Sri Lankan Prime Minister says opposition parties exaggerating incidents in Jaffna

Sri Lankan Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne has told parliament today that the main opposition United National Party (UNP) and the TNA has exaggerated incidents that have taken place in Jaffna.

Speaking during an adjournment debate on the security situation in Jaffna in parliament today, Jayaratne has said that only 16 incidents of violence have been reported between November last year and this month.

He has also compared the security situation in Jaffna to an elephant's hair and said the government is in the process of uprooting that hair.

According to the Premier, the government was taking measures to address the situation in Jaffna.

"Such incidents are common in any society. We have arrested 3,000 persons who have engaged in acts of violence in recent months," the Premier has said.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe has however charged that the government has done little to address the breakdown of law and order in Jaffna.

Civil society leaders say there is a rising crime wave and residents are gripped with fear.

Last month the city has reportedly witnessed four assassinations, two disappearances, and several abductions.

Law enforcement authorities have failed to apprehend any suspects so far and residents say former LTTE members are responsible for the increased crime rate.