Lankan Prez says Tamil-majority North will be developed whether Tamil parties support him or not
Posted on January 22nd, 2020

Courtesy NewsIn.Asia

Gotabaya Rajapaksa said most of the missing, whether Tamils or army soldiers, had died in battle and their bodies were not found.

Colombo, January 22 (newsin.asia): Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, told the UN Resident Coordinator Hanaa Singer here on Friday, that whether he gets the support of the Tamil political parties or not, he will develop the war-shattered economy of the Tamil-majority Northern Province, the Presidential Media Division said.

Lankan Prez says Tamil-majority North will be developed whether Tamil parties support him or not

On the issue of the missing, he said that, whether they were Tamil civilians, LTTE cadres or Lankan soldiers, most of the missing had actually died in battle and their bodies had not been found. I can’t bring back the dead!” he told Singer.

Gotabaya told the UN representative that one of the main problems people in the Tamil-concentrated areas face, is the language barrier when they interact with the police.

Therefore, as an immediate remedy, the Inspector General of Police has been instructed to recruit 3,000 persons from these areas to fill vacancies at the constable and sub-inspector levels. Vacancies up to OIC level are also to be filled with people in the area,” the President said.

Missing Persons

On the touchy issue of tracing missing persons, President Gotabaya said that he is going to address the issue of missing persons.

However, I can’t bring back the dead. It has been established that most of the missing persons had been conscripted by the LTTE. Their families had been witnesses to their loved ones being taken away by the LTTE. Thereafter they had had no information as to their fate. So, as far as the families are concerned, these people are missing,” the President explained.

The unfortunate truth is that these people had died in the battles. Even in the Security Forces, there are about 4,000 personnel listed as missing,” the President pointed out.

In reality, these soldiers had died in the fight, but their bodies had not been recovered. Therefore they are classified as missing,” he explained.

After concluding the necessary investigations, steps would be taken to issue a Death Certificate, the President said. Then the families would be given the necessary support to rebuild their lives, he added.

When the UN official asked if this as a form of reparation, the President replied: It is not reparation of any sort, but it will be livelihood assistance.

That would be a very important step in the healing process,” Singer said in agreement.

She had asked about the President’s priorities in promoting peace in Sri Lanka.

Fisheries

Fisheries are important for all in an island nation like Sri Lanka ,the President said and added that he has appointed a Tamil, Douglas Devananda, as the Minister of Fisheries.

The ministry must deliver on the responsibilities entrusted to it,” he added.

2 Responses to “Lankan Prez says Tamil-majority North will be developed whether Tamil parties support him or not”

  1. Susantha Wijesinghe Says:

    THANK YOU MR. PRESIDENT FOR ADDRESSING THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUE IN SRILANKA,
    vis-à-vis THE FISHERIES. SRILANKA HAS THE SEA RIGHT ROUND IT. FISHING SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AS AN IMPORTANT PRIORITY. THE INFRA-STRUCTURE SHOULD BE BUILT UP ASAP, AND BOATS SHOULD BE GIVEN TO ALL YOUTH WHO WANTS TO GO OUT TO SEA AND MAKE A LIVING. **IT IS WEALTH FROM NOWHERE **THE CATCH.** PLEASE GIVE THE ENTHUSIASTIC YOUTH THE BOOSTER.

    Long years back, I myself wanted to put out a boat. I was encouraged by my friend who had about FIVE boats, and who lived at Stanmore Crescent. I tried it. I joined him going out to Sea, one night from Beruwela. We left at 12 mid-night. It was a Taos 26 with a crew of four. We travelled about 20 miles, and the sun was just rising. The crew laid a mile long line with baits hanging about 20 feet long, spaced at about twenty feet. There were flags for spotting the line. The they were patrolling up and down, And when the see the flag being pulled down, they know that a fish is caught. The with shouts they get there pull up the fish, and start hitting on the head with an iron rod, till they know the struggling fish is dead. The fish was about six feet long and it was a Barracuda (JEELA). This beating was done on Five huge fellows. I gave up the idea of putting out a boat, after seeing the brutal killing. That was the end of my seeking wealth from the sea. So happy I kept away.

  2. Susantha Wijesinghe Says:

    continued:-

    OFCOURSE, THIS TYPE OF KILLING WILL NOT HAPPEN IN BIG TRAWLERS. THEY WILL JUST GO DOWN INTO THE HOLD.

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