Sri Lankan Government Warns Consequences of Lifting Emergency Laws

The Sri Lankan government warned Wednesday that the war against separatist Tamil Tiger rebels will be adversely affected and vital installations in the country will be in danger if the extension of emergency regulations fail to be passed in Parliament on Friday, the state-run Daily News said.

The paper listed the consequences of lifting the emergency regulations in the country as follows:

Government forces will be confined to barracks creating an open field for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels.

All check points would be replaced by the police, a non- combatant law enforcement authority. All LTTE rebel suspects in custody will be released.

Border villages would be put into danger with the withdrawal of weapons and the demobilization of para-military forces.

An environment will be created for the free movement of LTTE rebels throughout the country with concealed weapons and it will pave the way to de-proscribe LTTE rebels which may ultimately lead to the lifting of bans by other foreign states including Britain, which banned the rebels in March this year.

Sacred places of worship will be in danger as military check points will be withdrawn and ports and airports, power stations, telecom towers and other vital installations will be in danger.

The main opposition United National Party has countered that even if the emergency regulations are defeated in Parliament the president is empowered to issue a fresh proclamation declaring an emergency islandwide and all security measures could be held in place.

The vote on the emergency regulations, which were first imposed in March 1983, are seen as a crucial test before a vote for no- confidence motion tabled by UNP against the government later this month.

The ruling People's Alliance coalition government was reduced to a minority in the 225-member Parliament on June 20 when its key Muslim ally the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress pulled out due to the dismissal of its leader Rauf Hakeem by President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

The government has now 109 seats in the Parliament, four short of the 113-seat simple majority for its survival.






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