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Sri Lankan President Replaces Emergency Laws
Sri Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga replaced on Thursday the emergency regulations which was lapsed on Wednesday with anti-terrorism act.
The government said in a statement that Kumaratunga had passed an order under anti-terrorism laws to reimpose a ban on the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) rebels who have been fighting since 1983 in the country's north and east for an independent Tamil homeland.
"In order to meet the requirements of the current security situation for the country, the president has issued an order under section 27 of the Prevention of Terrorism Act No. 48 of 1979 proscribing the LTTE organization," it said.
The government decided to postpone the voting for the extension of emergency regulations due on Friday in the Parliament as the main United National Party (UNP) and the leftist JVP or People's Liberation Front together with several Tamil parties has stated that they will vote against it.
"Further two orders have been made under the Public Security Ordinance to call out the armed forces and maintain the essential services throughout the country," the statement added.
Kumaratunga, also the defense minister, has power under both the Prevention of Terrorism Act and Public Security Ordinance to issue orders.
The emergency regulations were first imposed in 1983 when ethnic war erupted in the island country. It has to be approved by the Parliament monthly or they would lapse.
The emergency regulations give police and army sweeping powers to detain for long period without trial.
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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