Friday, 30 January 2015 00:57
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(AP) COLOMBO: A Sri Lankan minister says the country’s new government plans to give back military-held private land in the country’s war-ravaged north and release detainees in apparent moves at post-civil war reconciliation with ethnic minority Tamils.
Cabinet Spokesman Rajitha Senaratne told reporters late Wednesday that his government will ease its military presence, because unlike the previous administration that was defeated in the Jan. 8 presidential election, it does not believe military action alone can prevent a resurgence of terrorism.
He says the government will initiate a local inquiry into war crime allegations against government troops and Tamil Tiger rebels.
Government forces ended a long civil war by crushing the Tamil Tigers in 2009, but ever since the Tamils have complained they have been further isolated because of government policies.
