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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Sri Lanka Tamils 'being arrested' | Sri Lanka Tamils 'being arrested' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| A minister in the Sri Lankan government has accused the police of arresting "five to 10 Tamil people" every day in the capital, Colombo, and its suburbs. | A minister in the Sri Lankan government has accused the police of arresting "five to 10 Tamil people" every day in the capital, Colombo, and its suburbs. |
| Deputy Minister of Vocational and Technical Training, P Radhakrishnan, told the BBC Sinhala Service that over 1,000 Tamils are already in detention. | Deputy Minister of Vocational and Technical Training, P Radhakrishnan, told the BBC Sinhala Service that over 1,000 Tamils are already in detention. |
| He said that anybody carrying identity cards with addresses from rebel-held areas is immediately arrested. | He said that anybody carrying identity cards with addresses from rebel-held areas is immediately arrested. |
| Tamil Tigers rebels are fighting for a separate state in the north and east. | Tamil Tigers rebels are fighting for a separate state in the north and east. |
| The minister's figures have been corroborated by Sri Lanka's Chief Justice, Sarath Nanda Silva, who told the media last week that nearly 1,400 Tamils are currently in custody. | The minister's figures have been corroborated by Sri Lanka's Chief Justice, Sarath Nanda Silva, who told the media last week that nearly 1,400 Tamils are currently in custody. |
| 'Wrong' | 'Wrong' |
| Mr Radhakrishnan is a leader of the Up Country People's Front (UPF) - which represents Tamils of Indian origin. He said that almost every person currently arrested in Colombo is an ethnic Tamil. | Mr Radhakrishnan is a leader of the Up Country People's Front (UPF) - which represents Tamils of Indian origin. He said that almost every person currently arrested in Colombo is an ethnic Tamil. |
| The military has mounted an offensive to retake Tamil-held parts of the north | The military has mounted an offensive to retake Tamil-held parts of the north |
| "Being Tamils is the only reason for these arrests," he said. | "Being Tamils is the only reason for these arrests," he said. |
| Mr Radhakrishnan stressed that he had no objection over suspected criminals being arrested. | Mr Radhakrishnan stressed that he had no objection over suspected criminals being arrested. |
| The Sri Lankan police recently ordered people arriving in the capital from the north and east to register. They conceded that the majority of these people were Tamils. | The Sri Lankan police recently ordered people arriving in the capital from the north and east to register. They conceded that the majority of these people were Tamils. |
| The minister said he has received information that the police are using registration details to arrest Tamils in the capital. | |
| His accusation comes as the government is urging Tamils in rebel-controlled areas in the north to leave the war zone and go to government-controlled areas. | |
| The UPF has urged President Mahinda Rajapaksa to take immediate steps to rectify the situation. | The UPF has urged President Mahinda Rajapaksa to take immediate steps to rectify the situation. |
| Mr Radhakrishnan's office says that it has also received information that at least 246 Tamil people have been abducted in and around the capital since January. | Mr Radhakrishnan's office says that it has also received information that at least 246 Tamil people have been abducted in and around the capital since January. |
| He says that 67 of these people had so far returned, but no information was available about the fate of the others. | He says that 67 of these people had so far returned, but no information was available about the fate of the others. |
| Relatives of those missing have told the BBC that some of the abductions were carried out by people wearing security service uniforms. | Relatives of those missing have told the BBC that some of the abductions were carried out by people wearing security service uniforms. |
| The minister accused "several Tamil armed groups" of also being involved in the abductions but was reluctant to name them. | The minister accused "several Tamil armed groups" of also being involved in the abductions but was reluctant to name them. |
| "We do not accuse the government but it has a duty to stop these abductions and find out what happened to those who were abducted," he said. | "We do not accuse the government but it has a duty to stop these abductions and find out what happened to those who were abducted," he said. |
| Neither Inspector General of Police Jayantha Wickramaratne nor police spokesman Ranjith Gunasekara were available to respond to the allegations. | Neither Inspector General of Police Jayantha Wickramaratne nor police spokesman Ranjith Gunasekara were available to respond to the allegations. |
| But the government has repeatedly said that it was necessary to step up security measures after a string of bomb blasts and suicide attacks by suspected rebels - targeting public transport and political leaders - in recent months. | |
| Officials suspect that Tamil rebels infiltrate into the capital area disguising themselves as displaced civilians from the north and the east. | |
| The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), as the rebels are known, have been fighting for a separate Tamil homeland in the north and east for 25 years. | The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), as the rebels are known, have been fighting for a separate Tamil homeland in the north and east for 25 years. |
| Human rights groups say about 70,000 people have been killed in what is one of South Asia's longest-running and most persistent insurgencies. | Human rights groups say about 70,000 people have been killed in what is one of South Asia's longest-running and most persistent insurgencies. |