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The Sri Lankan government has urged its security forces to remain vigilant of groups both within and outside the country who may attempt to destabilize the peace following 30 years of war. Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa was quoted by the Defence Ministry on Sunday as saying that that even though the 30-year- long war has ended, it is the primary duty of all military personnel to ensure continued security and stability of the country. He said that although the military will not be engaging in offensive operations, it is essential that the duties they perform in a passive role will prevent the regrouping of the terrorists and prevent the emergence of new threats. The Sri Lankan military defeated the Tamil Tiger rebels three years ago after 30 years of fighting which saw thousands being killed including civilians. "We know that there are remnants of the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) still operating outside Sri Lanka , and there are others even within Sri Lanka who may try to destabilize the peace. It is very important that we remain vigilant about such threats. We must ensure that peace and stability continues, enabling us to build a better future for all Sri Lankans," Rajapaksa said while addressing new recruits to the air force. Rajapaksa, brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, said that since the end of the war the government has done a great deal of work to bring back peace and stability to Sri Lanka . He noted that the difficult task of demining the war battered north of the country has almost been completed and by the end of July, nearly 300,000 war displaced people who were in temporary camps have been resettled. Tamil Tiger supporters living overseas are pushing the international community to probe allegations of human rights abuses committed by the military during and after the war. The Sri Lankan government has however denied the allegations.

Sri Lanka tells its troops to remain on alert