7.5.2008
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa Tuesday challenged
the elusive leader of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam
(LTTE) Velupillai Prabhakaran to 'clash with him directly'
and declared that his government would continue in its
bid to flush rebels out of their stronghold in the north.
'I
will challenge Prabhakaran to clash with me directly if
possible without engaging in a killing spree of targeting
innocent civilians, parliamentarians and ministers,' Rajapaksa
said after inaugurating the Oluvil port project in eastern
Amparai district Tuesday.
Rajapaksa,
who is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, has
said his ruling coalition 'will never backtrack on its
journey to liberate innocent civilians' living in the
LTTE-held areas in the north.
'As
much as the government liberated the people of the east
from terrorism and enabled them to enjoy the fruits of
freedom, the people of the north would also be given such
an opportunity soon,' the state-run Daily News quoted
the president as saying in Amparai.
The
inauguration of the Oluvil port project comes two days
before campaigning ends for the provincial council polls
on May 10.
'Now
the people of the east should decide whether they should
be governed by their own representatives or according
to the dictates originating from (the rebel-held) Kilinochchi.
On May 10 the people in the east will decide whether they
want the development process to continue or whether go
back to the clutches of terrorists,' Rajapaksa said.
The
main opposition United National Party (UNP) and the Marxist
Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) have urged the government
to disarm pro-government Tamil militant groups in the
east to ensure a free and fair election.
IANS