I will not shy away from terrorism, vows president

President Maithripala Sirisena said that he was not affected by terrorism and that he would fulfill the responsibility of building a peaceful country after eradicating terrorism.   

The President said that the law will be enforced against anyone who is responsible for the incident on April 21.   He said this, addressing in the final progress review meeting of the Ampara District ‘Rata Wenuwen Ekata Sitimu’ (Let’s Stand Together for the Country) programme. That meeting was held under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena at the Uhana Maha Vidyalaya Ground in Ampara on Saturday.   During the meeting, President Sirisena said that the responsibility of all the citizens who loved the country should be to fulfill their respective responsibilities towards creating a peaceful environment where all the citizens of the country could live freely, while understanding the actual situation and the issues, but not to raise their voices in order to get narrow political gains.   

He pointed out that certain statements made by a few persons to achieve petty political gain had become a hindrance to the process of building national reconciliation while freeing the country from the challenge of terrorism.   

• The President said that the law will be enforced against anyone who is responsible for the incident on April 21

Addressing the ‘Ekata Sitimu’ public meeting at Uhana School Grounds in Ampara, President said he would continue the operations to eradicate terrorism and he was not a person to resign and allow the terrorists to win. He called on the public and private sector workers to attend work and children to attend schools and bring normalcy as that was the way to defeat the aims of terrorists.   

The President emphasized that the incident on April 21st was not a problem in Sri Lanka, but a global terrorism connected with it. He added that the security forces were conducting operations towards the successful conclusion to eradicate terrorism.   

Addressing the pubic officers in the East, the President said that the country’s national security activities were now being implemented with a new outline and plan, with a clear reform programme implemented by the Security Forces. He further said that the programme ensured the right of all citizens to live in a free society without fear or suspicion. He said that when the security forces successfully defeated terrorism, the public officials should take measures to end the fear of the people and to restore trust and understanding among them. 
  
The religious personalities of the province, including the Maha Sangha, former Prime Minister Mr. D. M. Jayarathne, Minister Mr. Daya Gamage, Eastern Province Governor M.L.A. H. Hezbullah, North Central Province Governor Mr. Sarath Ekanayake, Member of Parliament Ms. Shriyani Wijewickrama, former Minister Mr. P. Dayarathne and Ministers, Secretary to the President Mr. Udaya R. Senevirathne and Government Officials were also resent on this occasion.     

The President emphasized that the incident on April 21st was not a problem in Sri Lanka, but a global terrorism connected with it. He added that the security forces were conducting operations towards the successful conclusion to eradicate terrorism