Moves to strengthen LTTE abroad - PM
Irangika Range and Sandasen Marasinghe
*Emergency law never abused:
*Elements arrested in Germany:
Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka told Parliament yesterday
that there were international forces unfavourable to us attempting to
strengthen the LTTE terrorist organisation abroad.
They are assisted by certain local elements that wish to destabilize
the Government and arrest the country's rapid economic development
drive, Prime Minister Wickramanayaka said.
The Prime Minister making his statement moving the motion to extend
the State of Emergency by another one month, said certain elements
attempting to strengthen the LTTE were arrested in Germany and another
LTTE working abroad was arrested in Dehiwala.
"There were anti-Sri Lankan schemes in progress with the support of
certain super powers in the world as well as certain other organisations."
The Prime Minister expressed his regret over the fact that there were
groups in the country who were engaged in collecting facts and
distorting them to support cooked up allegations put forward by anti
national forces.
The Prime Minister said the Government had never misused the
provisions of emergency laws against the people to suppress the freedom
of expression or the rights of trade unions. "But there are certain
parties that distort facts to say that the Government is abusing the
emergency law," he said. He said the intelligence units have received
information of the sinister moves against the country and Government.
"We have to act against these forces."
The Prime Minister also stated the Government created the conditions
for the people in the North and East to regain their right by defeating
terrorism.
Within a short period they would have the chance to elect their own
representatives, he said. He queried as to whether we should deprive
these opportunities under the influence of other unfavourable forces.
The Government's objective is to develop the country rapidly as it
was pushed back by years. There are countries and sections that would
not like to see our emergence as a prosperous nation in Asia, the Prime
Minister said.
He queried as to what was wrong in the emergence of another developed
country in Asia.
He said all those sinister influences that hurt the feelings of
innocent people should be wiped out along with what remained of the LTTE
that attempts to pull down this nation to dark ages of the past.
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