Murdering civilians under cover of war won't be condoned: CBK

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.

She 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, 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 including the construction work 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 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.

And under the Village based Enterprise Development Project, inauguration of 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 Affair, 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 requests detailing some of the longstanding issues for which they deemed ONUR's intervention was required.