Outsiders quit Colombo, tells Defence Secretary

[TamilNet, Saturday, 13 September 2008, 15:03 GMT]
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse told the State run Daily News Saturday that thousands who stay in Colombo "without any valid reason" should return to their villages as they are creating a huge security concern. "We must be prepared for this. That is why wer doing human control measures. People criticise us for fundamental rights violations when we do these things," paper quoted Gotabhaya as saying.

“In August 6,950 people have come to the Colombo Police Division and are temporarily living in lodges, houses and various other places, " Gotabhaya Rajapakse said, adding, “I prefer most of these people who had come from other areas to Colombo and suburbs and who are staying here without any valid reason to go back to their areas because it is an immense problem for the Security Forces to provide security. The LTTE mingles with these people to infiltrate these areas,” he added..

“If some people have come from the East or any other place to Colombo and if they are staying here without any reason they should go back to their places. Of course those who had come from Wanni have come here as they are facing problems. Other than all the other people should go back. That is the most preferable thing,” the Defence Secretary said.

Gotabhaya's statement is reminiscent of 31 May 2007 police order to expel around 5000 Tamils from NorthEast and Upcountry living in Pettah lodges.

“We have to defend ourselves. I'm talking about terrorists. Anything is fair,” Gotabaya Rajapaksa told Reuters and the BBC, during the June 2007 controversy. He said the United Nations agencies had been infiltrated and misled by the Liberation Tigers over 30 years.

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Massive influx of people to Colombo a security risk - Defence Secretary