Consensus vital on defeating terror – PM

Nimal WIJESINGHE in Nochchiyagama

NOCHCHIYAGAMA: There should be a unanimous agreement acceptable to the whole nation on the eradication of terrorism irrespective of party politics and other differences, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka said on Wednesday.

“The people will not tolerate the barbaric LTTE terrorism any more. Today our gallant and triumphant war heroes have been able to corner Prabhakaran and Kilinochchi will be liberated very soon,” said Prime Minister Wickramanayaka participating at a North Central Provincial Council election rally held in Nochchiyagama in Anuradhapura (West) electorate.

The Prime Minister said one of the speakers came out with the fact that Major General Janaka Perera the UNP’s Chief Ministerial candidate at the Provincial Council Elections had stated at a UNP meeting to bless him to strengthen the hands of the President though he didn’t exactly know it could be true.

As such he couldn’t understand the true stand of the UNP and its policy relating to the war against terrorism. The Opposition Leader should tell the truth to the country in this regard.

“The UNP has shown to us that its leadership has been pro-LTTE whereas the Government is dedicated to the task of emancipating the country from the jaws of LTTE’s terrorism.

The LTTE created a lawless society filled with inhumanity. The Leader of the Opposition initiated the dividing of those areas to the LTTE. In this context the UNP leaders such as ‘Karu’ and Azwer who were dissatisfied with the policies of the UNP hierarchy joined us,” the Prime Minister said.

“You all must understand that the decent and people-friendly UNP created by great UNP Leaders such as DS and Dudley to shelter all communities in the country with equality is no more. The party suffers from a severe political erosion.”

“After the impending defeat at the Provincial Council Elections on August 23, there is going to be an uprising in the United National Party to oust its leader, searching or looking for another leader.

However, from our political angle Ranil in the chair is good for us since we are at our liberty to govern the country without much interference,” Prime Minister Wickramanayaka emphasised.

The Prime Minister said under the leadership and guidance of President Rajapaksa the expansion projects of the Colombo and Galle harbours were under way. The work on the new airport and the port at Hambantota is now in progress.

“The UNP Government did not recruit even a single sanitary labourer to the Government Service. No sooner the Rajapaksa Government came to power 30,000 unemployed graduates were offered employment. More than 30,000 Civil Security Guards were also recruited in addition to the absorption of thousands of educated youth into the Armed Forces and Police.

The Government also launched the fertilizer subsidy scheme. Today under this venture a bag of urea fertilizer which costs Rs. 8,000 in the market is offered to the farmer at Rs. 350,” the PM said.

Former UNP Minister and an Advisor to the President A.H.M. Azwer said that President Rajapaksa would keep the country united. He proved his point when he resettled 50,000 destitute Muslims who were chased out by armed LTTE terrorists from Muttur within 44 days of the incident.