Addressing members of Security Forces and the Police serving in the Jaffna peninsula at the Security Forces Headquarters, Palaly, the Premier stressed the importance of having a political solution to the ethnic issue to ensure national unity while equal emphasis is laid on the country’s security.

He said the government is determined to ensure national unity through a political solution to the ethnic issue and the country’s security will not be put at risk in this endeavour.

“The Tamil people have specifically insisted that they want national unity,” he said.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said the United Nations Human Rights Council has given an opportunity to the government to inquire into the allegations of human rights violations within our judicial framework.

The Prime Minister added that those who raised objections against Sri Lanka in the UNHRC now favour Sri Lanka.

He said the support of western countries is essential if the country wants to improve the services of Security Forces.

“The latest war techniques and maneuvers are with them. All great things in the world are done by western countries,” the Prime Minister said.

Wickremesinghe said the Sinhala, Muslim and Tamil people faced a number of problems due to the war.
“The Tamil people bore the brunt.”

The Premier who addressed the Security Forces at the last leg of his two day visit to the Peninsula, said the government needs the support of all Sri Lankans to face the challenges ahead of the country.

“We are in the process of discussing how to uplift the economy of the war affected people,” he said.
The Prime Minister said the government has focused on how the people affected by conflict would be resettled in their original places of residence and how the rule of law is ensured.

The Premier while stressing that the people in the south do “love their lands and properties as much as the people in the North” thanked the Army Commander for his decision to release the 100 acre land in the North used by the Security Forces.

He said when lands are given back to the people, the security of the country is also strengthened “as we get more information from them.”

“We will ensure that the security of the country will not be at stake due to the release of lands acquired by the Security Forces in Jaffna to their original owners,” the Prime Minister said.

He said the government has not forgotten the sacrifice by members of the Security Forces to annihilate LTTE terrorism.

“The government led by President Maithripala Sirisena and the Cabinet will never forget the commitment and dedication showed by the Tri-forces and the Police to protect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the country at the expense of their lives,” he said.

The Premier said national unity is still far elusive though the war has ended.

President Maithripala Sirisena took over the Presidency with the objective of creating unity among all communities irrespective of their religious, cultural and other differences.

He said he and the Cabinet of Ministers are also striving to achieve this objective.

Courtesy:Daily News