen years due to the Sri Lankan Civil War
.
, or LTTE, the aggressors of the Sri Lankan Civil War against the government. The LTTE in Switzerland have been known as the Swiss Tigers. The Sri Lankan Tamil community in Switzerland has become victim to these LTTE sympathisers who have created a network of money power, man power and muscle power towards the tiger cause back in Sri Lanka. Because of this Switzerland has been regarded as the “Puligalin Kottai” (tiger fort) in Europe. Its contribution to the LTTE to the war effort has proportionately exceeded that of Tamils living in other Western countries.
, LTTE networks around the world were being shut down by both Sri Lankan and foreign governments. In 2011 the Swiss police arrested ten former LTTE representatives in the country for threatening, blackmailing and extortion of Tamils of the Sri Lankan diaspora to support the LTTE and the war effort financially. The funds were mainly used to buy weapons in Sri Lanka. Those arrested included the head of the LTTE in Switzerland Vijaratnam Sivanesan alias 'Ragu alias Ragupathy', his predecessor Chelliah Kularajasekeram alias 'Kulam' and the Swiss Tiger finance chief Chelliah Jeyapalan alias 'Abdullah'. They are facing charges of money laundering and belonging to a criminal organisation.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. There are about 46,000 to 55,000 Swiss of Sri Lankan origin and Sri Lankan expatriates are living in Switzerland.
Most of them are ethnic Tamils.
History
Since the 1990s Switzerland has had a relatively large TamilTamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
population among Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, almost all of them being refugees from Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. Many had already been in the country for more than fifteen years due to the Sri Lankan Civil War
Sri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
.
LTTE in Switzerland
As well a providing refuge for all Sri Lankans, Switzerland has been a haven for Tamil militant groups such as the Liberation Tigers of Tamil EelamLiberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam was a separatist militant organization formerly based in northern Sri Lanka. Founded in May 1976 by Vellupillai Prabhakaran, it waged a violent secessionist and nationalist campaign to create an independent state in the north and east of Sri Lanka for Tamil...
, or LTTE, the aggressors of the Sri Lankan Civil War against the government. The LTTE in Switzerland have been known as the Swiss Tigers. The Sri Lankan Tamil community in Switzerland has become victim to these LTTE sympathisers who have created a network of money power, man power and muscle power towards the tiger cause back in Sri Lanka. Because of this Switzerland has been regarded as the “Puligalin Kottai” (tiger fort) in Europe. Its contribution to the LTTE to the war effort has proportionately exceeded that of Tamils living in other Western countries.
End of the war
With the end of the Sri Lankan Civil WarSri Lankan civil war
The Sri Lankan Civil War was a conflict fought on the island of Sri Lanka. Beginning on July 23, 1983, there was an on-and-off insurgency against the government by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam , a separatist militant organization which fought to create an independent Tamil state named Tamil...
, LTTE networks around the world were being shut down by both Sri Lankan and foreign governments. In 2011 the Swiss police arrested ten former LTTE representatives in the country for threatening, blackmailing and extortion of Tamils of the Sri Lankan diaspora to support the LTTE and the war effort financially. The funds were mainly used to buy weapons in Sri Lanka. Those arrested included the head of the LTTE in Switzerland Vijaratnam Sivanesan alias 'Ragu alias Ragupathy', his predecessor Chelliah Kularajasekeram alias 'Kulam' and the Swiss Tiger finance chief Chelliah Jeyapalan alias 'Abdullah'. They are facing charges of money laundering and belonging to a criminal organisation.
Notable people
- Anita RollinAnita RollinAnita Kumudini Rollin is a Sri Lankan snow boarder. She won Sri Lanka's first and only medal in the 2011 South Asian Winter Games held in India.-References:...
– Sri LankaSri LankaSri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n snowboarder. Gold medallist at the 2011 South Asian Winter Games2011 South Asian Winter GamesThe 1st South Asian Winter Games were held in Dehradun and Auli, in the himalayan state of Uttarakhand, India in January 2011. The games were conducted by the Indian Olympic Association and the Winter Games Federation of India...
.