Easterners set to vote against LTTE - Prime Minister

Uditha Kumarasinghe, Irangika Range and Sandasen Marasinghe

KOTTE: Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka yesterday told Parliament that all patriotic forces should rally round and extend their fullest cooperation to the Government to completely eradicate LTTE terrorism from the country.

The Premier opening the Emergency debate, said the Government was able to achieve so many victories due to the overwhelming support extended by the public towards defeating terrorism.
 

The Emergency was passed in Parliament yesterday and would be effective for a further period of one month.

"The intention of LTTE terrorists is to psychologically attack innocent civilians to cover up their severe setbacks. It is the responsibility of everyone to take measures to prevent such terrorist activities," he said.

He said at present the LTTE was on its last legs and was therefore using desperate tactics to disrupt civilian life.

"Our intelligence sources were able to avert various terrorist activities planned by the LTTE in several areas such as Galgamuwa and Bandaragama.

The Premier noted that the Government has engaged in a massive development drive in the Eastern Province.

"The Government is taking every possible measure to restore democracy in the East. Certain political parties which did not contest the local government election in the East have come forward to contest the May 10 Provincial Council election in the East," he said.

"Today people in the East are going to defeat LTTE terrorism by their vote. A similar situation will also dawn in the North very soon."

"We have to fight on several fronts to defeat terrorism. The Government has to fight in the international arena to prevent various propaganda campaigns launched by the terrorists. In addition, steps have to be taken to prevent various elements which extend their support to promote LTTE terrorism," he said.

The Armed Forces were able to liberate the Madhu Church from LTTE threat. As an act of revenge, the LTTE exploded a bomb in a bus at Piliyandala killing 25 innocent civilians. Investigations have revealed that several Sinhala people were also connected to this incident. But investigations are not yet complete on this incident, the Prime Minister said.

The Prime Minister said the people have been suffering over the past few decades due to brutal terrorism launched by Prabhakaran.

"However, various elements have also extended their support to Prabhakaran to conduct his terrorist activities.

As a responsible Government, we will fulfill our task to completely eradicate LTTE terrorism from this country."

The Security Forces are successfully moving forward in the Northern theatre too. Therefore the terrorists are now nearing their end, he said.

From March 31 to April 29, 120 forces personnel and police personnel have been killed while another 945 have been injured due to various terrorist attacks. In addition, 56 civilians have been killed and 145 civilians injured during the same period, he said. "But the time has come to put an end to reading out these figures.

There should be a meaning to death. We can't further allow the LTTE to conduct their brutal killings.

All our countrymen should extend their support towards the programme launched by the Government to prevent the killing of innocent civilians," he added.