No political prisoners in Sri Lanka : Sabry

COLOMBO (News1st): Justice minister Ali Sabry has said that there are no political prisoners in the country. "There are no political prisoners in this country detained anywhere but there are people whose cases are pending charge under the Prevention of Terrorism Act," he told Parliament. The minister made these remarks in response to queries raised by opposition MP Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran on the pledges made by the government, before coming into power, to release political prisoners. Rajaputhiran pointed out that Tamils and Muslims are not the threat to the government. `Why don't we set-up (military) camps in Colombo and Hambantota. Tamils and Muslims in this country are not the threat to this government," Rajaputhiran noted. He observed that foreign entities are going to be a threat to the government in future. "We are giving out plots of lands to different countries in the South and in Colombo. Why don't we set-up security forces camps around those ports and districts as well?" Rajaputhiran queried.