The Ministry of Defence has announced in a statement that it has decided to lift the ban imposed on 6 international Tamil organizations and 316 persons in Sri Lanka.

The Ministry of Defence has done so by issuing a special gazette. According to the gazette, the ban imposed by the government on the relevant organizations and individuals due to terrorism or any other reasons has now been lifted.

The ban was imposed according to the Act No. 45 of 1968 and it has been removed in accordance with the order 4(7) of the United Nations Orders No. 01 of 2012.

Accordingly, the ban on the Australian Tamil Congress, Global Tamil Forum, World Dravidian Coordination Committee, Dravida Eelam People's Congress, Canadian Tamil Congress and British Tamil Forum have been lifted.