International Community impressed by Incident free poll - FM

Rafik JALALDEEN

Minister of Foreign Affairs Rohita Bogollagama said yesterday that the International community had acknowledged and commended the holding of a free and fair election in Batticaloa

He said the International community was prepared to extend its support to develop and resettle Internally Displaced People (IDP’s) in the Eastern Province following the holding of a successful election in the Batticaloa district.

“The Neganehira Navodaya (Reawakening of the East) programme has been implemented with assistance from the International community, the UN agencies as well as international and local NGOs. The cost was borne for the Negenahira Navodaya programme with local and foreign funding.

The Government of Sri Lanka is thankful to the International community for having been a partner in the process of restoring normalcy in the East. We also hope that the International community will continue it’s support in this process recognising the significant changes taking place in the East”, Minister Bogollagama added.

Minister Bogollagama said, terminating the CFA would not hamper a political solution to the country’s two decades of bloodshed.

“The abrogation of the CFA does not in anyway hamper the process of moving towards a negotiated political settlement. The Government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa while dealing military to eliminate the scourge of terrorism will spare no efforts in a bid to arrive at a practical and sustainable political solution”, he added.

He said implementing the 13th Amendment was a first step in a continuing process for greater devolution of power with the objective of achieving a final and durable political solution stressing the importance of holding elections if terrorism is to be defeated.

He pointed out that the Eastern election implied a transition of the TMVP into the democratic mainstream and amounts to an acceleration towards a political solution.

“The completion of the Batticaloa LG election signifies an important milestone in the Government’s policy of restoring democratic rights to the people in areas that were previously dominated by the LTTE, the transition of the TMVP into the democratic political mainstream and the successful conclusion of this election augurs well for the planned Provincial Council election that will follow this May in the entire Eastern Province as recommended by the APRC”, he said.

Minister Bogollagama reiterated that the Government will undertake vast development programmes in the Eastern Province in order to provide opportunities to the people and ensure they share the benefits enjoyed people in the rest of the country.Guaranteeing their human rights and improving security will also be top of the agenda.

“Since eviction of the LTTE from the Eastern Province, the Government has embarked on the Negenahira Navodaya Programme and restored civil administration, resettled IDP’s, provided infrastructure development and encouraged private sector participation and promotion of industries in this region.

It also made arrangements to improve the law and order situation in the Eastern province by establishing a new police station and recruiting 2,000 Tamil speaking police personnel. 175 Tamil police personnel including 50 Women Police Constables have already been enroled”, he added.

Responding to a question raised by a journalist on why the UNP and TNA did not contest the Batticaloa LG elections and when the Eastern Province poll will be held, Minister Bogollogama said the UNP had lost the trust of the people in the Batticaloa district. To contest in an election the party should have the support of the people and the UNP had realised that they have no support.

The TNA was a voice behind the LTTE or under the LTTE .Since the LTTE was defeated in the East, they also lost their support. Therefore, they have not contested the election.

The Eastern LG polls in the Trincomalee and Ampara districts will be held in May as scheduled and nominations will be called by the end of March and the election process will be continued.