President says :

NCP people didn’t flee

Nimal WIJESINGHE

The people in the North Central Province didn’t flee in fear of LTTE terrorists leaving their villages and property.

Buddhist priests protected the shrines from LTTE attacks. If not for them we would have to start our war against the LTTE from another location such as Kurunegala, Matale or Negombo, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday.

The President was addressing priests and religious dignitaries in the Anuradhapura district and the people of Rajarata gathered at the auditorium of the Sri Maha Bodhi temple where the felicitations and tribute awarding to the President, Chief of Defence staff, the Commanders of Army, Navy and Air Force, the Inspector General and the Director General of the Civil Security Force by Maha Sangha of the Maha Vihara sect and the people in NCP in admiration and the appreciation of yeoman service rendered in eradicating the LTTE from the country. Atamasthanadhipathi Venerable Dr. Pallegama Sirinivasa Nayake Thera bestowed the Sannas Pathraya on President Rajapaksa conferring the honorary title Sri Weerawickrama Lankethiswara as unanimously decided by the Maha Vihara Sangha Sabha.

The Hindu, Islam, Catholic and Christian clergy simultaneously offered their religious observances on behalf of their devotees to the President at the ceremony.

The President addressing the religious gathering said that in respect and gratitude of the people in Rajarata he would initiate a massive development plan to empower the livelihood of them while upgrading the infrastructural facilities and conserving the religious monuments and shrine to convert the North Central Province to a ‘Rajarata’ in reality, restoring the past glory and splendour that prevailed during the time of great kings.

“I with the assistance of great war heroes have erased the threat of boundary villages from the country’s map. Once this development process has taken place there will be no undeveloped villages too in future in Rajarata.

“I have also determined and intended firmly to provide everything including all comforts of life of which the people of the country were deprived of during the last three decades in which the country was in the clutches of LTTE terrorism,” the President emphasised.

The President recalled the greatest Military victory of the Forces by eliminating LTTE terrorism and its leader Prabhakaran on May 18.

The President addressing the religious gathering said that in respect and gratitude of the people in Rajarata he would initiate a massive development plan to empower the livelihood of them while upgrading the infrastructural facilities and conserving the religious monuments and shrine to convert the North Central Province to a ‘Rajarata’ in reality, restoring the past glory and splendour that prevailed during the time of great kings. “I with the assistance of great war heroes have erased the threat of boundary villages from the country’s map. Once this development process has taken place there will be no undeveloped villages too in future in Rajarata.

Also I have determined and intended firmly to provide everything including all comforts of life of which the people of the country were deprived of during the last three decades in which the country was in the clutches of LTTE terrorism,” the President emphasised.

The President recalled the greatest Military victory of our Forces by eliminating LTTE terrorism, and its leader Prabhakaran on May 18.

Irrespective of all differences of caste, creed, religion or nationality, every citizen rallied round the National Flag with the defeat of LTTE terrorism.

This trend of freedom, happiness and peace should prevail forever and the whole country should endeavour to make it,” President Rajapaksa said.

North Central Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake who organised the ceremony presented mementoes from people of Rajarata to the President, the Commanders of the Armed Forces, the IGP and the Director General of the Civil Defence Force.