We will not depend on foreign aid: Rajapakse

Colombo, May 16: Reacting strongly to Britain's recent move to suspend aid to Sri Lanka, President Mahinda Rajapakse today said his coalition government would not ''depend'' on foreign financial assistance based on conditions.

''If we are offered genuine aid we will take it; if not we will forget about it and do our job,'' President Rajapakse told local newspaper editors here today at Temple Trees.

''We will not be dependent on aid. We will use our own money,'' he said in his reply to a question on freezing of aid by the UK.

''We cannot wait for assistance from any sources to carry out our responsibilities,'' the President said pointing out that his government has already undertaken the resettlement of thousands of war-hit internally displaced people (IDPs) in the east using its own money.

''Today, we use our own money for the resettlement work. We did not wait till the NGOs came with their money. The work is going on successfully,'' he commented adding his government was providing electricity and roads to the people.

''The work of resettlement, whether the tsunami displaced people or those displaced due to the conflict is the responsibility of the government. We will discharge this obligation whether we get aid or not,'' President Rajapakse said.

Britain last month announced freezing some three million dollars in debt relief and said the money would be released only if there was an improvement in the island's human rights record.

UNI