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Colombo: registration process not to harass anyone

COLOMBO: In a controversial move, the government on Thursday announced that citizens from the battle-torn north, who have been living in and around the capital for the past five years, would have to register themselves with the police in view of the prevailing security environment.

The announcement came amid claims by the military that at least 80 LTTE cadre and five soldiers were killed, and 10 Sea Tigers boats destroyed in the north. Police spokesperson Ranjith Gunasekera, at a news conference, said the registration would be held on September 21.

The citizens must fill up a one-page declaration giving details of their place of origin and purpose of their current stay.

“It is a measure intended in the larger interests of all citizens of the country. We have no intention of harassing any one,” said Mr. Gunasekera. The government’s decision came within days after Defence Secretary Gothabaya Rajapaksa expressed concern over the spurt in influx of people to Colombo and its surrounding towns in past few weeks. He had said the presence of such a large number of outsiders posed a “huge security threat.”

He said: “Daily liberation of areas previously controlled by the LTTE has resulted in an exodus of civilians from Jaffna, Vavuniya, Kilinochchi, Mullathivu and Mannar to other areas. These civilians fleeing from uncleared areas are also arriving in large numbers to the Western Province, especially to Colombo district. Therefore, the police have decided to obtain the details of such arrivals for the purpose of maintaining records in diferent areas.”

The police are requesting the public to assist them in maintaining a record of civilians who have arrived from these areas during the past five years. Separately, the military claimed at least 25 Sea Tigers cadre were killed, 10 Sea Tigers craft destroyed, including three ‘large attack boats’ in Valaipadu on Thursday.

The Navy claimed the battle took place five nautical miles west of Nachchikudha. Meanwhile, Army chief Lieutenant-General Sarath Fonseka told Daily News that security forces operating in Wanni are ready to face “gas attacks by the LTTE.”

Confirming that the LTTE had fired canisters of CS gas in Akkarayankulam and Vannivilankulam, he said it was not a chemical weapon, but is used for anti-hijacking operations. It is also used as a riot control agent and is considered non-lethal.

“If the LTTE fires CS canisters at us we have the capability to fire more powerful gases as we have the mandate as a sovereign state to make use of these gases to curb any terror activity of the LTTE,” he said, adding: “We have already provided gas masks to the troops operating in Wanni to face any type of gas attacks by the LTTE.”

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