Possibility of proscribing LTTE - PM

COLOMBO: There is the possibility of the Government proscribing the LTTE, said Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka.

The Government continued the humanitarian operation launched from Mavil Aru because the people requested it. Now the Government may even proscribe the LTTE before the people requested it, he said participating in the Subharathi discussion programme over the SLBC Sinhala Service yesterday.

The Prime Minister said President Mahinda Rajapaksa is the only leader of this country who firmly stood for the liberation of the country from terrorism. Wickramanayaka said the country was indirectly subjected to division when the President took over reins three years ago.

The CFA had offered the LTTE an opportunity to operate an administrative mechanism with its own banks, Police service and Courts.

The masses had spurned this situation and handed over the country to President Rajapaksa who had the clear stance that the first and foremost thing was to save the country by wiping out terrorism.

The President therefore abrogated the CFA and took over the responsibility of liberating the country with the people’s blessings. The humanitarian operation launched from Mavil Aru had been extended to the Eastern Province and Pooneryn.

It was crystal clear that our Security Forces would be able to march victoriously into Mullaitivu and Killinochchi within the next few days. Today the LTTE terrorists were running for their lives in the face of advancing Security Forces.

The Prime Minister said following the capture of Pooneryn the Government declared a ‘Ranaviru Week’ to honour the war heroes for their gallantry.

The whole nation should pay tribute to the Security Forces who sacrificed their lives to protect and safeguard the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country. The Prime Minister said a certain section in the country glorified the LTTE describing it as the most invincible terrorist organisation in the world. They were only trying to act as LTTE proxies.

President Rajapaksa disproved this myth by strengthening the Security Forces and boosting their morale enabling them to score successive victories over the LTTE.

President Rajapaksa’s clear vision would enable the Forces to wipe out terrorism from the North very soon.

The Prime Minister said on the diplomatic front President Rajapaksa had been able to foster friendly relations with all countries and strengthen ties specially with India. World leaders had acclaimed the President for his unwavering policies.

He had announced that he would never talk to the terrorists until they laid down their arms. The humanitarian operation started from Mavil Aru at the people’s request was still being continued by the Government. Now the possibility of proscribing the LTTE loomed large.

The Prime Minister said the Government would take steps to uplift community life in the North as soon as terrorism was totally wiped out from the region.

He said the Maga Neguma and Gama Neguma programmes had ushered in vast development and progress in the rural sector.

Answering a question, the Prime Minister said no section of the media had been subjected to censorship today. The adverse publicity given to the Pooneryn capture by the Security Forces in certain weekend newspapers proved the extent of media freedom available today.