Sri Lanka has reiterated its position that it will not remove the military from the country's north, saying that the new government's priority remained with national security.
Newly-appointed state minister of defence, Ruwan Wijewardena said President Maithripala Sirisena made it clear he will not allow the country to be divided.
Speaking during a meeting with chief prelates of the Buddhist clergy in Kandy, Mr Wijewardena said the reports that army will be withdrawn were false, adding that the new government would ensure that the security forces are treated with respect and provided with all the facilities required, Colombo Gazette reported.
We should be patient about military in NE says Sampanthan (17 January 2015)
Troop numbers will stay the same – army spokesperson (16 January 2015)
We need your support
Sri Lanka is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a journalist. Tamil journalists are particularly at threat, with at least 41 media workers known to have been killed by the Sri Lankan state or its paramilitaries during and after the armed conflict.
Despite the risks, our team on the ground remain committed to providing detailed and accurate reporting of developments in the Tamil homeland, across the island and around the world, as well as providing expert analysis and insight from the Tamil point of view
We need your support in keeping our journalism going. Support our work today.
For more ways to donate visit https://donate.tamilguardian.com.
