Innocent Tamils in custody will be released - Jeyaraj

Uditha Kumarasinghe, Irangika Range and Sandasen Marasinghe

Chief Government Whip Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle yesterday told Parliament that the Government will immediately release all innocent Tamils in custody when investigations are completed, except those connected to terrorist activities.

Security Forces arrested some Tamils following a search operation in Colombo and suburbs on Sunday. The Minister said the Security Forces have to take various measures for public security. It is the responsibility of everyone to extend their fullest support to the Security Forces regarding this, he said.

Fernandopulle was responding to a question raised by TNA MP Marvai S Senathirajah and several other MPs who requested the Government to release Tamils arrested by the Armed Forces during the special search operations in Colombo and suburbs on Sunday. Fernandopulle said the Government is fully bound to ensure the security of the people.

The Government has to investigate whether those arrested are terrorists or not. However, this cannot be done within 24 hours. After the investigations, the Government will take steps to release those not connected to terrorist activities, he said.

The Minister said the LTTE suicide bomber who came to assassinate Minister Douglas Devananda was disguised like an innocent woman. The LTTE cadre who brought the parcel bomb to the No Limit store, Nugegoda, also came as an ordinary person. Twenty people died and more than 30 were injured in the bomb blast, Fernandopulle said.

The LTTE does all these killings by disguising as innocent civilians. Therefore, the Government has to look into LTTE terrorist activities. Following the special search operations by the Security Forces, over 1,000 Tamils have been arrested from Colombo and suburbs, he said.

According to Fernandopulle nearly 54 per cent of Tamils live in the South. The Government will give priority to ensure the security of all communities. If the MPs who spoke against the arrests can help to identify genuine terrorists, the Government can release all the arrested innocent people within an hour, he said.

The Minister said: "The Government will see that no injustice is caused to the innocent Tamils. But it will take some time for the Security Forces to identify terrorists moving around innocent Tamils. It is not a difficult task for the LTTE to prepare forged identity cards.

The people should support the Security Forces to identify terrorists who come to Colombo with these identity cards." Fernandopulle said President Mahinda Rajapaksa has pledged to eradicate terrorism.

Therefore all sections should extend their support to the President to fulfil this pledge, he said. "We all should extend our support to the Security Forces without harming their mentality. They are doing a great service on behalf of the country," he said.