The military's presence in the North-East was 'nothing but a necessity', said the Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, speaking to The Island.
Asserting that previous governments had failed to ensure adequate security measures, Gotabhaya said, "I have no intention of repeating the same mistake."
Rejecting criticism of the military's presence, he said the 'positioning of armed forces shouldn't be a political issue or a topic for discussions with any external players.'
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.