He told a media briefing that the government would do its best to identify the assistance coming in from foreign elements to those who had not grabbed the opportunity to be rehabilitated but hoped to set up Eelam. “We will identify the foreign links and their local counterparts with the assistance of friendly countries, agencies and the Interpol and expose them. It is the roar of the tiger that came from the Vavuniya prison on Friday. We can imagine what terrorists like Rudrakumaran will do if they are given an opportunity,” the minister said. “Never forget that Sri Lanka has friends and enemies. Our enemies have not given up from their objective of creating a separate state in Sri Lanka. We have experience on what they did in London and Geneva recently.”

The minister said the objective of conducting the Sabaragamuwa, North Central and Eastern provincial council elections prematurely was to show the world that the government has the blessings of the people and UPFA government’s popularity was intact.

Commenting on the dry weather conditions that has devastated the food bowl in the NorthCentral, Eastern and part of the Sabaragamuwa province, the minister said the government would provide all possible assistance to the people in the three provinces to overcome their predicament.

“We will start by giving a daily stipend to the families that have been affected by the drought and employ them to repair tanks, tank bunds and canals until the Maha Season. In addition, farmers will be provided seed paddy and fertilizer by the government,” the minister said. He said the opposition was in total disarray and frightened to face elections and that was why the UNP went to courts to prevent early elections. In contrast, the UPFA government is fully confident of victory as there was no policy change since 2005 and had done much to develop the country in all spheres.

The minister said inflation, unemployment and the budget deficit have been brought down to a single digit and the GDP growth has risen to a record level. Therefore, the UPFA faces PC polls with confidence and will show the international community that the people are with the government.

Source: Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka