13:52 GMT, last updated 14:05 GMT
In a statement issued yesterday by the Sri Lanka's Permanent Mission to the UN in Geneva, the government rejected international concerns over the detention of three activists - Balendran Jeyakumari, Ruki Fernando and Father Praveen, as well as Ms. Jeyakumari's 13 year old daughter, Vipoosika.
Reiterating its claims that the detained activists were detained over suspicions that they were working with individuals allegedly associated with the LTTE, the Sri Lankan government drew particular attention to the statements made by the NPC Councillor Ananthy Sasitharan, at the UN Human Rights Council.
Accusing Ms. Sasitharan of "misrepresenting" fact, the government alleged that her statements made to the UNHRC "demonstrate affinity with the cause of the LTTE".
The statement read,
"Whilst having been closely associated with the LTTE through the activities of her husband the choice of language continues to demonstrate affinity with the cause of the LTTE. For instance, in one of her statements she refers to children in the area as "Eelam Tamil children". As the Council may already be aware Eelam is the name given by the LTTE to their cause of creating a mono-ethnic separate state which they attempted to do through 30 years of bloodshed and terrorism. Her claim that her husband was a political leader is incorrect as her husband Elilan was a leading LTTE terrorist, who had been widely regarded as responsible for terrorist activities including the recruitment of child combatants."
Detailing the Sri Lankan military's account of the detention of the prominent Sri Lankan human rights activist and Father Praveen, the statement went on to say,
"This development underscores the need to be vigilant on the activities of the remnants of the terrorist group, considering its bearing on national security. Subsequent to the immense bloodshed and suffering endured by the people of Sri Lanka following three decades of terrorism, it is all the more imperative on the Government to ensure its non recurrence."
See full statement here.