Children blossom in terror-free country - PM
Nadira GUNATILLEKE
Freedom is not doing everything or whatever you want. It is living
while protecting society, social ethics, culture and the country, Prime
Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka said.
Addressing the National ceremony held at Ananda College, Colombo to
mark World Children�s Day, the Prime Minister said the Government is
carrying the country towards that goal and called on everyone to support
the Government. He said Prabhakaran gave guns to children instead of
pens and gave cyanide capsules instead of Panchayuda.
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Prime Minister Wickramanayaka |
He brainwashed children and filled their minds with hatred and
dangerous concepts. But today all those things have turned upside down.
�The Government has already changed all such ill feelings.
At that time both children and adults did not have their rights. But
it is not so now.
This is why all talk about a new Sri Lanka today,� the Premier said.
The Prime Minister said people have to distance themselves from certain
Western concepts which promote children�s homes and elders� homes.
� Traditional Sri Lankan culture takes care of both children and
elders. There was no need for `homes�. But in foreign countries children
walk away from their homes when they turn to eighteen. Their parents say
that children do not obey parents. That is why they need `homes�. But it
is not so in Sri Lanka,� he said. According to the Premier, in the West,
parents have to go to prison for punishing their children.
They have no way of disciplining their children because of certain
laws. Gradually such Western trends are coming into Sri Lanka. But
according to Sri Lankan culture children live with their parents and we
have to respect and protect our culture which always cared for elders
and children.
Child Development and Women�s Empowerment Minister Sumedha G.
Jayasena said certain persons and organisations shed crocodile tears on
behalf of IDP children and say that they face difficulties but none of
them uttered a word when the LTTE was recruiting child soldiers.
There are 90,300 children living in IDP camps without any fear
because Prabhakaran is no more to recruit them as child soldiers.
There are 1,064 orphaned children and 204 children had already been
sent to their parents/relations.
Another 383 children have been sent to children�s homes,� she said.
Minister Jayasena said that her Ministry and all the departments
attached to the Ministry carry out a significant services for IDP
children. The NCPA spent Rs.1.7 million to ensure the welfare of IDP
children. Food, medicine, clothing, medical care, educational materials
and everything have already been provided adequately for all IDP
children. Today Sri Lankan children can freely celebrate the Children�s
Day because President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya
Rajapaksa and armed forces rescued the country from terrorists. Child
Development and Women�s Empowerment Ministry Secretary A.Dissanayake,
NCPA Chairman Jagath Wellawatta, Probation and Child Care Services
Commissioner Sarath Abeygunawardena were present. Awards were presented
to winners of competitions organised to mark the day. |
