Minister denies military involvement in the sacred area of Madhu

Defence Spokesman, Minister Keheliya Rambukwella addressing the media this morning (30) in Colombo stated that the bomb blast in Periya Madhu had nothing to do with operations engaged in by the security forces. It was baseless to accuse the forces when the incident occurred in a no-war zone and moreover a sacred area in Mannar, he said.
The security forces operate with great respect to the church and the religious area and in fact the Army has avoided the area even though it is relatively easier to clear, the minister said.The minister stated that the government deeply regrets that such an explosion that destroyed about 17 lives had occurred and also regretted the Bishop's statement that the SLMM could have done something to identify the offenders.The Minister further said that the SLMM had been based in Colombo and could have done nothing in terms of identifying perpetrators of the brutal action. "Being a sacred area with no military involvement the LTTE was freely carrying on its day to day activities in the area. Though the government with sheer respect for the area kept away from any military offensive, in the future, if necessary the government would have to consider what action it should take," he added.The Minister regretted that certain media have made unsubstantiated accusations even giving publicity to elements that are clearly bent on compromising the sovereignty of the nation.