Govt will take full responsibility for civilians in North - Minister Yapa

Uditha Kumarasinghe, Irangika Range and Sandesen Marasinghe

COLOMBO: Cabinet Spokesman and Media and Information Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said yesterday that the Government would take full responsibility for the security and welfare of civilians in the North where humanitarian operations are in progress.

The Minister said troops were about to enter Kilinochchi and defeat the LTTE.

He said certain organisations and persons expressed doubts whether the Government would be able to look into the welfare of civilians in the conflict zone.

“The Government has enough experience in providing welfare and security to civilians in such situations and resettling them.” He recalled how the Government resettled around 60,000 civilians in Vakarai and Muttur that even won the praise of the international community.

The Minister expressed confidence that the Government could establish civil administration successfully in the Eastern Province and with this experience, it would take measure to establish a civil administration in the North. Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena said the Government in lineated to the NGOs and other organisations where humanitarian operation in progress that it would secure the welfare and security of the civilians in that area.

Minister Abeywardena said the Government has requested the LTTE to pave the way for civilians to come to secure places from conflict areas. He said NGOs and other international organisations were informed of this. The Minister also stated the government was providing food and all other necessities to civilians in Jaffna through district secretaries.