Govt vindicated at UNHRC

DHARMA Sri Abeyratne

Considering the genuine attempts made by the Government to free civilians from the LTTE a majority of countries assisted Sri Lanka at the Human Rights special sessions, Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe said.

"As a result of steps taken by the Government to ensure human rights in Sri Lanka on President Mahinda Rajapaksa's advice majority expressed their support to Sri Lanka. Therefore, we would like to thank the countries which helped us in Geneva at a time some western countries tried to throw us into hot water heeding LTTE's false propaganda," the Minister added.

"The victory at the Human Rights Council in Geneva indicates that the steps Sri Lanka had taken to ensure human rights is correct," the Minister said. The Government has taken every possible measure to facilitate and resettle the people in the IDP camps. It will not keep anyone at these IDP camps indefinitely. However, before the resettling process is commenced, de-mining activities have to be completed. LTTE cadres surrendered too have to be rehabilitated and infrastructure facilities have to be upgraded," the Minister said.