Emergency extension must to safeguard law and order - Minister

Dulshani GUNAWARDENA

Extending the State of Emergency was essential to safeguard law and order, rather than achieving narrow political objectives, Minister Maithreepala Sirisena said yesterday.

Parliament met on Tuesday to further extend the State of Emergency by one month.

The continuous extension of the state of emergency has raised criticism from the Opposition members who allege that the Government used this to suppress the Opposition and exploit power.

Minister Sirisena noted that though terrorism has been eradicated, security concerns do not end there. The number of imprisoned LTTE suspects are around 10,000.

They have been arrested under the state of emergency which if by any case was lifted, would lead to their release. This would create a dangerous situation, undoing the victory achieved, he said.