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Tuesday, February 17, 2009 - 4.07 GMT |
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My people not exhibits – IDPs well cared for
- President |
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President Mahinda Rajapaksa reiterated that
he will never ever be prepared to display to
the world his motherland or its people, as
sympathy evoking exhibits.
Categorically rejected allegations made by
certain quarters, including sections of the
international community, about the ill
treatment of Internally Displaced Persons,
pointing out that the innocent internally
displaced civilians of the Vanni, were cared
for, as our own kith and kin, by the
Government. “It was the ruthless LTTE which
has caused heinous crimes and atrocities to
these civilians, and not the Government, the
President said.
President Rajapaksa stated this addressed a
large gathering including Ministers,
Parliamentarians, religious dignitaries and
the public at a ceremony to hand over a
25,000 square feet, three-storeyed, new
building complex, for an outpatient and a
special clinical division to the Homagama
Base Hospital, donated by the Bamunuarachchi
Foundation, at Homagama yesterday.
President Rajapaksa said, “We have at all
times, treated those civilians fleeing from
the grip of the terrorists to the safe
zones, most humanely.
“ I have made an open invitation to the
Secretary General of the United Nations, to
come and see for himself, our utmost and
profound commitment in providing all their
medical and other requirements”, he said..
Reminiscing on events consequent to the
tsunami catastrophe in 2004, President
Rajapaksa said that although certain
international agencies had acted in a bona
fide compassionate manner, some had only
visited the country for curiosity,
notwithstanding the plight and sufferings of
the victims. Their true contribution to the
victims had been minimal in the process.
Lauding the Bamunuarachchi Foundation for
this most charitable donation, the President
underscored the importance of protecting not
only one’s business per se, but also his
motherland, in which his business is carried
out.
“Some businessmen are solely concerned of
the future of their business, with no due
consideration as to the safety of their
country”, he claimed.
These charitable ventures are most opportune
now, in an era we have achieved our second
independence. The Government has allocated a
gigantic sum of rupees 89 million for the
provision of adequate health facilities and
education, next only to the expenditure on
national security.
Our maternal and infant mortality rates are
the best in the Asian region. We have
refurbished the most remote hospitals,
inclusive of estate hospitals, and brought
them to more sophisticated and
fully-equipped levels.
Referring to the recent historic and
landslide victories in the Wayamba and
Central Provincial Council elections,
President Rajapaksa pointed out that these
decisions were very encouraging and
displayed the full endorsement of the
Governments policies and the tributes paid
to our gallant war heroes, who have
sacrificed their lives for their cause in
protecting their motherland, the President
said.
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