Sri Lanka to handover gold that recovered from LTTE banks to rightful owners

Nov 27, 2014 (LBO) – The gold that recovered from illegally operated banks by LTTE will be handed over to their rightful owners by the government of Sri Lanka as a gesture of goodwill, a media report said. The government has identified about 2379 owners after going through stringent identification and verification process the report said. About 1960 people representing the districts of the Northern Province will receive their valuables in a handing over ceremony scheduled to be held on 4th December.

The report also says even though these people have taken money after pawning their valuables to the LTTE the government is returning it as a gesture of goodwill.

The report says LTTE illegally operated its own financial system including banks that drew in deposits and pawning’s like any other legitimate bank and people who lived in LTTE dominated areas uses these banks fulfill their banking needs.

With the retreat of the LTTE during the humanitarian operation, these banks were abandoned and much of its assets including the gold and money were taken away by LTTE cadres. With the end of war, the security forces found some of the gold left behind in the so called Eelam banks, in bunkers and other hi