'Help protect peace'

Priyadarshani KAHAWALA, Ingiriya central group cor

Minister Wimal Weerawansa presents a deed to a soldier. Picture by Priyadarshani Kahawala, Ingiriya central group cor

All Sri Lankans must protect the peace won by the President and Security Forces personnel, Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Minister Wimal Weerawansa said.

He was speaking at the foundation laying ceremony for the proposed housing project of Horana, Kidelpitiya, Janasewana Ranaviru Village in Horana, Kidelpitiya on Monday.

The housing project is carried out under the 'Million Houses Project of Janasewana'. Forty houses will be built spending over Rs 23.5 million within six months for 40 families. The Horana Divisional Secretariat had provided land for the housing project.

Each plot of land is 12 perches in extent. All land will have infrastructure facilities and the Ranaviru Seva Authority will provide Rs two million for infrastructure facilities.

Minister Weerawansa said he read in a newspaper how16 civilians had died following an air attack in Afghanistan carried out by the US.

"There were also reports that some Americans had set fire to the Quran. The US President had apologised for the mistakes. That was the only thing he did. The US is now saying that war crimes were committed in Sri Lanka," he said.

"If Prabhakaran had won the war, will the US and some Western nations say it was a war crime," the minister asked.