Colombo: Sri Lanka will expedite legal proceedings against 11,000 former LTTE combatants, according to a media report.
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has given his nod
to Justice and Law Reforms Minister Milinda Moragoda to fast
track the proceedings against the former Tigers, held under
the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and Emergency
Regulations, a news report said.
The decision to expedite legal proceedings has been taken
in keeping with a recent government decision, the Island
Newspaper quoted a ministry spokesman as saying.
All relevant authorities would be shortly informed of the
decision so as to address the grievances of the detained and
remanded people, he added.
Votes of the minority Tamil community is considered
decisive at the electoral battle between incumbent President
Rajapaksa and common opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka, both
belonging to the majority Sinhalas.
President Rajapaksa has released over 700 former LTTE
cadres, including child soldiers, earlier this month from
Vavuniya's Menik Farm welfare village, which houses over
80,000 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
Three batches of people in government custody were
released in October, November and December last year.
PTI
First Published: Friday, January 15, 2010, 17:08