Forces still engaged in operations - PM

Irangika RANGE and Sandasen MARASINGHE

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka yesterday said the Government was proposing to extend the Emergency regulations to secure the future of the people of this country.

Politicians could not forget their responsibility in that effort as the representatives of the people.

The Prime Minister made this observation in Parliament moving the motion to extend Emergency Regulations by another one month.

Prime Minister Wickramanayaka said although most of the people have forgotten, Security Forces are engaged in operational activities even after the completion of humanitarian operations and even today hauls of weapons are found hidden in certain places in the North.

Referring for a news report in the Asian Tribune website the Prime Minister said that the Chennai Authorities had to issue security alert after they came across a couple of LTTE activists carrying ammunition and satellite phones recently causing trouble in Tamil refugee camps there.

There was information of a gang of drug dealers of the LTTE and all these incidents have an impact on Sri Lanka too.

The Government has to extend the Emergency Regulations to maintain peace, public security and protect public properties.

The government had no need to commit any illegal action.

The Prime Minister said the government is not prepared to make the approval given by this august assembly, a tool to gain its political objectives.

He further said that terrorism turned all aspects of our society upside down and the Emergency Regulations was of great relief to the people defeating terrorism. There was no need to allow terrorism to rise again.

He also said that after a long period the people in North and East used their democratic right to elect thier President.

Until the Government could bring about freedom for them they were suppressed by the weapons of the terrorists.

Terrorism or anti national groups are not beneficial for society or the country.

Therefore such elements should be suppressed. It was the reason for the need of Emergency Regulations extended.

The Prime Minister referring to the IDPs in the relief villages in North said that the Government would resettle them soon.

The Government needed to end up the resettlement drive by January 31 but it was delayed due to various reasons including delay of demining.

“Some time it is not enough to do our best, we must do what is required as Sir Winston Churchill said.

He said he would get the support of the members of the House to pass the Emergency Regulations.