Conspiracy to undermine state revenue

All of us should accept our responsibility to weed out terrorism from our midst. Terrorism has become an evil to the entire world.

Nobody would ever condone any moves to obstruct the collection of State revenue through taxation

By blocking state revenue raised through various taxes the country will be thwarted in it's development march as well as hamper the current campaign to defeat terrorism, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka declared yesterday.

He said funds are necessary to develop the country as well as to eradicate terrorism. Nobody would ever condone any moves to obstruct the collection of State revenue through taxation, the Premier said.

He was speaking at a ceremony held at the Defence Ministry to award scholarships to 239 children of the dead, missing-in-action and disabled soldiers.

The Prime Minister said: "You are well aware the scourge of terrorism enslaved the people and terrorised the country for over 30 years. The country were to be fragmented. Our gallant soldiers fight the terrorists at the risk of their lives. They have become disabled having lost their limbs in the defence of the Motherland. Whether there is war or not we have to strengthen our Forces. All of us should accept our responsibility to weed out terrorism from our midst. Terrorism has become an evil to the entire world.

Today the soldiers are fully committed to rescue the country from the grip of the terrorists. It is a national task for which all of us should contribute our lot."

The Government will never forget the disabled soldiers or their families. The Government will take every possible action to protect their families as evidenced by what we do here today, he said.

Foreign Employment Promotion Ministry Secretary and National Security Fund Secretary, Sunil Sirisena said everybody should thank the President for setting up a National Security Fund.

Not only the soldiers but also every citizen ought to share the responsibility of protecting the country from terrorism, he said.

Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Defence Chief of Staff Air Chief Marshal Donald Perera, Army Commander, Lt. General Sarath Fonseka, Air Vice Marshal, Roshan Gunatilleke, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Wasantha Karanagoda, IGP Jayantha Wickremaratne and parents of the scholarship beneficiaries also participated.