Security Chiefs refuse meetings: TNA

The Tamil National Alliance MP Charles Nirmalanathan yesterday alleged that Chiefs of Security Forces in the North and East were refusing to meet them and said they had no one to discuss issues of their people.

The MP told Parliament that he made several requests to meet a Navy Officer in the North but he had refused to give him an appointment without an approval of the Defence Ministry.

"I made several requests to meet a Navy Commander in the North to discuss an issue related to the fishing community there. I even wrote to the Defence Ministry but there was no reply as yet," he said.

The leader of the House Lakshman Kiriella said the MPs should be given an opportunity to meet the Chiefs of Security Forces and that he would look into the matter.

Meanwhile, JVP MP Nalinda Jayatissa said it was pointless to hold debates if relevant Ministers were absent in Parliament to answer the MPs questions. (Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera)