Lodge residents - President asks IGP for immediate report

The Inspector General of Police has been asked to submit an immediate report to the President on the manner in which the exercise to transport Tamil persons living in lodges in Colombo and its suburbs to their places of permanent residence in the North and East was carried out yesterday, and about reports regarding hardships and inconvenience caused to the persons concerned.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa has taken serious note of the concerns expressed by Members of Parliament, Civil Society organisations, Human Rights organisations and activists, religious leaders and the media relating to the exercise yesterday leading to the vacation of temporary lodgings by Tamil persons primarily from the North and East of Sri Lanka. Over 350 persons residing in Colombo and its environs are reported to have been transported to the North and East.

These included persons who reportedly could furnish neither adequate proof of identity nor sufficient reasons for their choosing to stay in and around the city of Colombo at this time of heightened threats to security in the city and its suburbs. The President has called for an immediate inquiry to be initiated to ascertain the basis for this security related operation.

Allegations that officials exceeded their authority in implementing this initiative will be thoroughly investigated and appropriate remedial action will be taken, including disciplinary action against any wrongdoing on the part of any Government official.