Military operations liberated civilians suppressed by LTTE - President

DINESH WEERAWANSA in Japan

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said Sri Lanka is the only country in the world that provides food, medicine and other essential items to areas where a terrorist organisation subjugates the people.

Addressing Sri Lankan businessmen and expatriates in Japan, President Rajapaksa explained the role played by Sri Lanka to achieve an honourable peace through negotiations.

Tell me any other Government which does more than we do when dealing with a terrorist organisation? The LTTE is the most ruthless terrorist organisation in the world and they are responsible for killing thousands of innocent civilians.

Yet, in our genuine attempt to achieve peace and care for human beings, we go that extra mile with the Tigers, the President explained. We are the only Government in the world that feeds a terrorist organisation. We provide them with food, medicine, housing and other essential needs. We do that to on a humanitarian aspect as we care for innocent civilians who live in the areas held by the LTTE, he said.

He explained the efforts made by the Government to bring the LTTE to negotiating table. The President said the recent military operations were carried out to liberate innocent civilians from the clutches of LTTE terror and also to put pressure on the Tigers to come to the negotiating table.