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'Forceful eviction of lodgers' - a deliberate misinterpretation of the truth- IGP
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Victor Perera yesterday (08th) rejected the allegations made by certain political elements that the police had forcibly evicted Tamil people from Colombo lodges on Thursday (07th).

After a special discussion held with the Colombo police chiefs at the Police headquarters, IGP told media that people who are making these allegations have either misunderstood the process or deliberately misinterpreting the truth. The IGP further said that he had summoned all the inspectors in charge of Colombo police stations and inquired into the matter; but found no evidence on such forceful expulsion.

The government on Thursday (07th) provided safe transportation to 376 people out of over 20,000 Tamil lodgers living in Colombo to their homes in North and East. The IGP explained that these people had expressed consent to go home if free transportation was provided. Some lodgers have indicated that they would have to pocket out at least Rs. 15000 as transport cost for them and for their belongings.

Explaining the backdrop of the situation the IGP told that the government had to take this decision for the safety of millions of innocent people living in Colombo and its suburbs. The Island Capital has been targeted for terrorist attacks since the LTTE began its bloody campaign in 1983. Thousands of innocent civilians were killed and tens of thousands were injured in many indiscriminate attacks using vehicle bombs, suicide bombers and roadside mines. Further, such attacks have always had devastating effect on the country's economy too.

IGP Victor Perera said that recent events have shown that the LTTE terrorists are operating without much difficulty with in the Colombo. On going police investigations into many terrorist activities have also shown that the perpetrators of such attacks had been operating from lodges. Thus, the growing security concerns have compelled the police to focus its attention on lodgers who are having extended stay for no valid reason and those who could not prove their identity.

Defence.lk learnt that Police taking similar security measures to reduce potential terrorist threats to a country's capital is nothing uncommon or unusual for any country. Particularly, after the two bomb attacks at Pettah and Rathmalana that killed seven innocent civilians and three security forces' personnel, no government can be expected to further delay stringent defensive action against terrorism.

The shocking discovery of the lorry bomb carrying over 1000Kg of high explosive at Nikaweratiya last week shown the extent of brutality that the LTTE was planning to bring in to the South. One explosive expert told defence.lk that the bomb was five times larger than the one exploded near the Central Bank in 1996. The LTTE killed 186 civilians and injured over 300 people in that particular attack.

The IGP told that the police have the authority to arrest any person under the Public Security Ordnance who cannot prove his /her identity. Earlier, the police have conducted many search and arrest operations without harassing any of the Tamil civilians permanently living in the Colombo city. The suspects were detained and questioned at Boossa camp and those who found innocent were later released.

Defence.lk learnt that the earlier practice was also highly criticised by some of the 'rights' groups as discriminatory. However, these 'rights' groups who rarely speak about the rights of the terror victims, blamed the government for 'ethnic cleansing'; when such people on their request, were given free transportation to their homes.

The Supreme Court responding to a petition filed by a 'right' group named 'Centre for Policy Alternatives and Independent Think Tank' on Friday (08th) ordered the government to immediately stop the process.

Meanwhile, on the same day (08th ) President's office in a statement said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa has ordered a detail report on the issue. The president has given his directions to the relevant authorities to find out any irregularities happened during the process.