Civilians will be dealt under PTA – army
Those who attack military and police installations are “terrorists” and will be charged with country’s anti-terror regulations, says Sri Lanka military.
Military spokesman Brig. Nihal Hapuarachchi told BBC Sandeshaya that over 120 people were recently arrested in Jaffna as they came to attack a military camp. “They attacked a joint army-police camp. It is a terrorist act,” he said
.
“It is wrong for civilians to attack an army camp or police station. Those who do that are terrorists. We will take action against them under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA),” added Brig. Hapuarachchi.
At a recent meeting with Muslim imams, Sri Lanka’s defence secretary said that, just as the army defeated “terrorists”, it would act against anyone making trouble.
‘Make fun with military’
“Please remind your people how the military tackle with terrorists. Don’t try to make fun with the military,” Mr. Rajapaksa said.
Residents in Jaffna say that fear prevails in the cultural heartland of Tamils due to continuing attacks on women by night prowlers, named as ‘grease devils’ widely in minority dominated areas of the country.
However, the military spokesman categorically denied the existence of any grease devil, in Jaffna or anywhere in the island.
“I myself visited Jaffna on Thursday, there is no fear at all there. The army and the police took action to control the situation where there have been fear in some places,” he said.
Residents in Jaffna claim otherwise.
Sithambara Udayar Kanagasingham, a senior lawyer in Jaffna, says that day to day life is interrupted due to fear of nocturnal prowlers.
‘Fear’ in Jaffna
For the first time, he says, residents in Kandavil, Jaffna apprehended a young man suspected to be a “grease devil” and handed him over to the police on Thursday night.
“The prevalent belief is that the police and military are more interested in intimidating residents than dealing with the attackers.” Mr. Kanagasingham adds that people in Jaffna, especially women are afraid of going out in night.
Military spokesman categorically denied accusations of severely assaulting the protesters before or after arresting them.
An unnamed military source, however, has told the BBC’s Charles Haviland in Colombo that the military used physical force against vigilante crowds.
In an interesting development, says Mr. Kanagasingham, the electricity supply in those areas where grease devil attacks happened to be abruptly disconnected at the time of the attack.
The military source told the BBC that they suspect former Tamil Tigers to be behind the attacks on military.
“I doesn’t have to be Tamil Tigers. But anybody who attacks the military is a terrorist,” was the response by Brig. Hapuarachchi.
Sri Lanka’s Sunday Times newspaper meanwhile reports that a group of women activists is to petition the Supreme Court on the grounds that the state is failing in its duty to protect women from these perpetrators.
The papers editorial also accused the police and law enforcement authorities of failing to protect the victims.
(Source: BBC Sinhala) / DM Online
Latest Headlines in Sri Lanka
- WFP begins fortified Rice distribution for school meals across Sri Lanka April 20, 2024
- General Amnesty announced for Tri-Forces AWOL personnel, excludes Commissioned Officers April 20, 2024
- Sri Lanka and United States discuss Economic Support and Reforms April 19, 2024
- Israeli missile strikes Iran amid escalating Middle East tensions April 19, 2024
- President says he will build a Sri Lanka that the youth aspire to April 19, 2024
‘Grease devil’ myth is a creation of the Tamil militants as a ruse to rid North and East of all Security Forces presence as a prelude to launching the new Tamil eelam terrorism/militarism. This new wave of Tamil terrorism/militarism will be the work of TNA and other eelamist Tamil Parties jointly with the collusion of diaspora Tamil organisation the world over, imperial West and Tamil Nadu political activists including its Big Mama. Hon President should strengthen and review his own security and not trust Tamil/Muslim former supporters of defunct LTTE, who have charmed their way into UPFA, waiting for the moment to strike hard with deadly effect at the heart of UPFA gov.
Mr Dias dont what a hell you r talking you know the former strong supporters of the L.L.T.T.E ARE SINHALIST who sold the miltary secrets and support them to build up Hoises so how do you blame muslims “UDABALAGENA KELGANA mINISSU”kiyanne oyawage ayatai – so wht a hell man without the support of the INDIA and Pakistan we would have not wont this war this is a known secret dot forget it we are lookingf at you at day you would undrestand the reality
Ishan, What are you so hot about? I have not mentioned in blog 1, Muslim links with the terrorist LTTE though this is a fact, in the case of Muslim extremists.
Pakistan has helped us with weapons supply but not India. As I have often said India is our enemy, now and in the past. Indira Gandhi nourished, trained, funded and released the blight of LTTE terrorism on SL through RAW to cripple SL economically. Her son, Rajiv, continued the havoc on the side of the LTTE, until he paid for it with his life.
India never supplied us with weapons. When we had the LTTE by the neck India rescued LTTE. This time however, Indian PM kept out of the final debacle of the LTTE since India had learnt its lesson and wanted the LTTE destroyed. That was the only way India helped, negatively.
Nicholas you also dont know the actual senario i guess you talk about Namil Nadu but the India is the real supportor for ending the war india helped us providing suttelite facilities and yhe Brapa couldnt flee dut the protection in the sea boder areas INDIA wanted to take revange on Ragieve gandi without Indias support we woukd have never finished it majority of the sinhalist dont know thgis you Pakistan not only supplied the Weapon but also they are the launch the attack using war flights against L.L.T.E THAT IS WHY sri lankan crickertes attackewd In Fakistan (by L.T.T.E ) tHERE ARE LPT OP THINS TO BE PUBLISHED BUT THE GOVERNMENT KEEP ALL THGOSE THONGS AS SECRETS I HAV PROOF SO DONT THGING TOO SMART
GOSL,under the able and powerful leadership of Hon MR, alerted India to the threat of evil LTTE to their own security, and the hidden agenda of USA to break-up India into various autonomous States, using LTTE to supply the revolutionaries in these Sates. USA feared the rise of India to superpower status to dominate Sout East Asia and the Indian Ocean. With India broken up into autonomous States it will have no power.
India helped SL this time against LTTE, negatively, by not supporting LTTE. India did not support SL positively by supplying weapons, as Pakistan did. Contrary to what Ishan asserted, there is no evidence India shared satellite images of LTTE areas. Neither did USA or any other country helped SL with satellite imagery. SL used drones supplied by Israel to gather information on LTTE controlled areas to hit their defence positions.
SL won the final Humanitarian Operation through its own resourcefulness and military sagacity despite the imperial West naked support for the LTTE for fear of their agenda for SE Asia coming unstuck.