Government not against Tamils: Rajapaksa

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Wednesday said his government's fight was only against terrorism and that democracy will soon be restored in the embattled north of the country.

Rajapaksa also said that the state was not against the Tamil people but against terrorists.

Talking to heads of private and state media institutions at his residence, Rajapaksa said it was necessary to prevent communalism whether it came from the Tamils, Sinhalese or Muslims, as it posed a threat to the unity of the country.

"We must understand that all communities have equal rights as citizens of this country, and we will work to safeguard these rights," he said.

"The media should be responsible in not fanning communalism from whatever source it came," Rajpaksa said.