Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka on Saturday reiterated the government's position that all army camps in the North-East would not be closed down.
Speaking in parliament on Saturday, Mr Fonseka stressed that "key army camps in the North will not be closed down", the Sunday Leader reported.
He accused the Joint Opposition of "spreading false claims".
"The need to maintain a military presence in the North and East is similar to the need to maintain a military presence in the South of the country," he added.
Tamils across the North-East have been calling for army camps to be dismantled and occupyied lands to be handed back to the people.