Democracy will win at Northern polls - Minister Dilan Perera

by Uditha KUMARASINGHE

Foreign Employment and Welfare Minister Dilan Perera said the sole intention of the Government is to see that democracy wins in the North at the July 23 Local Government elections.

"The UPFA election campaign is progressing well in the North. The theme of the UPFA campaign in the north is a "clean, free and fair election".

Instead of just campaigning for the UPFA's victory, the Government has also committed itself to encourage more and more people in the North to go to the polling stations to cast their vote as they have been given the opportunity to elect their representatives after a long time," the Minister told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

The Minister said some Tamil politicians like former TNA MP Sivajilingam wants to create problems in the North and is attempting to win the election on a sympathy vote. However,the people in the North are well aware that it is this Government who looks after them and commenced a mega development plan for their areas.

After defeating the LTTE, the Government took another step to reconstruct schools, hospitals, roads and other infrastructure facilities destroyed by the terrorists, he noted.

The people know it was this Government which ensured the right of the children in the North to go back to schools and continue their studies.

Earlier instead of carrying school bags on their shoulders, the children were forced by the LTTE to go to battle front carrying AK 47 or T56 weapons on their shoulders, he said. The right to education is an universal right and it has been ensured now due to moves taken by the Government to defeat LTTE terrorism.

The people in the North have fully realised these moves taken by the Government on behalf of them.

Therefore, attempts made by certain elements to disrupt the election campaign or create a negative impact on the voters will not bring any positive results this time, he said.

The Minister said the Government appeals to the people in the North to go to the polling stations and exercise their vote because that is going to be a victory for democracy. The people in the North should be able to cast their vote freely.

"Democracy is going to be the winner of July 23 Local Government elections in the North. The intention of the Government is also to see that democracy wins in the North," the Minister said.

The UNP's campaign is far behind in the North. The competition is between the UPFA and the TNA. I am confident the UPFA would be able to much better than the previous Local Government elections held in the North, the Minister said.