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Military solution not enough: Sri Lanka FM

By Zhang Ming'ai: 0 Comments Print E-mail China.org.cn, August 13, 2010

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A military solution was necessary to defeat terrorism in Sri Lanka but it needs to be supplemented by political initiatives, the country's Minister of External Affairs Gamini Lakshman Peiris said at the China Institute of International Studies in Beijing.

Sri Lankan Minister of External Affairs Gamini Lakshman Peiris delivers a speech "Terrorism and Global Security: Lessons Learnt from Sri Lanka" at the China Institute of International Studies in Beijing, Aug. 12, 2010. [Zhang Ming'ai/China.org.cn]

Sri Lanka defeated the most ruthless terrorist group in the world, but its government faces many post-war challenges, Peiris said.

"Military victory by itself is not going to provide us with durable and lasting solutions," he said, adding that the government needs to talk with minority groups and share power with them.

The top priority of the government is to resettle people displaced by the war, Peiris said, adding that great progress has already been made. He said the number of displaced persons has fallen to 34,000 from 297,000 in less than a year.

Peiris said the government needs to ensure that relocated people have access to sufficient income to live their lives with dignity without becoming a burden on society.

"It means opening factories, commercial establishments which will help to create employment opportunities," the minister said.

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