Beware of saboteurs - President

Rohan MATHES

President Mahinda Rajapaksa urged the nation to be vigilant of those who would seek to grab power at any cost, even by plunging the country to total economic chaos and bankruptcy.

The President gave this warning when he addressed the Ada Wawamu Pelayak - Heta Nelamu Palayak (Will Plant a Tree Today and Harvest its Product Tomorrow) campaign launching ceremony at Temple Trees yesterday.

The program which is under the auspices of the Co-operatives Movement, seeks to ensure future food security of the land as envisioned in the Mahinda Chintana.

It plans to plant 2,000,000 fruit-producing plants islandwide, on April 14, at an auspicious time.

President Rajapaksa stated that notwithstanding the assurances given by the Government that they would not in any way bow down to conditions stipulated by the international donor agencies such as the IMF, to obtain monetary assistance, some unscrupulous elements may still continue their smear campaigns and agitate opposite banks in protest, or despatch e-mails to the relevant agencies.

They would fabricate baseless, misleading and contradictory views and demand from them, to refrain from extending any such assistance, in order to deprive their motherland, of international assistance.

“While the LTTE terrorists blast bombs, cause carnage and retain the innocent and starving civilians entrapped as human shields, in the North, those opportunistic elements in the South, would seek to see the light of the day, and clinch power, at any cost, even by falsified political policies.

They would also strive to steer the country to total bankruptcy and its people to starvation, to achieve their goals. I do not perceive any difference between the terrorists and them.

They are both the same,” the President said.

“However, I believe, the people would undoubtedly reject and defeat those forces in toto, as they are now fully confident and appreciative of the progress and the development achieved by the government. We have a plan and the strength to implement it. The people have endorsed it. They have absolute faith in me,” President Rajapaksa said.

He pointed out that not only the North and East, but the entire country had been plagued by terrorism for over two decades. It is now liberated and free. The North and the East is under cultivation now. The co-operative movement would now combine with agricultural projects and develop the country further.

“There are about nine co-operative stores opened in the North and East and they are doing good business, making over Rs. 100,000 per day,” he added.

He asserted that under the Gama Neguma program, village development was of highest priority and over Rs. 180 million was allocated for it.

The co-operative network is vital for the distribution of essential items. “The co-operatives are part of our lives. It is in our blood. However, we need a workable and viable program,” he said.

Reminiscing the glorious past of the co-operative movement, prior to 1970, President Rajapaksa claimed that from 1977, it deteriorated heavily with the open economic policies. Those with ‘tie and coat’ attire, disregarded the co-operative and Sathosa. They made it bankrupt.

There was a time, the co-op stores was referred to as the ‘Super-Market Beggar’. Its status has now been elevated and given its due place in society. Moreover, it has been granted several subsidies and tax waivers.

He urged all officials and the hierarchy of the co-operative movement, to work in unity and harmony, without striving to sabotage or destroy the co-operative system and the good work done by some of its subordinates.

He urged all concerned with the co-operative movement, to link whole-heartedly with the agricultural programs, and work towards development of the country, so that terrorism will never ever lift its head again.

Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva stated that despite the global economic meltdown, Sri Lanka was still afloat and resilient, due to the wisdom and the foresight of the Government which relied on its indigenous economy as envisioned in the Mahinda Chintana.

He said the co-operative movement demanded the full participation and the co-operation of the masses, and therefore it fulfilled the aspirations of the people.

Minister Bandula Gunawardena said President Rajapaksa was the only leader who was forced to confront the four great crises of terrorism, oil, food security and global economy, at one given period, pro- independence era and he had convincingly won all those battles.

Ministers Hemakumara Nanayakkara, Abdul A. Majid, and Southern Provincial Council Co-operative Minister U.G.D. Ariyathilake also spoke.