Lanka needs no lessons on non-violence - Health Minister

by Shanika Sriyananda

Launching the first ever national 'Report on Violence and Health, the Leader of the House and Minister of Health Nimal Siripala de Silva said that the Mahinda Rajapaksa government had tried its best to bring the LTTE terrorists into the peace process through dialogue but still they were into terrorism.

"Can we treat mentally ill terrorists such as LTTE Leader Velupillai Prabhakaran. I am not aware whether the most renowned psychiatrists can arrest their mental illness because their minds are beyond repair", he said adding that the only alternative left is to kill the LTTE terrorists to bring peace to the country.

He said that the government has not perpetrated any political violence but there were some quarters which engage in political violence. " The government is taking every possible step to ensure peace and stop political violence. We are moving forward and I am sure that there will be a day when people who advocate violence will be wiped out politically", he said.

Minister de Silva who has been appointed to the Eastern Provincial Council Operational Committee for the Digamadulla District said that people in the Eastern province were happy as democracy was restored.

He claimed that some Western countries which are the perpetrators of violence are now trying to teach Sri Lanka about the concept of non-violence without knowing the ground realities of the country which practised non-violence throughout history.

"The non violence concept was accepted by the Sri Lankan society and throughout history the country did not advocate violence. The Minister said these countries should first refer to their history before teaching us about non violence", he said.

Minister de Silva said that Sri Lanka's non-violence history which spans over 2,500 years was unfortunately destroyed by LTTE terrorism where terrorists and their suicide cadres have taken the country into ransom.

He also said that the government was entrusted to take all steps to protect children in the country and will soon bring legislation to prevent school children being used in politics. He said that university students have the right to engage in any political campaign but not school children.