'Int'l community levelling baseless allegations'

When the Sri Lankan government has taken so many initial steps towards genuine reconciliation after concluding the humanitarian operations it is most surprising to note certain sections of the international community levelling baseless charges against it, said Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

The Defence Secretary said the Emergency regulations have been lifted since 2009, there are no more High Security Zones and check points in the North and East while all houses taken over by the security forces have been handed back to their previous owners. A batch of 11,900 LTTE cadres had been rehabilitated and re-integrated to society and nearly 20,000 people in the North and East who went abroad on account of the conflict had returned to the country. He said the government had also paid special attention to the sentiments and concerns of India in taking all these steps.

The Defence Secretary was addressing Heads of state and private media institutions at a meeting held at the Defence Ministry on Wednesday to explain the situation in the country since the conclusion of the humanitarian operations.

The Defence Secretary said the government which successfully overcame the threat posed by terrorists on May 19, 2009 had taken all these steps because it wanted to move forward rather than go backwards.

However, Security Forces would not remain silent thinking there won't be threats to security in future.

The Defence Secretary recalled that 'K.P.' who was abroad at that time had twice confessed through one of his confidantes that the LTTE could not win the war and something should happen at that stage.

He said UN and US authorities who visited Sri Lanka after the humanitarian operation were given an opportunity to visit the North and witness the actual situation there.

An ambassador was sent to all parts of the country. When there was criticism about conditions prevailing in detection camps, he was offered an opportunity to visit the Boossa camp and observe things first hand but he turned down the offer saying he had no time for it. Thereafter a helicopter was arranged to take him to the Boossa Camp and thereafter rush him to Katunayake to board the plane. Defence Secretary Rajapaksa commenting on India's last minute change of stand on the US led UNHRC resolution said India would have been forced to take such a decision in view of Indian elections due in 2014.

He said Sri Lanka is closely observing India's sentiments. The Indian Congress Party has been defeated in the Gandhi stronghold of Uttar Pradesh and if there was opposition from Karunanidhi and his party the Manmohan Singh government could be defeated in Parliament.

When US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited India she had a meeting with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha. This situation might have led India to change its stand.

Fielding a question from the media the Defence Secretary said there had been no thawing of relations between Sri Lanka and India before or after the humanitarian operations. The Defence Secretary said his personal view was that it would not make much difference to Sri Lanka whether it lost or won at the UNHRC sessions. The US had brought hundreds of such resolutions against Cuba. Sri Lanka had to face only one such resolution.

Director General Media Centre for National Security Lakshman Hulugalle also participated in the discussion. A documentary on LTTE activities and propaganda activities abroad was also screened during the meeting.