LTTE “ideology” yet to be defeated: Sirisena

Thursday, 21 January 2016 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

President Maithripala Sirisena on Tuesday hailed the Government forces for defeating the LTTE on the battlefield, but warned that the separatist group’s ideology was alive and well overseas.

Speaking at a ceremony to declare open Sri Lanka’s first-ever hydrotherapy pool dedicated to 46 recuperating differently-abled war heroes at the Attidiya rehabilitation and wellness resort, President Sirisena said that the Government had to adopt different strategies to defeat this ideology.

“This is our challenge. We have to eliminate the LTTE’s ideology at geo-political, scientific, social, economic and overseas levels. The Government has fearlessly undertaken that challenge because the LTTE ideology has still not abandoned the notion of a separate country in Sri Lanka. In the post-war period in the past, nothing of that sort or any such moves were initiated with correct decisions and approaches. Only by doing so can we create a just society where all can co-exist happily and peacefully without letting more and more bloodshed as we have continuously witnessed for 26 years in our resplendent island,” President Sirisena underlined.

The President said that his Government was fully committed to strengthen the national security needs and accordingly no one should have any doubts on the matter.

“In order to prevent any recurrence of the LTTE’s ruthless war, we have to understand today’s responsibility that has befallen us in proper context and correct perspective, setting aside narrow-minded and unfounded viewpoints. We do not want to see our young ones, like those we saw now, sacrifice their precious lives and limbs again,” he said.

The President accused the media and political opponents of spreading falsehoods about the Government being forced to pull out troops in the north and weaken the country’s security. “In some instances, they are even going to the extent of claiming that the Government was being “pressurised” to curtail national security,” President Sirisena said.

He denied claims that any foreign country or for that matter, any such leader, had advocated such a notion. “For narrow political gains, such canards are spread by interested parties who do not like to appreciate our reconciliation or friendly approaches to all communities. Some, having fully realised the realities ahead of us, pretend that they do not understand our moves in this direction,” the President added.

The President went on to say that the social responsibility of nursing and caring for the patriots who gave life and limb for the country was a task for all Sri Lankans. “We are grateful to them forever for it. We salute them and our admiration of them remains yesterday, today and tomorrow,” President Sirisena further added.

The 16.2m x 12.6m size state-of the-art hydrotherapy pool constructed by the Young Constructors Forum (YCF) has been designed with a slope with three different depths, enabling disabled soldiers to undergo therapies while being in their wheelchairs. Four physiotherapists and 20 patients can receive treatment at a time.