Govt. will liberate people living in Tiger grip

by Shanika Sriyananda

Despite damages incurred due to LTTE attack at the Air Force Base Anuradhapura, the government reiterated its determination to free the people living in Wanni under the grip of the LTTE terrorists.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa told the 'Sunday Observer' that the planned humanitarian operations to liberate people from LTTE terrorists would continue to crush terrorism. He said that the incident would not anyway disrupt the on-going military operations in the North.

The Defence Secretary appealed to political parties to act in a responsible manner without trying to gain political advantages. Rajapaksa said that no one should under-estimate or criticise the military at this juncture.

"Our efforts to weaken the LTTE will continue", he said.

Meanwhile, Defence Spokesman Keheliya Rambukwella in an interview with the 'Sunday Observer' said that the President was mandated by the North. He said that most of the criticisms were based on running down the military which achieved victories during the last 18-months.

"It is unfair to put a general cover to all the military achievement or take political advantage out of the this attack", he said.

Minister Rambukwella said that the government would not turn back from the mission to liberate the North.