Skip to main content

SRI LANKAN WAR COMBATANTS POSING AS ASYLUM SEEKERS


Militants from Sri Lanka’s war are posing as asylum seekers on boats headed for Australia - and could be financed by former Tamil Tiger combatants already here, The Australian reported.

Six former combatants were arrested leaving Sri Lanka this year, with another six people smugglers also collared.

Five of the six were arrested since June in a crackdown by Sri Lankan authorities. The arrests come after 14 asylum pirates stole a fishing boat, cutting one crewman’s throat before throwing at least two into the sea. They were flown directly to Sri Lanka on Saturday after being intercepted by Australian authorities off the Cocos Islands, The Australian reported yesterday(29).

Superintendent Prashantha Jayakody confirmed three crew members were still missing, presumed dead.

The pirates were being questioned in police custody, he added, and would face a long list of charges when they appeared in court.

Sri Lankan High Commissioner Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe said the country would co-operate with Australia with information about any former combatants who had not been rehabilitated since the war ended in 2009.

Militants were behind terrorist attacks and assassinations and also accused of ethnic cleansing.

“Anybody who comes here, if they have been involved in atrocities in Sri Lankan they could be wanted people. With the standing of our friendship we could share information on such people with Australia,” the High Commissioner said.

His words came as Liberal MP Don Randall was shown a gallery of the faces of the main people smuggling operators in Sri Lanka.

Mr Randall was told by Sri Lankan authorities during a recent visit to the country that former combatants already in Australia are believed to be funding the militants’ passage.

He said he was aware of Sri Lankans at detention centres in Christmas Island being housed near former combatants. “I am told these guys are turning up with old shrapnel wounds, they are obviously militants,” he added. A spokesman for Immigration Minister Chris Bowen said the government was aware of the issue. “The government takes very seriously its role in protecting the Australian community - we can not and will not compromise on matters of national security,” he said.

Meanwhile, eight more Sri Lankan men opted to return home from Christmas Island as more asylum seekers are transferred after being plucked from boats. The men flew home on Saturday, taking to 29 the number of Sri Lankans to return since Friday.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ukrainians injured as police dismantle Kiev 'tent city'

At least 10 demonstrators have been injured in clashes with Ukrainian police and another 100 detained in the capital Kiev after authorities began dismantling a makeshift "tent city" protesting against corruption. The tent city was set up in October by supporters of Mikheil Saakashvili, a former president of Georgia who has become an opposition politician in Ukraine. Saakashvili, a critic of corruption in Ukraine, was deported to Poland in February. He said he was "kidnapped" by Ukrainian authorities and removed from the country against his will. Andriy Kryshchneko, police chief of police, said at the camp on Saturday that "two court decisions" allowed authorities to search and dismantle the camp. Police said that explosives and other weapons were found at the scene
Post a Comment
Read more

PayPal wants report from Sri Lanka: Sampath, three other banks to introduce service

Though the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) was first to introduce PayPal to Sri Lanka through the Sampath Bank, it is revealed that three other banks too have been now earmarked by the CBSL. A senior official from the CBSL told AdaderanaBiz, “We were to first introduce PayPal through the Sampath Bank. However, we now plan to introduce this service to the country through four banks. We also plan to gradually involve the rest of the banks in the country.” While the CBSL is discussing with the PayPal branch in India to introduce the service to Sri Lanka, PayPal’s Indian arm has reportedly requested a report on Sri Lanka’s exports. The senior CBSL official told AdaderanaBiz that they would be submitting such a report and hence the introduction of PayPal to Sri Lanka would face a slight delay. Though cash cannot be remitted to Sri Lanka through the world renowned PayPal money transfer service sending money from Sri Lanka is possible even now.
Post a Comment
Read more

ASSIGNING OF PREFERENTIAL NUMBERS FOR LG POLLS COMPLETED

The Election Secretariat announced that assigning preferential numbers for candidates of the Local Government election to be held for 67 bodies has been completed. Preparations are currently underway to hold the polls under the 2010 electoral register, Additional Elections Commissioner W.P. Sumanasiri said. The electoral register of the year 2010 is scheduled to be certified on June 31.
Post a Comment
Read more