COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - Facing a groundswell of criticism, Sri Lankan authorities have released most of the minority Tamils detained in recent days in a security crackdown following two deadly bombings, a Cabinet minister said Tuesday.Ethnic Tamil politicians and human rights groups have accused government forces in Colombo and its suburbs of indiscriminately arresting more than 2,000 Tamil civilians after last WednesdayÂ’s attacks, which killed 20 people and were blamed on the Tamil Tiger rebels.
After meeting Monday with the relatives of some of those detained, President Mahinda Rajapaksa ordered police to release all those being held who were not charged with a crime, according to the presidentÂ’s office. The government released all but 202 of the 2,554 people detained in the security sweep by Tuesday afternoon, according to Cabinet minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle.
About half those remaining in custody would be released once they showed identification, while the other half were suspected of involvement in terror activities, he said. This is not an action taken against a minority. This is about security and the government safeguarding people in the town,Â’ Fernandopulle said.