Colombo, Feb 03: Declaring that Sri Lanka was on the threshold of the "final elimination" of terror from its soil, President Mahinda Rajapaksa has pledged that Tamils in the embattled north would be given "equality and all rights" after the capture of the entire LTTE-held territory by the security forces.
"The stronghold of terror, once believed to be invincible
such as Kilinochchi, Elephant Pass and Mullaittivu, have
fallen in rapid succession, bringing the final elimination of
terror from our motherland and the dawn of true freedom to all
our people well within our reach," he said in his message on
the eve of the country's 61st Independence Day tomorrow.
Taking note of achievements of the security forces which
will help strengthen the country's "freedom", Rajapaksa paid
"well deserved" tributes to the "heroic forces" of Sri Lanka.
Without naming anybody, he said that many who were once
critical of the country's operations to eradicate terrorism
from its soil were now citing Sri Lanka and the success of its
troops as an example on how the menace should be defeated.
"As we move towards a larger freedom, our thoughts go out
to the innocent Tamil people of the north who remain in
bondage under the ruthless forces of terror who claimed to be
their liberators," Rajapaksa said in his message last night.
"I pledge to you today, that these people who share our
motherland, will be liberated and given the equality and all
rights that they are entitled to, under the Constitution," the
Sri Lankan President said.
Separately, Rajapaksa urged members of the clergy in the
embattled north to return to government-controlled areas along
with the trapped civilians, assuring them that the authorities
had taken all measures to cater to their welfare.
The President made this appeal when the Papal Pro Nuncio
in Sri Lanka, Monsignor Mario Zenari, called on him yesterday.
Rajapaksa requested Zenari to convey his message to
members of the clergy in the conflict zone and said that if
they returned to Government-controlled areas it would greatly
help authorities to succeed in efforts to "liberate" the
people in the north from the clutches of terrorism.
According to sources, priests and nuns belonging to four
districts -- Mannar, Vavuniya, Mullaitivu and Kilinochchi --
were still with the displaced people.
The sources said that six priests and 10 nuns from Mannar
and Vavuniya and 23 priests and 15 nuns from Mullaitivu and
Kilinochchi had been stranded in the restive region.
Meanwhile, a group of Sri Lankan bishops urged the LTTE
not to use trapped civilians to gain military advantage.
"There should be no restriction of the civilians' right
to life and movement," they said in a statement.
The signatories to the statement were Thomas
Savundranayagam, Roman Catholic Bishop of Jaffna; Rayappu
Joseph, Roman Catholic Bishop of Mannar; Norbert Andradi,
Roman Catholic Bishop of Anuradhapura; Kumara Ilangasingha,
Anglican Bishop of Kurunegala; and Duleep de Chickera, Bishop
of Colombo.
Bureau Report
First Published: Tuesday, February 03, 2009, 00:00