Sri Lanka Government recruiting Tamil police in Jaffna

Colombo, Sep.29 (ANI): Almost four months after eliminating the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam (LTTE), the Government of Sri Lanka has commenced recruiting Tamil police officers from the northern city of Jaffna.

The BBC quoted Defence Ministry officials as saying that this is the first time in 30 years that a recruitment of Tamil police personnel is taking place.

Over 6,500 people applied for 500 police constable jobs in Jaffna, a statement on the defence ministry website said.

Police said the advertisement for male and female police constables and drivers placed a few days ago had received an enthusiastic response.

A police spokesman said that applicants were being vetted more strictly than recruits elsewhere in the island.

Although Jaffna has been under army control since 1995, the city bordered the rebel-held areas of Sri Lanka. Between 1992 and 1995 it was under rebel control.

Police spokesman Nimal Mediwake said: Young male and female candidates were being thoroughly vetted.We have to go through their details about their family background." (ANI)