Guns cannot be allowed to solve problems - President
President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Friday asserted that the government
would resolve any crisis through negotiations but would not allow anyone
to use guns to solve problems.
He told the All Party Conference that his government was forced to
take action against the LTTE as the Tigers deprived 15,000 families of
the basic right to water by forcibly closing the Mavilaru anicut.
Stating that the LTTE has violated the Geneva Convention by depriving
citizens of their basic human rights,the President noted that it was the
responsibility of the state to safeguard the basic needs of the
people."The security forces and the Police were deployed for that
duty",the President stressed.
President Rajapaksa explained that he was compelled to take military
action to ensure that the people got the water as several rounds of
discussions to resolve the issue failed."We are for peace and
resolutions through negotiations",he said.
Referring to the LTTE attacks in military camps in Trincomalee, the
President said the 'operations' were only meant to restore the water
supply in Mavilaru but, the LTTE struck in many parts of that district
forcing the troops to counter such unwanted attacks.
The President said the welfare of those affected in those areas were
being attended to,with a ministerial team already dispatched to the
troubled area. |