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Power and Energy Minister and Deputy Minister of Defence General Anuruddha Ratwatte yesterday that the capture of Elephant Pass was a temporary set back and that the Government will not lose the war and rejected LTTE demands for a ceasefire for troops evacuation. He further assured the nation that the Security Forces would defend the Jaffna Peninsula even to the last man and that Elephant Pass would be recaptured soon. Addressing Parliament at the Emergency Debate the Deputy Minister asserted that the Forces were fighting with renewed determination and that the LTTE plans to capture Jaffna was only a dream. General Ratwatte assured that the new regulations under the Public Security Ordinance were only to pre-empt possible civil disobedience in the country as happened in the past and was not to suppress anyone. He said a Civil Defence Force will be set up in every district with the participation of the people to deal with any contingency. "The people's support is necessary to win the war". He also allayed fears of the opposition that the new regulations would be used to postpone General Elections saying that the polls will be held in accordance with the constitution. He warned against the flouting of the present regulations saying that stringent measures will be taken against violators. Saluting the fighting forces and their parents, General Ratwatte noted that it was the village youth who sacrificed their lives to protect the country and in recognition of this certain new measures have been taken by the President to reward them fittingly. "So far it was only the forces who fought the war while the rest of country gave no thought to this. Now we have changed this whole idea by putting the country on a war footing." He called on the opposition to desist from playing politics and to extend its co-operation to strengthen the hand of the President at this crucial stage. Presenting casualty figures since the battle commenced on the 22nd of April General Ratwatte stated that 21 officers and 337 soldiers were killed, 128 officers and 2,440 soldiers injured and 3 officers, 346 soldiers were reported missing in action.
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