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| Thursday, 18 March 2004 |
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| Future Freedom Alliance Government assures rights of all, says Mahinda from Ranil Wijayapala in Polonnaruwa Former Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapakse said a future Alliance Government would assure the rights of all, Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims as it can assure lasting peace in the country after discussions with the LTTE and all other parties to the North-East problem. Addressing a Freedom Alliance rally in Polonnaruwa on Tuesday, Rajapakse said the future Alliance Government will be a powerful one as it can obtain a bigger mandate at the forthcoming general election combined with the executive powers. "The LTTE has already expressed its willingness to have discussions with such a powerful government in the South to take forward the peace process. So there is no fear about a war under the Freedom Alliance Government," he said. "We have the leadership of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga to take forward the peace process. We all have to rally round under her leadership to take forward the country," he said. Thousands of Freedom Alliance supporters turned up at the Polonnaruwa district meeting. Wasantha Senanayake, a great grandson of the first Prime Minister of Sri Lanka and the founder of the UNP, D. S. Senanayake also participated the Freedom Alliance meeting in Polonnaruwa held under the leadership of Sri Lanka Freedom Party General Secretary Maithripala Sirisena. Rajapakse said unlike the UNF Government, the Freedom Alliance will not endanger the country's national security while continuing with the peace process. "We will improve security in the country while continuing the peace process," he said. Rajapakse said the North-East problem will be resolved after discussions with all partners to the problem. He said the country was put to a dangerous situation under the UNF Government as they made plans to lease out the country to foreigners. "All lands in Galle Fort has already been sold to foreigners," he said. "The prime aim of the Freedom Alliance is to protect this country for our future generation," Rajapakse added. Sirisena said all forces in the Polonnaruwa district were gathering round the Freedom Alliance as they were dissapointed with the UNF Government policies. He said people in Polonnaruwa had realised about their future under a UNF government. "Farmers in Polonnaruwa have been deprived of the fertiliser subsidy under the UNF Government," he said. The UNF Government also put a heavy burden on farmers after re-imposing taxes on the purchase of tractors, water pumps and other agricultural equipment which were earlier exempted from taxes. He said he had never seen a situation where the UNP has been put to a such a miserable state under any leadership. They have already accepted their defeat at the forthcoming election saying that they can form a government with the support of the Tamil National Alliance. "We are sure all other factions of the Tamil National Alliance will support the Freedom Alliance after the election. Forming a Government for the UNF will be a dream," he said. He said the Alliance has clear programs to develop the country and also separate plans for each district. Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna General Secretary Tilvin Silva said the Alliance has made plans to provide jobs for the unemployed youth and also to open six new universities after coming to power at the April 2 election. "We made all these plans after having extensive discussions for more than eight months. We laboured much on our plans and are committed to implement these programs soon after coming to power," he said. He said the UNF was questioning as to how the Alliance took funds for these development plans. "We have our ways to find funds. We can recover billions of money from UNP business tycoons evading the payment of debts to State banks," Silva added. He said the Alliance is committed to take the maximum use from national resources rather than depending on imported goods. "We have plans to use national resources to develop this country without selling those assets to foreigners", he said. Silva said the UNF gave a deaf ear to the grievances. They didn't hear the painful cries of the unemployed graduates who were fasting unto death demanding jobs, the cries of farmers who were fasting unto death demanding fertiliser subsidy. "So people didn't have a Government to look after them. That was why people demanded this election to form a government which can look after them," he said. |
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