By Shamindra Ferdinando
The need for the Sri Lankan Army to continue its presence in the Northern and Eastern Provinces couldn’t be disputed, though the LTTE no longer posed a conventional military threat, Lord Naseby, PC, a member of the House of Lord’s of the UK parliament and Chairman of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Sri Lanka said.
High Security Zones (HSZs) in the former war zone, too, were part of the existing security measures in place, he said, adding the government needed military presence to ensure that the LTTE would never raise its head again.
Naseby was addressing the media at the Colombo Hilton following a series of meetings with government officials, Opposition members, including TNA leader R. Sampanthan, the clergy and civil society.
Recalling terrorism in Northern Ireland, Lord Naseby said that the British Army continued to maintain a military presence, though violence ceased years ago.
Naseby said that he was aware of gradual decrease of military presence in the Northern Province since the end of conflict three years ago. Defending the military spearheading major projects in the aftermath of the GoSL’s triumph over the LTTE, Naseby said that once elections to the Province were held, the government could do away with the post of executive Governor.
Responding to a query by The Island, Naseby said that the results of the recently concluded census in the Northern and Eastern Provinces should be published along with a clear statement from the government outlining the GoSL’s position vis-a-vis the loss of lives during the final phase of the conflict.
Naseby emphasised the need as well as the responsibility on the part of the government to brief the global community to ensure that the LTTE wouldn’t succeed with its propaganda.
Naseby said that the GoSL should always try to fulfil its pledges. It would be wrong on the part of the government not to implement a promise given to its people, he said.
Source: The Island April 8, 2012
