[Not a single Tamil was given a dual citizenship!]
Although a suspension of the dual citizenship draft was in place in Sri Lanka, 1,300 persons had received dual citizen status and not one of them was a Tamil, TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran told parliament. He was speaking at Tuesday’s (28 Oct.) budget debate. blaming the government for travel restriction to North he said that zthe Lankans who migrated to other countries during the war have become citizens of those countries. When they come back to Sri Lanka and want to travel to their homes in the North, they are forced to obtain special permits. Also, as they are refused dual citizenship and they cannot travel as Sri Lankans either. ‘ reports Ceylon Today.
MP M. A. Sumanthiran compared the newly implemented travel restrictions in the North to the era when the LTTE held sway in the province.
The recently imposed travel restriction to the North can be compared to those that were in place during the war, when the LTTE held military control over the north of the county, Sumanthiran said. “During the time of the LTTE, people had to obtain a ‘visa’ to travel to the North. Now, years after the end of the war, the same situation is being repeated. Why is the government treating the North as a separate country?” he asked.
Sumanthiran explained that the government was enforcing restrictions in the North to create an atmosphere of unrest in that region and fool the masses in the South into believing that a terrorist threat prevails, and that only President Mahinda Rajapaksa could defeat terrorism.
“They (government) are trying to show that only they can defeat terrorism. Therefore by implementing travel restrictions to the North, similar to the time when the LTTE rule was prevalent in the region, they are portraying an image of unrest in the North to the masses in the South, to convince them that only Rajapaksa can defeat terrorism. This is an election gimmick to garner votes,” he said.