In Parliament: Adjournment :

Govt will continue military thrust - PM

Uditha Kumarasinghe, Irangika Range and Sandasen Marasinghe

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake told Parliament yesterday that the Government would continue the military offensives to eliminate terrorism.

Responding to the adjournment motion moved by TNA MP M.K. Sivajilingam regarding the Air Force attacks in the North and East, Prime Minister said that the Government will launch the air attacks further to liberate the country from the clutches of the LTTE.

"We attack only identified targets after following a comprehensive study and search by the military before the attacks. We never attack civilian areas. We attack only LTTE targets."

The Premier said that the LTTE leader Prabhakaran is a number one killer involved in a number of barbaric killings, abductions and other illegal activities.

Prabhakaran is totally bankrupt and destitute now. We cannot allow Prabhakaran to engage in these activities further. This is a time that we have been achieving tremendous war victories and we are not attempting to suspend the on going war process, he added.

"The Government has already liberated the East and the next target is the liberation of the North. Though the LTTE was engaged in barbaric activities in the North and East, the President invited them for peace negotiations with the objective of finding a solution to the national problem. But the LTTE continuously violated the confidence by attacking to the Mavilaru."

M.K. Sivagilingam (TNA)

Hundreds of innocent Tamil people are being killed by Air Force bombings. These attacks should be stopped. The controversial parts of my motion has been expunged. But the decision given by the speaker on my motion indicates the democracy is still there.

JVP MP Wimal Weerawansa said the CFA should be abolished. On behalf of the TNA, today we also conveyed our condolence to those killed by the Nugegoda bomb blast. What ever happens, the Government always puts the blame on the LTTE. There is a defacto government run by the LTTE. Voice of Tigers radio station has been attacked. The Government has closed the entry point to LTTE areas. If there are no LTTE controlled areas, why does the Government close the entry point?

Vinonotharathalingam (TNA)

TNA is of the view that no civilian should be killed. We do not get an opportunity to raise our voice on behalf of our people. You cannot supress fellings of Tamil by conducting such arial bombardments. More than 25,000 people have been displaced due to shelling.