Will not give in to any external influence over Kachchatheevu: President

• Says lands in the North acquired by security forces during the war will be returned to the people

 By Ajith Siriwardana

Claiming that a huge debate has arisen over the Kachchatheevu island, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said yesterday that the government will never give in to any external influence.

Speaking at the inauguration of the third phase of the Myliddy Fisheries Harbour Development Project in Jaffna, he said Kachchatheevu is the most important place for the fishing community.

“A huge debate has arisen over Kachchatheevu now. I hope to visit Kachchatheevu this afternoon and meet the fishing community,” he said.

The President said it is the responsibility of the government to safeguard the land, whether it is an island, the ocean or the sky. We are bound to fulfil that responsibility. Our islands are for the people, our ocean is for the people, and our sky is for the people. We will never give in to any influence,” he said. 

He stated that every plot of land in the North, which was acquired by the security forces during the war, will be returned to the people.

He said that it is the government’s responsibility to provide the necessary facilities for the fishing community and that steps are being taken to develop the fisheries harbour in the North to provide such facilities and resolve the issues faced by the fishing community.

The President further noted that although previous governments acted with the expectation of war, the present government is working with the aim of ensuring that no form of war will ever recur in this country and to build peace and harmony within the nation.