‘Executive presidency helped resolve problems’

Lakshmi de Silva

Sri Lanka suffered the most difficult years. The Government faced a brutal group of terrorists while also facing international pressure to stop the war against the terrorists.

The executive presidency helped resolve these problems as it had the constitutional power to make urgent decisions, Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga said yesterday.

Addressing the Sri Lankan Professional Forum at the Mahaweli Center yesterday, he shared some lesser known facts on the topic “Inside View 2005 to 2009” During this period most professionals left the country after writing their last will and I also wrote my last will though I did not leave the country.

The President did not bow down to pressure though he attempted to hold talks with the terrorists and he was forced to start the war in 2006 June from Mavil Aru.

The LTTE during the war made a human shield with people drawn from many areas and they finally became the Internally Displaced Persons.

There was immense foreign pressure to stop the humanitarian operation including that from India but President when asked by India to stop the war politely told India he had a mandate from the people to defeat terrorism.