May Day with the largest attendance in Sri Lanka’s
history :
No force will be allowed to rob Sri Lankans of their hard-won
freedom and peace - President Mahinda Rajapaksa
Chaminda Perera
President Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday that no force will be
allowed to deprive the country of the freedom and the peace enjoyed by
the people of all communities, with the eradication of terrorism which
plagued the country for over 30 years.
The President added that he was not ready to bow down for the sake of
remaining in power or keeping posts and called on all the people not to
betray the country for dollars or under the pretext of so called human
rights violations.
“Any attempt to disrupt the peace and freedom being enjoyed by the
people of all communities will deprive the country of the massive
development drive and its benefits, he explained.
He said that he is committed to protecting and promoting the freedom
and peace enjoyed by the people of all communities, after the
eradication of terrorism by the government, at the risk of his life.
Addressing tens of thousands of people who thronged the Colombo
Municipal Council grounds, irrespective of their political and any other
differences to mark International Workers’ Day, the President said the
working masses have always proved that they are ready to protect the
motherland.
The President said the working masses of the country participated in
May Day rallies demanding pay hikes or trade union rights in the past.
President Rajapaksa added that the people who gathered at the CMC
grounds regardless of their political and other differences, raised a
single voice for protecting and promoting the freedom won by the country
two years ago after a lapse of 30 years.
He said the government led by him succeeded in ending the era in
which suicide cadres were trained and used to kill thousands of innocent
people.
President Rajapaksa said that his government provided food and
essential items to the people of the North continuously. He said that
government servants in the area, which was under the control of LTTE
terrorists, were provided salaries and pensions in time and the father
of the LTTE leader, who was a government servant, also benefited.
President Rajapaksa revealed that the government treaded the path of
peace while food and other essential items were provided to even LTTE
terrorists who took arms against the government.
He said that the government was so concerned over human rights that
the people rescued by the security forces were provided food beyond the
food requirement recommended by the World Food Programme.
“There were only 300,000 people but the government sent food items
for 350,000 people and the UN and other officials were aware of this,”
he added.
He said that the authorities had to return over 3000 MT of excess
food items.
The President asked whether the provision of employment to former
LTTE combatants in factories instead of allowing them to wear suicide
jackets and engage in suicide missions is a violation of human rights.
“Former LTTE cadres qualify for Medical Colleges and some of them are
studying. Is this a violation of human rights,” he queried.
He said that those who are writing reports on Sri Lanka have never
been to the North. The President added these elements are trying to
bring him to the electric chair.
The President said the country witnessed several blood baths in the
North and the East as well as in the South. President added that this
should not happen again.
He said that millions of working masses expressed their solidarity
with over 300,000 people who were rescued by the security forces at the
last stages of the humanitarian operation.
He recollected how the members of the working masses in Sri Lanka
helped them during the first two or three days. The President reiterated
that pension benefits will be provided to people who are employed in the
private sector and those who are engaged in self employment ventures.
President Rajapaksa noted that the government has drafted a Private
Sector Pension Act for this purpose.
He said that he is committed to ensure pension benefits for the
private sector employees and those who are self employed.
The President commended the services of expatriate workers whose
contribution in terms of strengthening the country’s foreign exchange
reserves helped avert many obstacles. “The government has embarked on
the programme of rebuilding all infrastructure facilities destroyed by
the terrorists and it cannot be realized overnight,” he said.
He recollected how security forces personnel rescued the people who
were used as a human shield by the LTTE. He said the government was all
out to help the people who were rescued by the security forces from the
clutches of terrorists at the last stage of the humanitarian operation.
President Rajapaksa said the working masses were ensured all their
rights by the government led by former Prime Minister S.W.R.D
Bandaranaike after the 1956 national revival.
He added that the various reactionary governments that came to power
from time to time deprived the people of these rights. President
Rajapaksa added that these reactionary governments were in the habit of
selling government resources for their survival. He added that his
government had never adopted the policy of privatising government
ventures. |