We don’t want to use a devil to extend emergency:Gota

23 August 2011 04:06 pm

Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday denied that the government is using incidents involving devils to extend the emergency. He went on to state that any individual who attacks law enforcement institutions under the pretext of the "devil" would be considered terrorists.

“We don’t want to use a devil to extend emergency. The government does not want to extend the emergency. The final decision will be taken by the president,” he said at a meeting held at the Ministry of Defence (MOD) with the trustees of mosques in Puttalam, Batticlaloa, Ampara and Trincomalee districts to discuss the incidents which took place in these areas involving devils.

 “Surrounding camps of security forces is a major offence and it is taken as a terrorist act for attempting to attack law enforcement institutions. Therefore please tell your people not to engage in such things and believe rumours, most of the people are innocent but there are few behind these incidents,” he said.

 “The security forces acted calmly and wisely to these situations. But do not play with them,” Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said.

 “We will give maximum punishment to those who cross the limits of law and take it into their hands. Because if it happens, it will affect the stability we expect,”, he said.

 “Do not take the law into your hands. Assist the police and the security forces to arrest these suspects who are mostly criminals of that particular area. As a result of this a number of unfortunate incidents were reported with three deaths including the death of an innocent police constable whose wife is pregnant with their first child,” he added.

 “There is another rumour that we are trying to collect blood of women who does not eat pork. The government does not want to do a poojawa. These are absolute baseless allegations,” he said.

 Mr. Rajapaksa also denied that these incidents are undertaken by the security forces. “Why do the security forces want to engage in sabotage after fighting with terrorists for 30 years and ended by defeating them,? he questioned. “They are the people who enjoy the peace and freedom after defeating the LTTE. So why do they want to engage in such things,” he said.

 “If the area police has failed to take proper action I will sent the Special Task Force (STF) and the army to arrest the suspects and resolve the disputes”, Mr.Rajapaksa said.

 “We all want to work together and enjoy the peace and the freedom we achieved by defeating terrorists. Therefore I want everyone to work together, assist the police and the security forces in maintaining law and order”, he noted

 “Because at present with these incidents, the police cannot go out and conduct their duty as they will be assaulted. I have told the IGP to come up with a plan on how we can resolve the problems and work together. We are refreshing the duties of the police, “he said. (Supun Dias)