President tells Lankans in Britain:

‘I will stand firm by country’

President Mahinda Rajapaksa said he will never allow any power or force to snatch away the country which has been liberated from terrorism.

The President said he is prepared to make any sacrifice on behalf of the future generations to transform Sri Lanka into a super country to be reckoned with in the international world.

He said this when he met a large group of Sri Lankans domiciled in Britain who staged a demonstration at Park Lane in London to support him and greet him during his visit to London. President Rajapaksa is visiting London to attend the Diamond Jubilee celebrations of Queen Elizabeth 11 on the Queen’s invitation.

A press release issued by the President’s Media Division said members of the LTTE and their sympathisers in London made a vain attempt to portray President Rajapaksa’s tour of London as an unsuccessful one as they did during his previous London visit.

This time too, LTTE members carrying placards depicting false propaganda against Sri Lanka staged a picketing campaign opposite the hotel where the President has booked in.

A large group of Sri Lankans domiciled in England staged a demonstration on the other side expressing support, solidarity and greetings to the President.

President Rajapaksa said on behalf of all Sri Lankans he wished to thank the patriotic Sri Lankans, in Britain who had braved the extreme cold London weather to come out to express solidarity with their motherland.

The President who said their expression of solidarity gave him added courage and strength, added he would not allow any force to snatch away the motherland which has been liberated from brutal terrorism.

Members of the Sri Lankan group who expressed their surprise at President Rajapaksa’s bold move to come out of the hotel and greet them, said his action added strength to the campaign launched by them in support of their motherland.

The LTTE sympathisers who became helpless in the face of the massive turnout of Sri Lankans in support of the President, were seen meekly dispersing.