The Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) will be replaced with an act which would be appropriate to deal with contemporary global challenges, Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera said on Tuesday. The PTA was a law which specifically addressed local issues, he said.
"In the current global context, we need to have a broader outlook. Hence the need for new laws that could combat terrorism both from a local and international perspective," the foreign minister further said.
Responding to former foreign minister GL. Peiris’ warning against releasing Tamil political prisoners, Mr Samaraweera asked whether Mr Peiris wanted the suspects to be kept in prison permanently even if there wasn’t sufficient evidence to prosecute them.
"Prof. Peiris is talking nonsense . He has forgotten that in January 2010 92 LTTE cadres were released on the then AG Mohan Peiris’ recommendations. Subsequently, another 45 were freed. But, Peiris, who was an influential Minister in the Rajapaksa government did nothing to prevent it. Nor did he object the way he is doing now. This is hypocrisy practised by Rajapaksa acolytes." the foreign minister said, according to The Island.
Mr Samarawera said that if senior former members of the LTTE such as Karuna, Pillayan and Kumaran Pathmanathan (KP), could be pardoned, it baffled him why the lower ranking LTTE cadres could not be released.