EPDP has tremendous confidence in President:

UPFA will address minorities’ grievances - Douglas Devananda

by Ananth Palakidnar

Minister of Social Services and Eelam People’s Democratic Party (EPDP) leader Douglas Devananda described President Mahinda Rajapaksa as the best politician to solve the minority issues which had been dragged on by the previous leaders of the country.

He was addressing a United People’s Freedom Alliance rally in Jaffna on Friday.

Devananda told the gathering that the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) would not deliver anything constructive to the Tamils as they were still holding on to their meaningless political thinking.

“We have tremendous confidence in President Rajapaksa that he would settle the minority issues the way he brought an end to LTTE terrorism which lasted for three decades. In his first term in office President Rajapaksa had succeeded in wiping out terrorism. He used all his resources to wipe out the Tigers and achieved peace which was a mirage, he said.

The Minister said with the return of peace in the Eastern Province the Provincial Council was set up and development activities had been expedited. Likewise, a Provincial Council would also be set up in the North to streamline the overall development of the region.

“Within one year since LTTE terrorism ended remarkable developments have taken place in the North. People are happy, Internally Displaced Persons are being resettled and commercial activities between the North and the South have also been strengthened significantly.

“Therefore, by making the UPFA to win the forthcoming parliamentary polls more progress could be achieved in the path of development in the North.”

“The Tamil National Alliance has no vision towards settling the Tamil issue or developing the North and the East. Hence, the UPFA should be elected to address the grievances of the minorities,” Devananda said.