We will not allow terrorism to raise its head again - President

Rohan Mathes

Now that the war is won and terrorism is wiped out, we can now obtain loans and investments from international agencies, to develop our country.We will however, retain and preserve the freedom, territorial integrity and the sovereignty of our motherland to its optimum, observed President Mahinda Rajapaksa when he addressed the national ceremony to hand over ‘Ran Bima’ land deeds to the recipients at Temple Trees yesterday.

President Rajapaksa reiterated that the humanitarian operations were not against the innocent Tamil people.

The operations sought to liberate them from the cruel grip of the terrorists who kept them in bondage as human shields. His Government will not permit terrorism to raise its head again.

“Today, we have an undivided and unfragmented country which needs to be secured for our future generations. It belongs to you, me and all 32 odd communities that reside in it”, he said.

He pointed out that to appease some foreign interests and to obtain monetary assistance, the past regimes had offered land on a platter to the terrorists. By this betrayal, the terrorists gathered momentum and maintained even an Army, Navy and an Air Force of their own. They had built up a massive armoury and made formidable advances in technology. They had eventually gained international recognition too.

“They would not have been contended with only the North and East. Their conceptual Eelam map extended even to Negombo, Badulla and Yala”, he added.

He lauded the gallant war heroes who didn’t own an inch of land, even to bury their dead, but still risked their lives and limbs to protect the motherland. We need to be more sensitive towards their needs, the President said.

President Rajapaksa also lauded the country’s patriotic and peace-loving working people who despite the incitement from certain reactionary forces, did not let down their country, by engaging in strikes to demand enhanced wages.

“Our success in the war was based on a well laid-out plan. We also have a plan for the economy though had diverse challenges, threats and adverse influences.

We did not curtail development in any way. We did not impose power cuts. For the first time ever, we are simultaneously developing five harbours.

We have expanded and consolidated our Government service. We will continue this trend also in the future”, he said.

The President told the recipients of the ‘Ran Bima’ land deeds, that they were extremely lucky and fortunate to celebrate the coming New Year, with the total ownership of their lands, within an undivided and unitary Sri Lanka.

Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka, Minister Rajitha Senaratna and the Chairman of the LRC Nimal Punchihewa also addressed the ceremony.