Minister Sirisena complains of vicious media campaign against him
Nadira Gunatilleke
A well planned media campaign is underway in Sri Lanka parallel to
the ‘Geneva war’ to weaken and destroy the United People’s Freedom
Alliance (UPFA) government led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The local
media is using the ‘Pasikuda incident’ as the main tool in this
campaign, Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) General Secretary and Health
Minister Maithripala Sirisena said.
Addressing a press briefing at his official residence yesterday,
Minister Sirisena said he can guess who is behind the media campaign
against him, the UPFA Government and the President and their intention.
“All of us need to protect and strengthen President Rajapaksa, the
UPFA government and the country. All who love President Rajapaksa should
rally round him at this moment.
Weakening the General Secretary of his political party will not do
any good at this moment,” he said.
The minister said what the media was doing now was trying to break or
remove the main beam of the UPFA to destroy the entire house (UPFA). “We
cannot forget the historic achievement of President Rajapaksa and the
historic role played by Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to save
the motherland by ending the 30 year war. I will continue to safeguard
and strengthen President Rajapaksa, the SLFP and the country no matter
what happens to my life,” he said. Minister Sirisena said it is also
possible for certain elements to promote this media campaign.
“The new Senaka Bibile National Drug policy which was destroyed and
disappeared, will be introduced soon to protect poor patients from
multinational drug barons. An entirely new tender procedure will be
introduced to the Health Ministry from next month to rid of corruption
and malpractices,” he said.
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