Campaign to liberate all communities will continue

– Keheliya Rambukwella..

The government will continue its campaign to liberate all the communities from the grip of terrorism, said the Defence Spokesman and Minister Keheliya Rambukwella at the weekly press briefing yesterday.

 

The government has no intention to wage war in the North as it did in the East. Mahinda Rajapakse, after becoming President wanted to initiate peace talks with the LTTE. But the LTTE put forward trivial and unacceptable reasons to avoid peace talks. The whole world is well aware of this. The military operations to liberate the people of all communities were initiated, as it is the duty of the head of a sovereign state.  

 

The operation, which started in Mutur, halted at Thoppigala. But the doors for peace are still open. Peace talks can take off even tomorrow, if Prabakaran decides so. The whole of Sri Lanka belongs to the sovereign government. It belongs to all the communities. It cannot be differentiated as government held areas and LTTE held areas. Therefore there is no need for a military operation to liberate the North.

 

However, the government will not hesitate to liberate our people who become subjected to terrorist oppression, said the Minister.

 

Meanwhile, troops conducted a search operation at the Chilavathurai area and recovered a suicide sea craft and other equipments, which were left behind by the fleeing Sea Tigers. Three claymore bombs, two of the T.56 rifles, 40 grams of TNT explosives, 482 step mines, 25 Dingy boats and 25 out boat motor engines were recovered including a suicide craft. The troops advanced towards South and have consolidated hold of Kondachchi village.