Keheliya regrets Ranil's remarks
Rafik Jalaldeen
COLOMBO: Government Defence Affairs spokesman Minister Keheliya
Rambukwella said at a time the world and world leaders are fighting
terrorism, UNP and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is denigrating
the Government's and Security Forces' efforts to defeat one of the most
ruthless terrorist organisations in the world.
At the weekly media briefing on the current security situation
Minister Rambukwella vehemently condemned the Opposition Leader's
comment during the visit to India that the Government has failed in its
war against terror citing the spate of bomb blasts in the South.
Minister Rambukwella asserted terrorism was a cancer that has spread
all over the world.
The war against terror became a world phenomenon and people accepted
the issue without any argument.
We are dealing with the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the
country", he added. The Opposition Leader undermined the Government's
and forces achievements in waging war against terror. "The Security
Forces liberated the East defeating terrorism to restore peace and
prosperity in the region.
People were allowed to practice and franchise their political rights.
The aspiration of the Government is to provide citizens a safe,
independent and violent free country", Minister Rambukwella said.
"When a country fights against a ruthless terrorist organisation like
the LTTE who are exploding bombs targeting children, women and elders at
public places such incidents cannot be stopped at once", he added.
Minister Rambukwella pointed out that at a time the world was
endorsing the Government's efforts to fight against the LTTE, it is a
shame that the Leader of the country's main Opposition party to
criticise and denigrate the Government's efforts to fight against terror
citing some bomb blasts in the South while ignoring the Government and
Security Forces achievements in the North and the East.
During the President's visit to the United Kingdom Prime Minister
Gordon Brown and Opposition Leader David Cameron congratulated President
Rajapaksa on the steps taken to defeat terrorism. "Britain's Opposition
Leader David Cameron said they realise the prevailing situation and the
challenges Sri Lanka is facing as a democracy confronted with terrorism
and the efforts being made to overcome them.
They were keen to understand the problems in countering terrorism and
how best they can help the country to resolve the long lasting problem",
Minister Rambukwella remarked.
When a delegation from Sri Lanka met the Pope, he expressed His
Holiness described terrorism as a cancer spread all around the world,"
he added.
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