North awaits:
Spring of Freedom
Rohan MATHES
*Time to inform world of progress
towards restoring democracy and freedom in North
*Our economic indicators display a
robust economy
*Sufferings of the Tamil people in
the North are those imposed by the LTTE
The dawn of a new spring of freedom and development awaits the North
of Sri Lanka, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing Sri Lanka’s
Honorary Consuls abroad at a meeting and a working session organised by
the Foreign Ministry at the Presidential Secretariat, Colombo yesterday.
“It is time for you to inform the world of the progress we are making
towards restoring democracy and freedom in the North, and counter the
ill informed charges being made about the plight of the innocent Tamil
people there,” he further added. Continuing further the President said:
“Despite being a developing country, Sri Lanka has many notable and
multi-faceted achievements to its credit already. “The economic
indicators depict a robust and a vibrant economy which has been able to
withstand and be resilient even in the face of the current global
economic downturn.” “Despite all these noteworthy achievements, Sri
Lanka, a vibrant democracy, has yet to reach its full potential in its
quest and realization of peace in the land.
Successive Governments have failed in this arduous task of talking
peace during the last three decades, with the LTTE, most ruthless and
armed terrorist outfit which has been banned in several countries,
inclusive of the US, UK, India and the EU.”
“He went on to say that having failed in all his efforts to achieve
peace with the LTTE through negotiations he had no other alternative,
but to take resolute action to defend his people from the atrocities and
heinous crimes committed by the LTTE terrorists.”
“My sincere efforts were rejected by the LTTE, which responded with
an intensified campaign of violence and terror, violating every
provision of the Ceasefire Agreement that was in place at the time,” he
said.
President Rajapaksa opined that the Security Forces are now reaping
the results in their relentless efforts to liberate the civilians held
hostage and used as human shields by the terrorists, in the uncleared
areas.
“Our Security Forces are not only engaged in freeing the territory
held by the terrorists, but also are engaged in a humanitarian mission.
Their mission is to free the people in the areas under LTTE
domination, and restore peace, freedom and democracy to the Tamil people
of the North, having succeeded in the East. No other Security Force in
the world has ever successfully combatted terrorism with ‘zero
casualties’,” he claimed.
He categorically stated that the people in their respective countries
should be told that the sufferings of the Tamil people in the North,
should be totally attributed to the LTTE, who mislead, misrepresent and
falsely claim to be their liberators, when they are none other than
their greatest oppressors.
“The world must know, through you, that the Dawn of a New Spring of
freedom and development, awaits the North of Sri Lanka very soon,” he
said.
President Rajapaksa also urged the Consuls to transcend their usual
and traditional roles and endeavour to bring-in more foreign investors
to the country. He requested them to travel out of Colombo, to the rural
areas and assess the true potential therein.
“My goal is to enhance the gross productivity of the village and link
it with the rest of the world,” he added.
Foreign Minister Rohitha Bogollagama also addressed the august
gathering. He presented the first copy of the ‘Flashback 2007’ magazine
to President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the ceremony. |