Tamil officers removed from SL President's security detail

[TamilNet, Monday, 06 November 2006, 12:50 GMT]
Twenty Tamil Sri Lanka police security officers accompanying Sri Lanka’s President Mahinda Rajapakse to a public function at Veerahetiya, an upcountry town, Sunday were sent back to their stations on suspicion raised on the bonafides of the officers by the Veerahetiya Sinhala residents, sources from Hatton said.

While the Tamil Minister in his cabinet, and Leader of upcountry Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) party, Arumugam Thondaman is recruiting young Tamil men for Sri Lanka police force, Mr. Rajapakse is setting the wrong precedent to the likely treatment minority officers can expect in island’s security apparatus, political sources in Hatton said.

Rajapakse, speaking at the function said that he never will allow the country to be split. Though the path to peace is tough, the time has come for all political parties to forget their differences and help his efforts to bring peace, Rajapakse added.

He also said that he has taken efforts for all ethnic communities to get their fair share in the country's development.

Recruitment for Sri Lanka police among the Tamil youngsters is in progress in the areas of Hatton, Badulla and Nuwereliya, upcountry Tamil sources said.