Govt will eradicate terrorism - President

Rohan Mathes in Galle

GALLE: President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday reiterated that his Government will maintain and act within the same policy framework until terrorism is fully eradicated from the country and urged all to rally round his Government to achieve this goal.

Addressing a mammoth rally in Galle, the third in a series of rallies to be held islandwide by the Government to inform the masses of political realities and the situation in the country amid slanderous and unfounded allegations and propaganda, President Rajapaksa affirmed that he would never ever forsake or let down the country and its people.

"I will never ever breach the trust placed in me by the people," he added.

Recalling the recent savage behaviour of the LTTE, President Rajapaksa claimed that no sooner he assumed office as President, the LTTE began brutal attacks on unarmed soldiers and later held on to Mavilaru.

Despite the Government's consistent efforts of talking peace with the LTTE, the LTTE completely disregarded all these deliberations of the Government and continued terrorist activities and killed innocent civilians including innocent men, women and children in Kebithigollawa.

It was in this backdrop that he had to direct the Security Forces to conduct humanitarian operations to liberate Mavilaru from LTTE control.

Thereafter, the Security Forces achieved one victory after another until they consolidated their positions in the East and finally captured Thoppigala.

"Now we have also captured Silawathura in Mannar. We have done all this without any loss to human life," he said.

Along with the ongoing war and its accompanying victories, he said, they have also undertaken mega development projects including the construction of the Galle harbour which will commence early next year.

Nevertheless, it is highly lamentable and unfortunate that certain political leaders engaged in a vigorous campaign to disrupt and undermine all these victories in the battlefront and the country's development.

"They are engaged in politics of envy and hatred. They even seek to prevent commercial banks from giving loans to develop the country.

They claim that the Bank's licence would be cancelled if they lend money to our government. They are doing the identical damage which the LTTE is doing to our country," he said.

He added that we should also inculcate good moral values too in our people so that a righteous society would be created. Ministers A.H.M. Fowzie, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Hemakumara Nanayakkara, Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Piyasena Gamage, Maithripala Sirisena and former UNP Gampaha district Parliamentarian Olitha Premarathna also address the rally.