Concerns raised over registration of Tamil households by Police

December 12, 2023 at 10:01 AM

Tamil Progressive Alliance (TPA) Leader MP Mano Ganesan has raised concerns in Parliament over the registration of Tamil households in certain areas by the Police.

Addressing the Parliament on Monday (Dec 11), the MP questioned why only Tamil households in the Kirulapone, Wellawatte, Dehiwala, Bambalapitiya, Narahenpita, Kotahena, Mattakkuliya, and Modera Police jurisdictions were being registered.

“Police officers are visiting door to door and collecting private details such as gender, religion, date of birth, and telephone numbers. Why is this only restricted to Tamil households? Is this a Police state in the making by Public Security Minister Tiran Alles, President Ranil Wickremesinghe, or Acting IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon,” he questioned.

MP Mano Ganesan further pointed out that the forms presented by the Police officers are only in Sinhala, despite Tamil also being recognised as a national language.

Stating that there was no war or terrorism in the country, MP Mano Ganesan requested the Public Security Minister to halt such actions as the people of the said areas are living in fear.

Responding to the MP’s questions, Minister of Public Security Tiran Alles said that the registration of persons was a standard procedure carried out by the Police.

He further clarified that the registration does not target only Tamil households and that the Police register members of all communities in the said area.

The Minister revealed that the registration of details is being conducted to ensure the whereabouts of any person who is wanted over a crime in his residential area but is hiding in Colombo or another area.  

Minister Tiran Alles added that the process cannot be suspended as it is a matter of national security. (NewsWire)