Eastern Tamils have spoken - Minister

Nadira Gunatilleke

COLOMBO: The Tamil community in the Eastern Province have clearly given their verdict through the results of the Batticaloa local government elections and expressed in no uncertain terms that they reject terrorism and welcome democracy and development, Information and Media Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said.

Addressing a special press briefing at the Government Information Department Auditorium yesterday, Minister Yapa said the Government was proceeding towards three parallel drives- they are eradicating terrorism, democracy and development.

"The people of the East have clearly given their mandate approving this approach. They have showed the world that they want to defeat separatism and live in one country. This is certifying President Mahinda Rajapaksa's aim of establishing a developed country with democracy and dignity," the Minister said.

He said from the beginning, the United National Party (UNP) tried to create a bleak picture of the Eastern Province elections through the local and foreign media.

"The UNP said the situation in the East is not suitable for an election and that there were armed groups. But the people in the East have voted after 14 years and have clearly given their mandate completely destroying the picture created by the UNP," the Minister said. He said the UNP made statements from Colombo without going to the East and deprived their supporters from using their democratic right of voting.

"The UNP does not want to see a stable country where the people's democratic rights are secured. But the people in the East rejected their objective by recording 60 per cent of total polled. We salute the people of the East who, voted and exercised their democratic right," the Minister said.

"The Government wants to rescue the people in the East from terrorism and let them elect their own representatives. This has now been done. The Government has commenced a giant development drive in the East under `Eastern Resurgence'. Schools, roads, bridges, hospitals and all the other facilities will be provided under this programme," the Minister added.

Minister Yapa pointed out that it is unacceptable if the media communicates to gain personal goals.

"Using the media to achieve personal objectives is not acceptable. The Government is not acting according to the requirements of the LTTE or any other force. It acts according to the public will," he said.