MURDERING CIVILIANS UNDER COVER OF WAR WON’T BE CONDONED: CBK
„Says accountability means being fair on both sides of the conflict „Later she spoke to the residents of Ponnalai
Former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has said that anyone proven guilty of murdering innocent civilians under the pretext of fighting a war will be held accountable through a due process and that accountability means being fair on both sides of the conflict.
Ms. Kumaratunga said this when addressing a workshop for the security forces to create awareness about the work being carried out by the ONUR and the reconciliation priorities of the government.
The workshop was held at the Jaffna Auditorium and it was hosted by Major General Mahesh Senanayake (Chief of Staff - SL Army and Commander of Sfhq-jaffna) and Division commanders.
Under the Coordinated District Development Project, the Onur-funded Fisheries Auction Centre at Chulipuram West was officially opened. The main event was held at the Divisional Secretary’s office in Tellippalai.
Onur-funded projects such as the construction of the Primary Health Care Centre at Palai Veemankamam in Tellippalai, Coastal Area Salt Water Barrier bund at Ponnalai to prevent the contamination of well water, the Renovation of the Yaanaivilunthan Tank and Canal at Uduppiddy South, Construction of Gramadhaya Health Centre and other facilities at Polikandy and Polikandy South Rural Water Supply Scheme at Polikandy South.
Under the Village-based Enterprise Development Project, the Mango Village Programme in Tellippalai East, Pineapple Cultivation Programme at Karanaivai West and Solar Panel and Inverter for Motor at Point Pedro were inaugurated.
Chief Minister C. Vigneswaran, State Minister of Child Affairs, Vijayakala Maheswaran, District Secretary of Jaffna, V Vethanayagam, parliamentarians Mawai Senathirajah and E Saravanabavan, ONUR Director General M S Jayasinghe, ONUR Director Danesh Casie Chetty and a host of elected officials and government officers took part in the proceedings.
In Ponnalai, the ONUR Chairperson Ms. Kumratunga had an informal Q and A session with local residents where an honest dialogue took place on various issues. The residents handed over letters of request detailing some of the longstanding issues for which they deemed that ONUR’S intervention was required.