The government said yesterday that it was false to say that the IDPs were being kept against their wishes at northern refugee camps for the purpose of obtaining more votes at national elections, which are said to be held early next year.

Media Minister Anura Priyadahrshana Yapa, addressing the Cabinet press briefing in Colombo, said that UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and SLFP (M) leader Mangala Samaraweera, were making baseless allegations that the IDPs could be coerced into voting for the government.

"I do not know why Mr. Wickremesinghe and Mr. Samaraweera are telling lies. How can we prevent the IDPs from casting their votes for the candidate or a party of their choice? They would walk into the polling booths alone and will have all the right to mark their preferences."

The ruling UPFA, he claimed will win any election that was held and would not resort to dirty tactics such a preventing the IDPs from going home, purely to obtain their votes.

The IDP’s, were being resettled in batches and that would take time, because clearing land mines was not an easy task, Yapa said. "We do not intend keeping them in camps forever. Mines have been recovered from the Yodawawe as well and eliminating such obstacles is a tedious process."

He said that LTTE cadres have been identified and they are being rehabilitated, just like it was done after the JVP insurrection ended. Some of them had became journalists or academics, while others have entered various other professions including business.