President ready to face any challenge - Minister Peiris

Chaminda PERERA

International Trade and Enterprise Development Minister Prof G.L. Peiris yesterday said that there is an attempt to charge the members of the Security Forces who led the humanitarian mission to wipe out terrorism from the country of committing war crimes.

The Minister said the President who led the Security Forces to free the country from terrorism is ready to face any challenge posed by these elements.

"President Mahinda Rajapaksa at a meeting with the lawyers in the Southern province recently said that he is ready to face any international challenge after terrorism was completely wiped out from the country," the Minister said.

He said some elements in the United States have forwarded a report to the US Senate calling for action against the leaders of the Security Forces who liberated the country from terrorism.

The people of this country are well aware that the country is faced with a tremendous challenge from various external forces after terrorism was eradicated internally and they have reiterated their unstinted support to the Government and the President through a series of elections.

Addressing a press conference at the Mahaweli Centre he said the people in the Southern Province are ready to show their support at this election too.

"The people in the South are well aware that the country has to face numerous external challenges after terrorism was wiped out from the country.

"They are ready to show their allegiance to the Government and the President at the forthcoming election," he said.

He said that the Government increased the percentage of people who have access to pipe borne water from 22 percent to 63 percent and 80 percent of households in the district has electricity.

He said people in the Hambantota district are really feeling that the enormous expenditure used for the war effort is being channelled for the development of the country.