False complaints… attempt to halt aid to country: President

The Media Centre for National Security in a press release said that the security forces or police would not forcibly evict people from places of temporary residence in lodges and small hotels in Colombo.

“The Government would like to caution the general public that the security forces and the police would be taking legal action against those who fail to establish their identity and reasons to overstay”, the release stressed. It added that all residents from north and east who are temporary occupants in lodges and hotels in Colombo should be able to legally establish their identity and give reasons for their stay.

“People who arrive in Colombo for any necessity are urged to return to their permanent residences without delay. If they are faced with transport problems, the security forces and the police are ready to provide them with the same on acceptable reasons” the press release said.

Meanwhile to a question raised by TNA MP T. Maheswaran to the President on whether the Tamils living in lodges are to be evicted, IGP Victor Perera said that except for permanent residents, others who enter Colombo for whatever purpose will be searched, but would never be given orders of eviction from the lodge. The police chief said that it was difficult to identify a terrorist from a normal person and that the police and security forces would keep a close watch on persons with no proper identification. President Mahinda Rajapaksa apologized for the inconvenience caused due to the misunderstanding. He claimed that these were attempts of a group making false complaints regarding violation of human rights and through this to halt the flow of aid to the country.