SLFP more attractive to Easterners - Minister Muralitharan

Chaminda PERERA

National Integration Minister Vinayagamurthi Muralitharan said yesterday he was committed to rebuild the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) in the North and East while party offices have already been established in the Eastern Province to attract more people to the SLFP.

He said the SLFP was the leading political party in the Eastern region before the seeds of terrorism were sown in the country and his responsibility of rebuilding the party has been made easy as all adults know about the SLFP better than him. The Government has launched a number of development projects in the Eastern Province.

Ministers who had been away from the people in the Eastern region due to terrorist atrocities are now interacting with the people in the region, Muralitharan said.

He said Tamil people have realised that the Tamil National Alliance in involved in inciting racism and does not have clear policy over the problem of Tamil people. “The Tamil people do not seek preferential treatment but ask for equal status,” he said.

Muralitharan said the Defence Secretary has paid special attention towards ex-combatants in the eastern province. “These ex-combatants in the Eastern province are being rehabilitated by the Government with the assistance of INGOs,” he said.

The Government declared a period in which Muslim military groups in the Eastern Province could hand over their weapons and ammunition to the Government. A number of Muslims who had arms have already handed over their weapons and ammunition to the Government, the Minister said.

He said the Security Forces are in the process of clearing mines and bobby traps from the areas held by the LTTE. The displaced people in Kilinochchi, Mannar and Mullaitivu districts would be resettled in their original places soon after the mines are cleared, he said.

“As a Government Minister, I appreciate the keen interest shown by Tamil political parties including the TNA in participating the All Party Conference on the rehabilitation and development of the Northern Province chaired by President.