Humanitarian Operation was to rescue our own people – President

There was no targeted killing of civilians during the last phase of the humanitarian operation as some allege. The Government of Sri Lanka was engaged in an operation aimed at liberating our own people from LTTE terrorists held as human shields.

Thus, it was called the ‘Humanitarian Operation,’’ President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

“Our forces were well trained and provided with knowledge in Human Rights and international humanitarian law and always followed humanitarian norms,” President Rajapaksa said speaking to electronic and print media editors at Temple Trees yesterday.

To claim that the situation in Sri Lanka is a violation of international humanitarian norms is a total distortion of the actual ground situation and is completely wrong, the President said. It is unfortunate to see the panel of advisors appointed by the UN Secretary General ignored the facts that TNA MP Kanagaratnam revealed that LTTE killed 600 civilians who tried to escape, the President added.

Commenting on the proposed Pension Scheme for formal and non-formal sector, President Rajapaksa pointed out that the government was firm on the establishment of the pension scheme without touching the EPF.

The employees who are not entitled to pensions after retirement right now need this. Therefore, the proposed pension scheme would be set up as early as possible after consulting all stake holders such as trade unions and employers through the Tripartite Committee of the Ministry of Labour.