Trilingual knowledge helpful for peaceful co-existence - minister

P. P. G. Sugathadasa- Thihagoda group cor.

"A trilingual knowledge would have a positive impact on mutual understanding, peace and co-existence involving different communities in this country" Senior Minister D.E.W. Gunasekara said.

He was addressing a special seminar on 'Novel National and International Political Trends and our Responsibilities' at the Sugeeswara Wickramasinghe Memorial Conference Hall at Matara, recently.

"President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his administration is making painstaking endeavours to bring a lasting solution to the ethnic issue in the country.

The prime duty and the responsibility of the government would be to resolve the burning problems affecting the Tamil community and not fulfilling demands of Tamil political parties," he said.

He said that it was late president J R Jayewardene who in 1944 proposed that the Sinhala language only should be the official language in this country and also that the new liberal economic policy introduced by Jayawardene to the country in 1977 had been a curse in the country's economy, and further that it was strongly criticized even by some members of the UNP at the moment.

"Sri Lanka is heading for rapid socio-economic prosperity. If a UNP regime had been in power, people would be on the streets, the country would be in turmoil and disintegration" he added.

Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Minister Chandrasiri Gajadeera said that over 12,000 combatants of the LTTE are being rehabilitated by the government and that the endeavour of the administration would be to reintegrate them into society as good and responsible citizens.