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Being guided by the fact that military victories cannot solve non–defence issues but provide the space for
political and economic solutions to be found the government has been compelled to use military power to destroy terrorist installations in order not to address the grievances of all our people stated Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama, when he addressed members of the Carlton
club in the UK on June 9 “A people’s mandate for democracy over terrorism in the east of Sri Lanka”.
Endorsing the Government strategy against a ruthless terrorist group which insanely targets and kills innocent
civilians, he surmised that if not for military power there could be more bloodshed. In this context Minister Bogollagama used an example of how when confronted with a serial killer the police first seek to stop the violence before delving into the causes that led to such violent
behaviour. The Foreign Minister explained the government’s determination to restore democracy and defeat terrorism. He reiterated to the distinguished audience of Conservative Party Parliamentarians and friends that the government is fully committed to addressing the grievances of
all communities through a political process, which he warned could not be concluded through artificial deadlines or at the pace of others’ wishes nor according to text book theories.
The Minister pointed out that following targeted military action, presently the eastern province had been
completely cleared of the LTTE and elections held in this region after 14 years to establish a provincial administration. He further explained that the party which had got the Chief Minister post was from a breakaway faction of the LTTE which had now entered the democratic process.
The Minister explained the pattern of voting which had taken place in the east, and other ground realities befitting the Provincial Council to be headed by a representative of the Tamil community, thereby with renegade group of the LTTE bagging the chief minister post for the east.
This he said was in contrast to the LTTE which has continuously demonstrated its disinterest in peace. Minister Bogollagama observed that in Sri Lanka it would be a challenge for those who had lived by the sword to become accustomed to the democratic process. However he was
confident that this objective would be achieved. He outlined the government’s policy to ensure a peace dividend to the people in the east who had suffered for over a decade at the hands of the terrorists. In this context he pointed out that the government was encouraging investors
to the eastern region which was being transformed with a massive economic development drive under the Reawakening of the East programme.
The Minister further elaborated on the government’s determination to clear areas of the Northern province still
in the clutches of the LTTE and restore democracy thereby creating the democratic institutions that would facilitate rapid economic development to these areas too. He said that the patience and determination to rid Sri Lanka of the scourge of terrorism and restore democracy, must
be correctly understood in this manner.
Minister Bogollagama told the audience that the LTTE has launched a two-pronged effort to stymie the military’s
efforts in dislodging them from the north as well. He said that this has led the LTTE in launching a vicious campaign of suicide bombings in Colombo and its environs, to bring pressure on the government to halt its military operations against them and secondly to use sections of
the Tamil diaspora abroad to discredit the country among the international community. He appealed to the international community not to be duped by the LTTE’s attempts to mislead them.
The event at the Carlton was chaired by Lord Cope while Shadow Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox delivered the vote
of thanks.
Sri Lanka High Commission
London
10 June 2008
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