President tells New York Lankans:

Country sans terrorism soon

NEW YORK: President Mahinda Rajapaksa expressed the hope that very soon all Sri Lankans living overseas will be able to return to a country that had been completely rid of the scourge of terrorism.

Addressing Sri Lankans at the New York Bauddha Viharaya while on his visit to attend the 63rd UNGA Sessions the President said he would not hesitate to take decisions that has a bearing on the future of the country.

He said special attention would be paid to the younger generation who is the future of the country. He said in the face of the multifarious challenges he is confronted with both locally and on the international front they are risking their lives to ensure that the future generation is left with an undivided country.

“Whether you are from Killinochchi, Batticaloa or the South my aim is to treat you all as my children and build a country where you all can live as free citizens,” the President said.

The President said a wrong picture is being painted through certain media to Lankans living abroad. “But you who really love the country are aware of the true position and I am sure you will not be deceived by such distortions”.

“It is my duty to explain to you the victories and progress we have achieved during the past three years. When I was entrusted with the country three years ago the peoples’ expectation was to see the protection of the unitary state of the country. They gave me a mandate to accomplish this task”.

“I was elected President at a time the LTTE was spreading it’s reign in the North and East. It was preparing to set up a separate state. No sooner I assumed office the LTTE killed unarmed soldiers. They killed 200 innocent civilians including toddlers and pregnant mothers. In the end the LTTE shut down the Mavilaru anicut cutting out drinking water to the people and the farmers’ cultivations.

“We held discussions to solve the issue. But the LTTE refused to come to a settlement. There fore, we were compelled to start a humanitarian operation to ensure the innocent people were not deprived of a basic need and to uphold their rights.”

The President said they were able to use the Mavilaru operation as a springboard to rid the entire East of LTTE terrorism. Thereafter, they took steps to restore democracy in the region.

“Thus we were able to hold elections in the East barely one year after liberating the province and restore the political and democratic rights of the people”.

Significantly, the Chief Minister of the Provincial Council was a former child soldier of the LTTE Sivaneshwaran Chandrakanthan, the President noted.

“At the moment we have launched an accelerated development programme for the East. We have showcased to the world how terrorism could be defeated and at the same time restore democracy and conduct accelerated development.”

The President observed there certain organisations who had branded him as a war President. “I am not a war monger. My aim is to create an environment where the innocent people could live enjoying the fruits of freedom and democracy. What we are doing by our humanitarian operation is to achieve this objective”.

He questioned how the North could be under the LTTE when all food provisions and medical facilities are supplied by the Government.”It is we who pay the pensions of those citizens. So, how can the LTTE claim that this areas is under them”.

He said the only thing was the LTTE were not allowing them to enter the North and that it is his mission to change this situation. “I was not elected three years ago only to be the President of the South. Be they from the South, Killinochchi or Batticaloa they are all my children. It is our duty to create the climate for them to live in peace and amity. There has to be a country where they can live together. My mission is to accomplish this task”.

The President noted that there was only four and half kilometers more to Killinochchi and it was a matter of time before this will be

liberated. He had instructed the Security Forces to conduct their humanitarian operations in such way as not to harm the civilian population. “We shall liberate the North and develop it.We will grant the people of the North the democratic and political freedom”, the President emphasized.

“We care against war.But it is our duty to protect the Motherland. The successful programme of my Government was recently endorsed by the people of North Central and Sabaragamuwa Provinces”.