No one above law - President

Chaminda Perera reporting from Ratnapura

*Time for all political parties to join hands with Govt

*Govt not prepared to protect those transcending legal framework

No one should be above the law and the Government is not prepared to protect anybody who is trying to transcend the legal framework of the country, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

“The people who lack self discipline should not be in the service of either the police or Armed Forces. One or two indisciplined persons even in the police could put the country into disrepute. Discipline should be maintained in all institutions”, the President added.

He was speaking at a felicitation ceremony organised by the Ratnapura District Secretariat with the coordination of Maha Sangha and civil society representatives in the Sabaragamuwa Province at the historical Maha Saman Devalaya, Ratnapura.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, former Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Donald Perera, Former Army Commander and present Chief of Defence Staff General Sarath Fonseka, Former Navy Commander Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, Air Force Commander Air Chief Marshal Roshan Gunathilake, IGP Jayantha Wickremaratne and Civil Defence Force Chief Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera were felicitated at this ceremony. The President added that there should be no place in the Armed Forces or Police for persons who do not have control over themselves.

He added the Government appreciates the high standard of discipline shown by the Armed Forces and the Police during the humanitarian operation which liberated the country from the clutches of terrorism.

“Our Armed Forces and the Police earned plaudits from the world due to their high degree of conduct during the humanitarian mission”, he said.

President Rajapaksa said this situation should be maintained in the Armed Forces at all times. He added the Government has not reduced the country’s security and it succeeded in apprehending the terrorist leaders who were absconding in foreign lands.

President Rajapaksa said the elimination of terrorist leaders and their colleagues will not give assurance that all aspects of national security were fulfilled. “We did not stop our mission against terrorists though we exulted over the Security Forces victory over terrorism, he added.

He added that the Government stays vigilant over terrorists and their overseas activities. “We are capable of annihilating any force who pose a threat to democracy and territorial integrity of the country irrespective of the place they stay in the world.

“We will rebuild this country in a way that nobody can divide and we are committed to create an environment where people of all communities could live in peace”, he added.

“The Government was honest and sincere in its endeavour to liberate the country from terrorism and this policy will be applied for the implementation of massive development drive which is aimed at bringing prosperity to the country, the President said.

He said the Government has the responsibility to rebuild the country which was liberated from the clutches of terrorism by the Security Forces personnel. They sacrificed their lives for the country and we are duty- bound to make their families happy. “We did not give into any pressure excerted by the external forces . What we focused was the freedom of all communities, he said.

The enthusiasm showed by the people towards the elimination of terrorism should equally be focused on the development of the country. The people and political parties should join hands with the Government to rebuild the country.

“Time has come for all political parties despite their ideologies to join hands with the Government to rebuild the country.

Certain Political parties opposed the government’s move against the terrorists but time has come for them to join hands with us if they truly love the people. The President said people could visit religious places without fear. “The Security Forces have created an atmosphere where people of different faith could visit their religious places without fear. Hundreds of thousands of devotees participated in the Madhu Church festival due to the sacrifice made by the Security Forces personnel”, he said.

The President said the Government would not have been able to eradicate terrorism if the Government aimed at gaining petty political gains. “The mission against terrorism was entirely free from political agenda and we would not be able to make that achievement if we had a hidden agenda” , he said.

The People in the Sabaragamuwa fought against the Portuguese invasion and they sacrificed their lives for the country.

Their offspring even after hundred years later sacrificed their lives for the country following the footsteps of their forefathers, he said.