Then extremists settled over 60,000 in Mullaitivu - Ellawela Medananda Thera

Upali KARUNARATNE

JHU leader Ven. Ellawela Medananda Thera yesterday charged that certain extremist forces and politicians with ulterior motives, had taken steps some time back, to forcibly re-settle over sixty thousand civilians in Mullaitivu, in addition to it’s traditional population, in order to make Vanni a future military hub.

The Thera also said that that some NGO’s which entered the country with the promise of helping Sri Lanka, had ultimately ended up helping the LTTE.

Ven. Medananda Thera addressing the media pointed out that in a short span of 10 years the population in Mullaitivu had grown from 73010 (1971) to 143803 (1981).

He also noted that the humanitarian mission which started with the Mavilaru incident was coming to a close today, and the Security Forces were engaging the Tigers with the utmost caution in order to minimise civilian casualties. In this backdrop the role of the Opposition parties should be to support the Government while engaging in constructive criticism and the media too has a crucial role to play in this context, the Thera added.

While stressing that the Government would easily win the upcoming PC polls the Thera said that this would act as a catalyst in ushering peace and development in the North.

The Thera also urged all progressive forces to unite in this crucial juncture, shedding their differences for the greater good of the nation.