Colombo, Oct 14 (PTI) Sri Lankan President MaithripalaSirisena today walked into a group of Tamil protesters whoraised black flags demanding the release of over 160 politicalprisoners, during his visit to northern Jaffna city.
"I met a small group of protesters with black flags andinvited them to have talks with me. They said they want theirdemand granted first before talking to me," Sirisena saidaddressing a gathering on the Tamil National Day observed inJaffna.
Minority Tamil nationalist groups had warned they wouldraise black flags in Jaffna against Sirisena's visit therewhile urging him to release Tamil political prisoners heldsince the ethnic conflict with the LTTE ended in 2009.
"There are over 160 Tamil political prisoners. We havebeen urging for their release over the last eight years," M KShivajilingam, a Tamil hardline politician said.
Shivajilingam said they told Sirisena that if he cannotrelease the prisoners then who else could.
"How can the president resolve the Tamil issue when he isunable to address this small issue," he said.
Sirisena in his address said he was much intent onachieving national reconciliation in the country wherecommunal harmony would be guaranteed.
"Today's protest is the sign of a healthy democracy. Ifthey try to weaken me by holding protests other forces willbecome stronger. I am ready to talk with anyone and resolveissues through discussions," Sirisena said.
However, Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene has saidthe prisoners in question are not political detainees.
"They are those who have been charged for serious crimesduring the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) time. Theircases have to be dealt with by the court," he said.
Both Tamil and international rights groups have demandedrepealing of the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) which giveswide powers to security forces to detain people indefinitely.
Tamil groups charge that LTTE suspects are being heldindefinitely under PTA without charges being framed againstthem in certain cases.
The government says they are in the process of reformingcounter terrorism laws with a modern anti-terrorism Act whichwill maintain international standards.
Sri Lanka faced UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC)resolutions for alleged human rights abuses during the lastphase of the brutal three-decade-long civil war against theLTTE that ended in 2009.
Sri Lanka's human rights record, particularly over theimpunity enjoyed by law enforcement officers, has been thesubject of international condemnation.
The UNHRC has demanded accountability mechanisms to proberights abuses blamed on both the LTTE and the government.
But Sri Lanka is averse to setting up of an internationalhybrid court with local and foreign judges to investigatealleged war crimes committed by government troops and the LTTEin the last phase of the war.
According to government figures, around 20,000 peoplewent missing during various conflicts, including the civilwar, in the north and east which claimed at least 100,000lives. PTI CORRKUN.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.