Friday, September 19, 2008

No room for food shortage in Wanni

Information and Media Minister and Cabinet spokesman Anura Priyadharshana Yapa yesterday guaranteed that the Government has not left any room to create a shortage of food stuffs and medicine to the civilians in Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi areas.

The Government on the request made by the District Secretaries is continuing the supply of food items and medicine to the civilians in these two districts without any hindrance. As the Government mechanism is operating in these two districts, the Government is always committed to release sufficient food stocks to cater to the civilian needs, the Minister told the weekly Cabinet press briefing yesterday.

"We are happy to note that some political parties have also endorsed the Government's attempts made to release the required amount of foodstuffs to the civilians in Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi areas."

Minister Yapa categorically denying certain foreign media reports on the 'harassment' caused to civilians in these two districts due to ongoing military operations said the troops are engaging in a humanitarian process to rescue the innocent people from the clutches of the LTTE. "As we have well disciplined Armed Forces with lot of military experience, they will not provide any room to cause any harm or inconvenience to the people due to their humanitarian operations."

As the Government we have made an open request to the civilians in the non-liberated areas to come to Government controlled areas. The Government is fully committed to provide them all amenities. Except defeating terrorism, the Government has no intention whatsoever to harass innocent civilians.

At present the Government has successfully completed resettlement activities in several liberated areas such as Muttur and Vakarai by obtaining the recognition of the international group of people. The Government will complete resettlement in several liberated areas once the UN give its assurance that the demining activities are fully completed in those areas.

Minister Yapa said the LTTE war strategies have faced a severe set back due to successful armed operations launched by our Armed Forces in the North. The LTTE's air attack on the Vavuniya Air Force base and several other attempts made to explode bombs in railway tracks and a bus were utter failures.

At present the LTTE makes various attempts to disrupt to the civilian life in the South. Therefore the people should be vigilant on the national security by extending their fullest support to the Security Forces to avert these terrorist activities.

In a situation where the Armed Forces are successfully moving forward, the LTTE is attempting to use blameless civilians as a human shield. They have no respect for the lives of the civilians. Anyone should not cast any doubt that Government has taken every possible measures to ensure the security of all civilians.

Our Armed Forces have enough capability and experience to fight with the LTTE. Government troops are only fighting to destroy the LTTE by safeguarding the lives of the civilians. This is the Government's position.

The Minister said as the Government is conducting its administrative service in the North, it has distributed foodstuff in Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi with the assistance of state employees. Even the international community has endorsed these measures taken by the Government. The sole intention of the Government is to reinstate democracy in the North by creating an environment to the people to live in peace and harmony. That is why we introduce this task as a humanitarian mission.

Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeyewardene said when Jaffna was liberated, nearly 400,000 people were displaced. However the Government could provide all the needy facilities to those civilians without the assistance of any NGO.

The LTTE is attempting to attack to nearly 135,000 civilians in Kilinochchi by using them as a human shield. That is way the Government has made an open appeal to civilians to come to Government controlled areas. Any SAARC country or European country has not made any pressure towards the move taken by the Government to curb terrorism, he added.

Courtesy : Daily News

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