All measures to ensure safety of all communities- Defence Spokesman

Ranil Wijayapala

COLOMBO: The Government has taking all security measures to ensure the safety of all communities, but has not taken any measures with malicious intentions against individuals or organisations, Defence Affairs Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said yesterday.

“The Government has no personal vendettas against individuals”, the Minister said addressing the weekly security press briefing in Colombo yesterday.

Referring to the arrest of three persons who had links with the LTTE, the Minister said the new regulations allow for the arrest such persons, and holding them in custody for 24 hours before producing them in Courts.

Therefore the Minister said that though some sections of people were trying to interpret the arrest made by the Security Forces as abductions, the Government reject all these allegations as all these arrests have been made within the parameters of the new regulations.

“The Security Forces have to take certain measures to safeguard the security of the people. Any inconvenience caused to the people due to these measures is purely on the basis of assuring the safety of all people”, the Minister added.

Minister Rambukwella said though some sections try to portray the arrested people as innocent civilians and journalists it has now been proved beyond reasonable doubt that they had been involved in terror acts.

“They have been arrested along with a haul of weapons received from the LTTE”, Minister Rambukwella added.

The Minister said they were directly involved in creating a major calamity in Colombo and the suburbs.

Minister Rambukwella said that they, made these arrests on information given by the people after waiting for months to substantiate evidence against these people.