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| Sri Lanka |
| Tamil census ordered in Colombo |
| 2008-09-22 |
| Sri Lanka's police have started registering thousands of people, nearly all ethnic Tamils, who have fled the war-torn north for the capital Colombo. All those who arrived in the city in the last five years were ordered to attend special registration centres. The government says the rebel Tamil Tigers are using the influx of people to infiltrate the city and plant bombs. The registration was ordered for people who had arrived in Colombo and surrounding towns from five northern districts. Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said those without what he called a valid reason to stay should leave the area. The registration centres were set up in schools and temples across the capital city and surrounding towns. The BBC's Roland Buerk in Colombo says the vast majority waiting in line are from the ethnic Tamil minority. He says the impromptu census began as government forces pressed ahead with an offensive to crush the Tiger rebels in the north, and end their fight for a separate state for the Tamils. He adds that Tamils have complained of harassment, frequent searches and arbitrary detentions amid heavy security. The police said they were updating information in order to help those who had arrived in the city. |
| Posted by:Steve White |