The top government official in Sri Lankan handling the current military action against Tamil Tiger rebels in the north said on Tuesday that action was not meant to undermine any community.
Gotabhaya Rajapakse, the Ministry of Defense Secretary, who is also the brother of President Mahinda Rajapakse, was quoted as saying by the state radio, Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation, that present military action was not meant to target the Tamil minority community.
"We are only fighting against terrorism -- we do that to bring in peace to the country," Rajapakse said.
He urged all Sri Lankan people to unite in the fight against terrorism.
"Human Rights and freedom of media can be safeguarded in a democratic society which is free of terrorism," Rajapakse stressed.
Sri Lanka's government troops say they have neared the end in the fight against the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) and it will only be a matter of time before the entire Northern Province is freed of the rebels.
In mid-2007 the government announced the clearing of the entire Eastern Province from rebels' control heralding two democratic elections in the province.
Source: Xinhua
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