Congratulations to new President
 

Ven. Dhammaloka Thera extends blessings to Mahinda

Jathika Hela Urumaya MP Ven. Uduwe Dhammaloka Thera, who expressed support to UNP candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe during the polls campaign, said yesterday he would support the new President in his endeavours.

Extending his blessings to President-elect Mahinda Rajapakse, Ven. Dhammaloka Thera praised the role by the JVP to elect him. He also commended the law enforcement authorities and the public for helping to keep law and order during and after the poll.

He said the election proved that Wickremesinghe would not divide the country. This was proved by the fact that Tigers did not allow voters in areas under their control to exercising their franchise.

Solheim congratulates Mahinda

NORWEGIAN Minister of International Development Erik Solheim yesterday warmly congratulated Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse on his election as President.

Solheim said: "the Norwegian government looks forward to continuing our close cooperation with the new President and the Government of Sri Lanka in a wide range of areas, including support for efforts to achieve a lasting peace that inspires confidence in all Sri Lankans."

Noting that Rajapakse had received a mandate from voters to work towards a negotiated political settlement of the conflict, Solheim extended assurances of strong international support as the new president grasps the key challenges of preserving the ceasefire with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and taking forward the peace process.

"The Government of Norway is deeply committed to promoting peace and reconciliation internationally," Solheim said.

"Norway remains willing to facilitate the peace process in Sri Lanka for as long as the two parties request such assistance, and for as long as it is possible for Norway to play a constructive role."

Solheim has responsibility for support for the peace process within the Norwegian government.

Mahinda understands rural folks' needs: DM

People's Alliance General Secretary and Posts, Telecommunications and Udarata Development Minister D. M. Jayaratne has congratulated the newly elected President Mahinda Rajapakse on his victory achieved through dedication, resolve and correct vision and wished him the blessings of the Sacred Tooth relic for the success of his mission safeguarding towards a unitary Sri Lanka.

Jayaratne in his congratulatory message said the people of Sri Lanka had now taken the most important decision in the country's history by electing a persion who understood the voice and needs of the rural folk as their President.

The message said Rajapakse was only a youth aged 23 when he was first elected to Parliament. He manages there after following in the footsteps of his late father D. A. Rajapakse, he performed a heroic deed by rendering an epochal service to eradicate the slavish mentality of the people and foster patriotism and self reliance.

Rajapakse is a true villager who identified the scent of the toiling farmers throughout his erudite political life of 37 years he had made his mark among not only the people of Giruwapattuwa, but the whole country and beyond through his actions without changing into political theories.

The Mahinda symbol is a symbol of friendship which said that there are no permanent friends or foes in politics.

It was Mahinda's father, the late D. A. Rajapakse who followed late Prime Minister S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike like his shadow when he left the UNP on September 2, 1951 to form the SLFP.

Following in the footsteps of his father he always dreamt about a peaceful country as a life member of the SLFP. He was equally concerned about the trials, tribulations and aspirations of the Tamils in the North dogged by flames of war as well as those of the people of the South.

A devout Buddhist, who valued the ideas of freedom and equality espoused by Buddhism, he respected the rights of others to follow their own religious persuasions.

He also considered Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Burghers as patriotic citizens who should all be termed as "Sri Lankans". That is why he pledged to create a respectable peace where every one could act freely and independently within an undivided nation.

From now on he would take up the challenge of implementing the 'Mahinda Chinthanaya' aimed to look at a new world through the dawn of peace without dividing the nation.

At a time when rightist extremists resorted to shortsighted actions for the furtherance of the nation, Rajapakse who represented Leftist progressives posed a challenge to all reactionary forces in the country.

Rajapakse who had a clear action plan to defeat reactionaries crying hoarse within Parliament and political platforms possessed great oratorical skills to describe him even as the second silver tongue of Asia.

Although he did not use any harsh words to suppress his opponents used clever words to awaken the Sinhalese towards a giant step forward in ushering in the country's development in cultural, social and economic sphere.

He believed that development of the villages was a pre-requisite to develop the cities. To achieve this, he did everything to empower the individual.

Even from Opposition ranks, he has always tried to eradicate the frustrations caused to people by other governments. It was his great commitment towards the people's course that made him to launch, a grand march (pada yatra) from Colombo to Kataragama.

A grateful appreciation of the people: Berty

North Central Province Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake said the 2005 Presidential Election results could be described as the people's grateful appreciation of the immense services rendered by Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse towards their well-being during his long political journey.

The results also clearly showed that the people of Anuradhapura could not be easily bought over for money, he said.

The Governments of President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga has done a great service towards the development and welfare of the district and its people during the last 11 years.

On the other hand, people in Anuradhapura have realised that Samurdhi is a practical and pragmatic programme aimed for their future welfare by eradicating poverty in the region.

Furthermore looking at the manifestos of the Presidential candidates, the people of the Anuradhapura district had considered Rajapakse's manifesto as the best and most practical among them.

While wishing the President and the people all strength to build a new Sri Lanka, Dissanayake has thanked the Anuradhapura District Secretary who acted as Returning Officer and his staff as well as the Elections Commissioner and his staff, Provincial DIG and other Police personnel for acting in an impartial manner to ensure a free and peaceful election in the district.

NCP Minister thanks masses
 

BY CHULA BANDARA Senaratne

North Central Province Food and Co-Operatives, Housing and Construction, Power and Energy Minister H.B. Semasinghe thanked the masses for their right decision to elect a patriotic President who valued countries cultural and social values and who loves the people of the country.

He said people of Anuradhapura took great pains in voting for Mahinda Rajapakse amid many tricks played by the UNP with the help of some businessmen and several others.

"Let our voters proved to be wise enough avoid all those tricks," he said. He paid his gratitude to them for voting Rajapakse correctly understanding their duty by the country.