The special police unit established to deal with religious violence is not necessary as there are provisions in the existing laws to deal with such incidents, Democratic Party Leader Sarath Fonseka said today.

He told a news briefing that no special police was needed to deal with religious issues and that police could deal with these matters under the existing laws of the country.

Mr. Fonseka said if the new police unit was to serve any purpose it must not be biased or under the control of any politician or religious leader.
“This unit should not try to safeguard any ‘senas’ or any other religious group,” he said.

Justifying his earlier statement that it was the dictatorial politics in this country that led to the resolution adopted at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC), Mr. Fonseka said international organisations such as the UN had played a major role in helping to free several nations from dictatorship. He said this while referring to the challenge posed to him by the Jathika Nidahas Peramuna (JNP) which wanted him to name a single nation which had been saved by the UN.

Mr. Fonseka who referred to his party’s policy statement which was launched today said it contained ten points including good governance, national integration, law and order, economic development and health and education. He said the party will work on an action plan with the advice of experts in the respective areas.

“Our policy will not be like the Chinthanas which are kept on the ‘Lipbokkas’ or the fire place without proper implementation,” Mr. Fonseka said. (Yohan Perera and Sanath Desmond)