No forcible eviction of lodgers - Keheliya

Pramod de Silva and Irangika Range

KOTTE: Foreign Employment Promotion Minister Keheliya Rambukwella yesterday told Parliament that the Government provided transport facilities to 260 persons who voluntarily submitted themselves to be returned to their native places in the North-East.

He was responding to an allegation made by TNA MP R. Sampanthan that Tamils living in Colombo lodgings were sent back by force by the Government.

The Minister said during the past 3-4 weeks bombs went off in Colombo and suburbs and attempts were made to smuggle explosives into Colombo.”

This was why we had to take these measures”. He said it had been revealed that during the 10 years all plans to explode bombs in the city were hatched within these lodgings in the city.

Among those who were sent back include 63 women.

The decision to screen Tamil lodgers living in Colombo was taken in the larger interest of national security.

The Minister said there were over 20,000 Tamils who had taken up lodgings in Colombo. “But we have to secure the lives of 19 million people”.

He said in the context of detection of explosives headed for Colombo almost on a daily basis they had to consider some effective steps.

The Minister denied any form of harassment adding that all of them (lodgers) volunteered to go back to their native places.

“They have volunteered to go back and the Government has provided them with all transport facilities”

He said they were welcome to return and attend to their businesses at any time.