Unite to develop country - PM

The Government can finish off terrorism completely within half an hour if it acted in an inhuman manner. Driving out terrorists from a very small bastion in the North has been time consuming because the Government is acting most humanely considering the safety of civilians held by terrorists as a human shield, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka said. The Prime Minister made this observation when he addressed SLFP activists in Horana at the Horana SLFP branch office recently.

The Prime Minister who requested people to shun petty ideas and unite to develop the country, said the nation was today at an important cross road where terrorism which had been the bane of the country and its development for three decades was to be totally wiped out.

"Once this mission was completed a much more important responsibility would be cast on the Government and the people to steer the motherland towards a development effort in a planned manner. The unity and trust placed in the Government by people as regards the humanitarian operations should be forthcoming in equal or enhanced measure during the future national development effort.

Provincial Councils specially would have a big role to play in making these development efforts successful by working hand in hand with the Central Government and Local Councils," he said.

Premier Wickramanayaka said innocent Tamil civilians were being held by the LTTE against their will.

"Now these civilians were crossing over to Government controlled areas in their thousands daily and all of them would do so in the near future. This would enable the Government to round up the remaining terrorists and defeat them."

He said the LTTE had displayed its true barbaric nature by shooting innocent civilians fleeing their clutches.

"Two days ago, an 18 year old girl had been shot dead by terrorists. Certain NGOs depending on foreign funding were turning a blind eye to such LTTE atrocities for the sake of personal gain," the Prime Minister said.

Horana SLFP chief organiser and UPFA candidate for the Western Provincial Council election from Kalutara District Vidura Wickramanayaka said the UPFA would win the Horana electorate this time with a majority of over 20,000.