Former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said there was no any army checkpoint in the country when the Rajapaksa regime handed over the power to new government. Mr. Rajapaksa also said the former government had taken many actions to establish reconciliation throughout the country than the current government, during the post war period. “We were able to remove all the explosives from the war victimized areas after the war during a short span of 2 ½ years. We were also able to re-settle the displaced who were in the war zone within only 2 ½ years,” he added. He also said the former government has rehabilitated the LTTE cadres who were surrendered to the Tri-forces and said this could be the best example which reflect the reconciliation among nations during the former government’s term. Referring to a statement made by Labour and Trade Union Relation Minister and Senior Deputy Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) W.D.J. Seneviratne, who had said that measures were now underway for the appointment of former Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa to the post of second leader of the SLFP, Gotabaya said he can even be the first in charge of the SLFP.
