Govt does not have will to help Tamils - Wigneswaran

Govt does not have will to help Tamils - Wigneswaran

May 30, 2015   10:26 am

Chief Minister of Sri Lanka’s Northern Province, C.V. Wigneswaran, has accused the country’s Central government of not “having the will” to help Tamils or minorities.

Pointing out that this had been the “characteristic” of what had been taking place in the country, Mr. Wigneswaran told an international tele-press conference on Thursday night that “the Central government in Sri Lanka will not do anything towards the minorities or the Tamils unless they are forced to do something.”  

International pressure

The conference was organised by the Oakland Institute, an American policy think-tank, in connection with the release of two reports on a range of issues concerning Tamils. There had to be “international pressure” on the government, he insisted.

According to him, the land released by the Army, which continues to control “fertile lands,” in the Northern Province was “infertile.”

Referring to a star hotel being maintained by the Army in the Province, the Chief Minister recalled that President Maithripala Sirisena had made an offer to him to take over the hotel and run it as a conference hall. State Minister of Defence Ruwan Wijewardene had told The Hindu a few days ago that no decision had yet been taken as there were two views within the government on the issue.  

No exodus of soldiers yet

As for the presence of security forces in his province, the Chief Minister said that though there had been a general call urging soldiers to get back to barracks, there was “no exodus of soldiers from the northern province which is perceivable by anyone.”  

Source: The Hindu

 

Disclaimer: All the comments will be moderated by the AD editorial. Abstain from posting comments that are obscene, defamatory or slanderous. Please avoid outside hyperlinks inside the comment and avoid typing all capitalized comments. Help us delete comments that do not follow these guidelines by flagging them(mouse over a comment and click the flag icon on the right side). Do use these forums to voice your opinions and create healthy discourse.

Most Viewed Video Stories

Plans underway to remove illegal constructions threatening Sigiriya – Archeology DG (English)

Plans underway to remove illegal constructions threatening Sigiriya – Archeology DG (English)

Govt appoints committee to tackle plastic pollution (English)

Customs records over Rs. 1 Trillion in revenue in first six months of 2025 (English)

One person killed, Mangala's former private secretary injured in shooting at Kandana

🔴LIVE | Ada Derana Prime Time News Bulletin | 2025.07.03

Elon Musk's Starlink launches satellite internet in Sri Lanka (English)

Sri Lanka to receive 5th IMF tranche following 4th review approval (English)

Foreign university scholarships for A/L top achievers (English)