‘Defeat elements trying to revive LTTE remnants’

Hemanthi GURUGE

The government yesterday called on all communities to stand up against unscrupulous elements trying to revive LTTE remnants who are bent on undermining the Security Forces’ victory over terrorism.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa requested the people to stand up against these vicious elements attempting to revive the LTTE rump which is involved in tarnishing the country’s image in the aftermath of the government’s victory over terrorism. The Defence Secretary was speaking at a special ceremony organized by Western Provincial Minister Udaya Gammanpila to bestow merit on members of the Security Forces who laid down their lives in the exercise of freeing the country from terrorism. An alms giving to members of the Maha Sangha and a dansela were held at the Ananda Samarakoon Open Theatre yesterday.

The Defence Secretary added that Sri Lanka succeeded in eradicating the ruthless LTTE terrorist outfit from the country and he was confident that the conspiracies made by LTTE remnants through the international community can be defeated with the support of all Sri Lankans.

The Defence Secretary added that certain members of the international community are manoeuvring to carve out a separate state by hatching various conspiracies against the motherland. Defence Secretary Rajapaksa said that these members of the international community are pandering to the LTTE.

He was of the view that they act according to the whims and fancies of the LTTE remnants in foreign countries.

He said that the infamous Channel 4 video clip is an attempt to tarnish the image of the Security Forces who brought peace to the country after a lapse of 30 years.

The Defence Secretary added that the LTTE was responsible for the killings of thousands of innocent people in Sri Lanka.

Over 600 Police officers who surrendered to the terrorists were brutally killed by them contravening all international norms and practices.

“An incident which took place in Jaffna on Thursday was reported to the US Embassy even before it was reported to the Police,” the Defence Secretary said.

He said the German Ambassador inquired him about the Katunayake incident.

The US forces killed Osama bin Laden and wife but no one raised any questions against the Americans so far.