Sri Lanka to promulgate new regulations to deal with LTTE

Colombo, Sep 1: Sri Lankan government is to promulgate new regulations under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) in order to provide legal cover to deal with the LTTE, including its proscription as the nearly 30-year-long state of emergency ended on Aug 31.

Attorney General, Mohan Peiris, told reporters here on Aug 31 that President Mahinda Rajapaksa is to promulgate four regulations under section 27 of PTA which will allow the continuous proscription of the LTTE and its charity organisation, Tamil Rehabilitation Organisation (TRO).

The rest of the regulations will cover the detention of the LTTE suspects and rehabilitation of the LTTE cadres who surrendered.

Peiris said these new promulgations have become mandatory in view of the government decision to lift the state of emergency.

President Rajapaksa on Aug 25 in a special address to parliament announced the lifting of the state of emergency imposed nearly 30 years ago to confront the threat from the Tamil Tigers.

The Attorney General Peiris said the state of emergency will lapse by midnight on Aug 31.

Unless the new regulations are imposed the proscriptions of the LTTE and TRO would become annulled with the lifting of emergency.

Peiris further said a new draft bill covering the regulations to be promulgated on Aug 31 would be presented in parliament.

He said the new Act will be required to provide the necessary legal frame work in the absence of the state of emergency.

PTI