Sri Lanka warns ex-Tamil rebels against revolting

January 21, 2012 | Politics | Written by

Colombo, Jan 21: Sri Lanka has warned former Tamil Tiger rebels not to engage with any group which may be attempting to overthrow the government.

The warning came after a splinter group of a Marxist political party in Sri Lanka claimed it has established contacts with some former rebels who were rehabilitated by the government and released into society, Xinhua reported.

If any former rebels, rehabilitated and released into society, were found to be having links with groups looking at creating an unstable situation in the country, they will be arrested, said the military official in charge of the programme to rehabilitate former rebels from the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

Commissioner General of Rehabilitation Major-General Chandana Rajaguru, however, said that so far they have not come across or received information regarding such activities.

He said former rebels are free to engage in politics but they cannot look to overthrow the government through violent means.

A spokesman for a breakaway faction of the People’s Liberation Front, a Marxist political party, said they have obtained the support of several former rebels to overthrow the government.

Thousands of former rebels have been released back into society after undergoing rehabilitation following the end of a 30-year war in May 2009 between the military and the LTTE.

IANS