Liberating Tamils from LTTE ensures their rights - Keheliya

Ranil Wijayapala

COLOMBO: The recruitment and passing out of 175 Tamil speaking Policemen is a clear indication that the liberation of Tamils from the LTTE is the only way of ensuring their rights, Government Defence Spokesman Minister Keheliya Rambukwella said yesterday. "Liberating the people from LTTE clutches has opened avenues for the Government to address their genuine grievances," Rambukwella said.

Addressing the weekly security press briefing, the Minister said it was after the liberation of the East from the LTTE that the Tamils responded positively to the recruitment drive for the Tamil speaking Police officers to serve in the Eastern Province.

He noted that the Police Department received 1,200 applications when the Government announced the recruitment of Tamil speaking Police officers to serve in Eastern province Police stations.

"The first batch of 175 Policemen and women passed out on February 16 and another 250 batch will be recruited soon from the Eastern province to serve in Police stations within the province," the Minister added.

"Prior to the liberation of the East, there was not a single application to join the Police department due to threats. That was due to the terror exercised by the LTTE on the Tamils in the East," the Minister added.

Rambukwella said successive Governments were blamed for not addressing the language issue, that is ensuring the right of any person to lodge complaints at any Police station in the language of their choice.

The recruitment of Tamil speaking Policemen and women specially to the Eastern province was to ensure that every Police stations have Tamil speaking Policemen round the clock, he said.

"The fundamental issue that emerged was that the LTTE should be defeated to ensure the rights of the people. When you are within the LTTE your rights are restricted," the Minister added.

He also pointed out that the Government was able to ensure the economic and political freedom of the Eastern population by implementing a massive development drive and taking steps to conduct local polls.