Youth robbers and killers on same platform - President

Asela Kuruluwansa, Indika Polkotuwa and Sanjaya Maturata

Those who robbed the youth from their families to recruit cadres for a rebellion were on the same political platform with the people who burnt the rebellious youth on tyre pyres, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

Those who took the youth to join their revolt then, have built friendship with the patrons of vigilante killer groups known as ‘yellow cats’ and ‘green tigers’ ‘ today, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said addressing a function held at the President’s House, Kandy yesterday.

The President said there was a spate of terror during 1988-1990 when children lost their fathers, parents lost their children and the killer groups, ‘Yellow Cats’, ‘Green Tigers’ and ‘Pra’ gangs hounded out the youth and killed them. “I remember mothers of young men and women who were killed or went missing coming wailing to my house. But see what they have done to him.” But some of those who lured such children to politics are Parliamentarians today,” he said.

“We started the public protest against violence and killings, the Paada Yatra and we reached Kataragama from Colombo on foot to protest against the youth being killed. But today the killers and those who recruited the youth for rebellion are on the same political platform,” the President said.

It was our policy that makes the youth positive and useful citizens contributing to national development and we should not allow the youth to be misled again. Our policy is to give them life skills and employment for the skilled and ensure that the youth were directed on the positive path to progress, he noted.

Vocational Training and Skills Development Minister Piyasena Gamage, Central Province Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa and Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake were also present.