Govt. ready for negotiations to resolve ethnic conflict - Power and Energy Minister

M.M. Abeysinghe, Kuliyapitiya group corr.

PANNALA: Our stance on the existing ethnic conflict is not the war but the negotiations, yet if we are attacked we also launch counter attacks.

That is not a war. We are for a negotiated solution for the issue that would satisfy all communities. 'The LTTE is not the sole representative of the Tamil community. They are only a terrorist group, Minister of Power and Energy" W.D.J. Seneviratna said at a SLFP political seminar held at Pannala organised by Katugampola SLFP central organisation.

The Minister Seneviratna said SLFP is a people's friendly party. From the very inception of the Party, it paid attention to protect and conserve national heritage, and also on the plight of the common masses.

As a result it was able to come to power within five years of the inception.

It was the SLFP that launched the industrial revolution and agricultural renascence in the country with the view of promoting national production.

Prior to 1977 almost all the necessities in the country were produced here. That victory was reversed after the introduction of open market economic policy by UNP in 1977.

It is true that the cost of living is rising since we failed to reduce the prices of commodity items.

The price of fuel is rising due to the reasons beyond our control. The unemployment problem could not be solved outright, necessary infrastrctural facilities could not be provided to all the areas.

However the people keep faith on us as they see the pledges stated in Mahinda Chinthanaya are implemented one after the other.

Within another two three years, before the end of our period almost all the problems would be solved, he said.

The honour of resolving the ethnic complic defeating the terrorist will be shared among all parties that sit at the APC since that solution would be a collective effort of the all parties, the Minister said.

Wayamba Chief Minister Athula Wijesinghe said, the Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremasinghe had quarried whether water or lives of the people were more valuable.

It is pity that he is ignorant that the people would die if there's no water.

Water is a fundamental human right. No civilised people would deprive the people of water supply under any circumstances.

LTTE is uncivilised and barbaric that they locked the sluice of Mavil Aru tank depriving water for thousands of people.

As a responsible government under the leadership of a great human right activist we do not like to see the people suffer for want of water.

The LTTE attacked the Irrigation Engineers who went open the sluice.

So the Government had to launch an operation for providing the people with water.

Had the LTTE not locked the sluice of Mavil Aru tank, there would be no military operations. As the terrorists were attacked killing a large number of them, the UNP and the NGOs that auction the peace cry with pain demanding to stop war.

The Government makes only counter attacks do these peace auctioneers want the Government to keep silent when LTTE attack security forces and civilians, he quarried?

The Director Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation Sarath Kongahage said we all are aware that LTTE is our enemy.

Those who support to defeat the terrorism are the fees of the enemy.

Those who say "peace at any cost" are the friends of the LTTE. They would betray anything to LTTE under the protect of achieving so called "Peace".

It is wrong to say peace at any cost, it should be victory at any cost. The solution of the Mavil Aru conflict is a classic example.

If considered "peace at any cost" we would be silent letting the LTTE to commit any wrong. But the Government launched an operation and defeated the LTTE. It came to an end with Victory, he said.

The Minister of Media and Information Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said that the SLFP was a political party that launched struggles against the social injustice.

In the last 55 years during our periods of reign we did everything possible to eliminating injustice and for the betterment of the common masses.

We perform our duties and responsibilities to fulfil the aspirations of the people.

As a result the even the UNPers are joining us today.

The Chairman Pannala pradesheeya Sabha Ranjith Lansakara and Former Wayamba PC Member Ranjith Wijesiri also spoke.