Sri Lanka's Anti Terror law to remain

By Sumaiya Rizvi - The government says while the Emergency regulations will be amended Anti Terrorism laws and the Terrorism Investigations Act will not be relaxed therefore unlike the Emergency regulations it did not need to be amended time to time.

The government declared that it wanted to amend the Emergency Regulations and were intending to debate it at parliament tomorrow, Minister of External Affairs, Prof. G.L. Peiris said.

“The Prime Minister will present the details that should remain in the Emergency regulations. And we (Government) propose that it be debated for two days unlike in previous occasions when the Emergency regulations were debated only a day,” Prof. Peiris said.

Prof. Peiris denied the decisions were a result of the foreign pressure and the EU’s recent comment to the Daily Mirror that it was concerned over the imprisonment of General Sarath Fonseka. “Government doesn’t give into the pressure of anybody,” he said. He said that the Sri Lankan delegation that met the EU officials most recently were not briefed on their concerns for the General Fonseka.

When queried on the Anti Terrorism and Terrorism Investigation Act he said that they were part of the law of this country and therefore unlike the Emergency regulations it did not need to be amended time to time.

According to him during yesterday’s informal cabinet meeting it was agreed upon that the Emergency regulations needed to be amended in the absence of terrorism with the view of encouraging socio economic development.

Meanwhile Prof. Peiris said the government was to discuss with Indian officials on India’s request to set up a consulate in the Jaffna peninsula and said that it was to be decided based on their future bilateral talks. “We have responded to it. We will discuss it at bilateral talks. We don’t make this decision overnight,” Prof. Peiris said. The Indian Government had expressed its intent in setting up a consulate office in Jaffna.

© Daily Mirror