SLFP tables devolution proposals
Nation's sovereignty main concern, says President :
by Jayampathy Jayasinghe
Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) will, on Wednesday, submit their
proposals to find a political solution to the problems faced by the
country, which in turn will be presented to Science and Technology
Minister Tissa Witharana, Chairman of the All Party Representative
Committee.
President Mahinda Rajapakse speaking at an assembly of clergy,
professionals, state officials and artistes yesterday at the
Presidential Secretariat said while tackling terrorism, there has to be
a political solution as well to solve the present problem.
He said, he was elected as President of Sri Lanka to protect the
sovereignty of the motherland and its people and will work towards
achieving that goal with responsibility.
He was responding to allegations made against the government and the
security forces by various politicians and political parties.
He said the government did not launch any pre-emptive attacks on the
LTTE until the LTTE launched attacks on the security forces in December
2005 and then by trying to assassinate the Army Commander on April 26.
Every one knows that the government was trying to find a peaceful
solution to the present problem with the LTTE and it is no secret.
We were in the process of laying the groundwork for a political
solution. There were, even instances, when we had to face the
embarrassment when the LTTE declined to meet our delegation in Norway
for a discussion.
President said, soon after the then government signed the cease-fire
agreement with the LTTE, Prabhakaran summoned his top leaders including
Karuna to Wanni two months later, and told them to prepare for the war.
Prabhakaran told them that Eelam could be won only by war and to acquire
weapons and undergo training for this purpose. We are in possession of
those relevant cassettes.
He said there is a conspiracy hatched by the LTTE to demoralise the
Armed Forces with the help of international agencies. Their idea was to
pressurise international along with the internal forces to sabotage the
development work of the government.
Referring to the recent abduction and killing of persons at
Muthurajawela, he asked whether the Armed forces would ever commit such
acts when members of the international Human Rights Commission are due
in the country on March 12. Will any one believe such a story? Who are
the people spreading such stories and what are their motives? Can the
police proceed to Kilinochchi to investigate into these cases? he
queried.
The stories have been spread by the LTTE with the support of certain
bankrupt and retired politicians and by forces who like to see the
downfall of the government. I will not allow a division of our
motherland at any stage, he said.
President said he does not believe in deducting monies from wages of
employees to boost the defence budget and also allow a stoppage of
development work purely because of an internal conflict.
While strengthening the country's defences there has to be
development in the country as well. Through the Gama Naguma program
there will be development throughout the country.
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapakse said the three Service
Commanders appraised President Mahinda Rajapakse about the cease fire
agreement immediately after he was elected to office.
They briefed him that the LTTE had strengthened their position during
that period and was a real threat to the security forces who numbered
50,000 to 60,000 personnel who were stationed in Jaffna peninsula.
They pointed out that the LTTE was not genuinely interested in the
peace accord but instead concerned about strengthening their army.
[email protected]
|
