REFUGEE

The Sri Lankan government has sought legal advise over a move to provide lifetime security for the defense hierarchy who was responsible for defeating Tamil Tiger rebels.

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka told parliament on Friday that the Attorney General will report to the government on providing security to the defense secretary and the three forces commanders.

Wickramanayaka said such a move would be at variance with the island's constitution and therefore the government needs to seek legal opinion on the matter.

The leftist party JVP or the People's Liberation Front moved for lifetime protection for the defense hierarchy in recognition of their successful military campaign in crushing the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

The LTTE had been fighting for more than two decades to carve out an independent Tamil homeland in the north and east before it was crushed by the troops in May.