'We must stand on our own feet'

P. S. MAHAWATTE

ONE NATION: Up to the Mavil Aru confrontation, our politicians were told by every Dick, Tom and Harry of the international community, co-chairs, INGOs and NGOs that the LTTE was an invincible force and has a well equipped and trained war machine and that our Armed Forces could never defeat them at war!

This must have even caused apprehension among our brave Security Forces! But what these foreigners who had their own agendas and hopes that this country should be kept divided, did not know was that the guardian gods of Sri Lanka to whom the Buddha entrusted its security as the country that will safeguard and practise the Theravada Buddhism for the next 5,000 years, kept this country as one country for over 2,500 years in spite of all manner of invasions.

These guardian gods would never allow this country to be divided.

But will ensure that all communities living in this country will enjoy equal rights as equal citizens and the right to live and work in any part of the country.

According to my little knowledge of history of our country, it was mostly the leaders from the South that took the forefront in fighting our enemies to keep this country as one nation.

Today, as if by divine wishes, we have a man of the soil from the South leading the country. He has selected a team of patriotic, able and determined Security Force commanders to save this country from these so-called 'invincible LTTE Tigers!

They have given leadership to our brave security forces who have demonstrated to the foreigners and the doubting Thomases among our own political opportunists that this invincibility of the Tigers is a myth and today these Tigers are running like wild hyenas, killing unarmed soldiers and innocent civilians by their suicide bombers who have nothing to live for.

At least for the first time in dealing with the LTTE, our Security Forces have given adequate strength to our leaders to lay down conditions, which they dare not even attempt in the past! It is my humble submission that the Government must take a determined stand that the solution to the North East problem has to be solved by us and us alone.

Whatever the conditions which can easily be reneged by the LTTE as they have done in the past, there must be established that in future, there shall be no more any part of our country to be described as LTTE controlled areas and Government controlled areas.

All land will be controlled by the writ of the government until a solution is arrived at future meetings to devolve power.

Our brave soldiers who sacrificed their lives and limbs to restore the country's honour and dignity calling the LTTE bluff of invincibility, has given real power to President to take the decisions to solve this North and East administration problems once and for all.

We can and must learn to stand on our own feet.

We must not be cowed down by promises of additional loans or the threats of cutting loans to Sri Lanka.