Foreign Minister tells BBC:

Democracy in North after defeating fascism

Walter JAYAWARDHANA

LONDON: Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama told British Broadcasting Corporation’s Asia Today television programme in London that projecting on the past achievements, starting from the flushing out of terrorists from the Eastern Province and re-establishing democratic institutions there, the Government could now be optimistic of cleaning the North also of the terrorists and achieving their paramount goal of establishing a pluralistic society by defeating Fascism.

Replying to the presenter of the programme, Nick Gowing, the Foreign Minister said: “We want to reach the young people who have been captivated and also been subjugated by the Tigers and tell them that time has come for them to leave.” Many have responded, he enthused.

“I think the recent developments would have shown you how much of a progress we have made, both in the Eastern front as well as the Northern front. Today, the Eastern front has embraced democracy and we are just ready ourselves for a major election to take place in the month of May.

So that picture shows what we have said in the past has come true now. And similarly, in the North, we are making good progress and the military engagement is very much on a targeted basis taking on the Tigers,” the Minister said.

He said the troops were making significant progress. “We have got the facts very much in favour of us. With that I will show you the progress we are now making in the East. That is why I say that defeating terrorism, restoring democracy and achieving a pluralistic society is our paramount goal.”

He told the interviewer that the Government has now opened up a major entry point for any one to leave the Tiger camps and reach out and the Government is prepared to assist them. This is something that we are discussing heavily in terms of the rehabilitation process on the ones who are leaving the Tiger camps.

Referring to the human rights situation, the Minister said on the U.S. State Department report that came out - I have already responded to, on March 31, and again their response to my reply has come and reached me today - in fact it has reached my address in Colombo and it has been redirected to me in London. Their position is that they want to have a continued engagement in order to see how we can improve the situation in line with my response.