Nation must express gratitude to Security Forces: Weerawansa

Chandima Edirimanne

COLOMBO: The whole nation should thank and express its gratitude to the valiant Security Forces engaged in the operation against the LTTE to re-open the Mavilaru, said JVP Parliamentary Group leader and Patriotic National Movement (PNM) General Secretary Wimal Weerawansa at a press conference at the National Library Services and Documentation Board Auditorium Colombo yesterday.

The Security Forces by their action had proved that they are ready to face any situation to safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country.

The press conference was held to explain the current situation faced by the country.

Weerawansa said he would personally lend all his support and cooperation to the President and the Government because they had taken the correct stand against LTTE activities.

Weerawansa said the LTTE terrorists had many ulterior motives up their sleeve in gaining control of the Mavilaru anicut.

The Government without giving into its ploys had taken the correction division by launching an operation to regain control of the anicut.

The people should support the Security Forces at this juncture by coming forward to boost their morale, he said. Weerawansa said some European gentlemen who shed crocodile tears over a recent incident in Pesalai recently, had remained dead silent when LTTE terrorists shut the Mavilaru sluice gate denying a drop of water to innocent civilians.

The LTTE had suffered an ignominious defeat at the hands of Security Forces during the Mavilaru incident, he said.

Weerawansa alleged that a certain section of the UNP was gaining momentary pleasure whenever the LTTE launched attacks against the Security Forces while another section directly supported the LTTE.

UNP Parliamentarian Prof. G.L. Peiris had warned that the country would face a catastrophe if the peace process was not re-activated. But Prof. Peiris did not know that both the peace process and the ceasefire agreement were in shambles, he said

Weerawansa said the people gave a mandate to President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Presidential election last year to abrogate the ceasefire agreement rather than to strengthen it.

Referring to a statement issued from Norway by Norwegian Minister Eric Solheim regarding the Mavilaru issue Weerawansa said Solheim had tried to pass judgement by overriding the powers of 'facilitator'.

PNM President Gunadasa Amarasekara said the whole nation should stand by the Government and strengthen its hands at this critical juncture.