COLOMBO: Foreign Minister Prof. G.L.Peiris on Sunday denied media reports that Government Ministers are rushing to the Northern Part of the country ahead of the upcoming UNHRC Session in Geneva.
He was addressing the students and the academics of the Jaffna University along with Justice Minister Ali Sabry, PC during their visit to the University of Jaffna.
He said such reports are totally unfair and untrue.
“The visit the ministers made had nothing to do with the upcoming UNHRC session,” he added.
“Our objectives are totally different. We believe that priorities of the people should be identified in their respective areas rather than all decisions being made in Colombo,” Minister Peiris said.
Meanwhile, speaking to media at the Jaffna District Secretariat, the Foreign Minister said it is very necessary for the youth of the North to strengthen and maintain contacts with their counterparts in the South in order to improve the unity and reconciliation.
He said inter-university and inter-school activities such as cultural events, cricket matches and other similar events should be organised by the students in the North and the South more frequently in order to strengthen people to people contacts.
“We have had enough divisions and suffered a lot. So, it is my request for the people in the North to join hands and work together with the people in the South,” he stressed.
He pointed out that the basic objectives of all the young people in the North and the South are the same. They all want to live a good life, have a decent income, raise a family and live in dignity. “So why do we need divisions,” the Foreign Minister questioned.
The Foreign Minister said when he visited the Jaffna University on the same day, he understood that there is no hostility among people of different communities, but only the educational system needs to be re-structured to cater for the needs of the country.CDN
