Courage and clear policy
Lakshmi DE SILVA
The President is being informed of the future plans of the
regiment |
There was no other leader in our history who had faced so much of
internal and international pressure like our leader President Mahinda
Rajapaksa during the past two and half years. Yet President Rajapaksa
had the courage, a clear policy and firmness to achieve the historic
victory over the most ruthless terrorist group in the world, Agriculture
and Mahaweli Development Minister Maithreepala Sirisena said at a press
conference held at the Mahaweli centre Colombo yesterday.
Neighbouring countries
We thank all the countries that supported us to defeat terrorism,
especially our neighbouring countries, India, Pakistan, China, Russia,
Japan and Vietnam he said.
During our youth we were told to be as strong as Tito or Castro, but
today we can tell the younger generation of the whole world to be as
strong as President Rajapaksa. That was the transformation that we have
witnessed during our life time he noted.
Transport and Railways Minister Dallas Alahapperuma said over 80,000
Muslims chased out of their villages in the North were languishing in
IDP shelters for the past 18 years. The LTTE gave those people only 24
hours to leave their homes allowing only 12 kilograms of their
belongings to be taken with them.
Refugees
There were 132 refugee camps in South India where 70,000 Sri Lankan
Tamils were languishing but no one speaks about all those refugees but
today all seemed to be concerned about the IDPs who were held hostage by
the LTTE. The Government had fulfilled its obligation to these IDPs
providing them with food, shelter, sanitation and even education for
their children.
He said President Rajapaksa said in his address to Parliament that he
had asked the international community not to offer advice to us about
how to run our internal affairs but to support us to resolve our
problems like the rehabilitation of the IDPs and the regions devastated
by the LTTE terrorists.
The opposition had made attempts to vilify President Rajapaksa and
Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and Army Commander Gen Sarath
Fonseka accusing the President of having a secret agreement with the
LTTE leader. They accused Defence Secretary of entering into a shady
deal over the purchase of military aircraft. The Opposition members who
made these charges however did not come before a parliamentary committee
appointed to go into these allegations.
Vilification
Such vilification of the President, Defence Secretary and the Army
Commander caused pain of mind to their family members as well.
The opposition members responsible for it should now ask for
forgiveness he said. Education Minister and UPFA General Secretary Susil
Premajayantha said President Rajapaksa was a leader who changed what
people believed could not be changes and was a leader who could make
bold decisions.
When the Rajapaksa Government was formed there were only 88 seats but
today there were 129 members of the government. The President who was a
statesman, who loved his motherland and the nation and did not
discriminate on people on their ethnicity.
Untied people
It was proved by the fact that Vinayagamurthi Murlidaran a.k.a.
Karuna once a terrorist leader of the Eastern province was made a Vice
President of the SLFP and appointing Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan
a.k.a. Pillayan also a former child soldier of the LTTE as Chief
Minister of the Eastern Province.
The President had been able to bring all the people of the country
untied to resolve the problems and was a great leader.
Tourism Deputy Minister Faizer Musthapha said the fascist terrorist
leader Prabhakaran was never interested in peace and he killed more
Tamil people than people of any other community.
But President Mahinda Rajapaksa united the people of the country
under the Sri Lankan flag and now we could look forward for better
future under his leadership. The Government had decided to mark the
historic victory of the armed forces with a number of events to be held
in the next few days Agriculture and Mahaveli Development Minister
Maithreepala Sirisena said yesterday (20).
All schools will hold a felicitation ceremonies for the members of
the three armed for the armed forces at their schools today and all
public and private sector organizations have been asked to hold
felicitation events today.
Mass rally
There will a mass rally to felicitate the members of the armed forces
to be held in Colombo with a procession starting at Campbell Park ending
at the parliament grounds Kotte and about 150,000 people from all parts
of the country were expected to take part in the procession and rally.
It was not a political but national event and President Rajapaksa
will also attend the event he said. On Saturday (23) there will be
special program to visit the homes of the members of the armed forces
including the homes of those who had had suffered serious injuries
sacrificed their lives to pay respects.
Invoke blessings
On Sunday religious services will be held in places of worship of all
religions to invoke blessings on the members of the Armed Forces.
The Sri Lanka Freedom Party will hold its 19 party convention on July
05 and the executive committee will meet on May 26 General Secretary of
the SLFP and Agriculture Minister Maithripala Sirisena said at a press
conference held at the Mahaweli Centre Colombo.
The party will also hold a membership campaign with 500 new members
to be enrolled from each electorate he noted. (LdeS) |