Act in peaceful manner to defeat terrorism - PM

COLOMBO: Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka has condemned with deep abhorrence yesterday’s terrorist attack on a bus carrying innocent civilians on the Kataragama-Buttala road and requested people to act in a patient and peaceful manner to enable the Security Forces in the North to achieve their objective of totally defeating terrorists as planned.

The Prime Minister in a communique issued yesterday said similar incidents had occurred in this area on many earlier occasions too.

He emphasised that the Government was making sustained efforts to prevent such inhuman terrorist acts. But the terrorist who always wanted destruction seemed to be adopting various tactics.

The communique said this was a time terrorists were facing ignominious defeats. After liberating the East the Security Forces were engaged in a determined effort to bring freedom to the North.

The terrorist objective was to deter the Security Forces onward march.

Failure in their efforts to cause bigger devastation in Colombo and the revealing of the names of the masterminds behind such plans was an irreparable less for them.

The latest terrorist tactic was to come in small armed bands and destabilise the South.

We all know that the Esala Festival I now in progress in the historic Kataragama sacred city. This festival was equally significant for Buddhists and Hindus.

Preserving ancient traditions the people of the North and East were arriving in the South by foot. They are only armed with devotion and co-existence.

But the objective of the terrorist was to destroy tradition and upset people’s minds to create instability in the country.

The Prime Minister said’ we as responsible citizens should clearly understand this situation and act peacefully. This would enable security forces to achieve their aim as planned. Then it would help create a peaceful environment in the country”.

The Prime Minister said while expressing deepest sympathies on behalf of the government and his personal behalf to the families of those who died in this incident, he would wish quick recovery to those injured.