Govt. committed to political solution
Chaminda Perera
Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama yesterday refuted allegations
that the Government has held back the process to carve out a sustainable
political solution to the North East issue.
He said the Government is committed to implement a political solution
to solve this issue and a process to arrive at a settlement is going on
despite a war on terrorism.
“The 13th Amendment is a part of the Constitution and it is in the
implementing stage that we are getting into” ‘ the Minister said.
The Minister said a pause in the humanitarian operation to free
innocent civilians trapped by the LTTE would bring no benefits at this
juncture. The LTTE did not respond to the calls by the International
Community to lay down arms and let the civilians to enter the cleared
areas.
The Minister said the Government has provided all what the civilians
held captive by the LTTE needed. All arrangements were in place to
ensure that all facilities are available to them.
Several countries including India, France and United States are
willing to evacuate civilians trapped by the LTTE.
“India and Sri Lanka enjoy very cordial relations and share same
sentiments in terms of humanitarian assistance’ he said.
The Minister said he had a discussion with the French Foreign
Minister who offered the humanitarian assistance to evacuate civilians
trapped in uncleared areas.
The United Nations is fully content with what the Government is
providing for the civilians who came from the uncleared areas. The
people in the IDP camps are satisfied with what they have been provided
by the Government.
The Government is thankful to the United Nations for a better
understanding of the ground situation in Sri Lanka, he said.
The Minister said the resettlement of civilians would be expedited
soon after the mine clearance is over.
The Government will launch a massive infrastructure development drive
in the liberated areas in the North to expedite the resettlement of
civilians in their original lands, he said. |
