Blood, Sweat, Tears and finally Smile
Don’t forget the yesterday – You enjoy the today thanks to the sweat, tears and the blood of war heroes and the ‘astute leadership’. As a team we won an enormous calamity, we can overcome smaller ones. Your decision may be a hard one, but vote wisely, not to regret again and again!! Please stand together in voting MAHINDA RAJAPAKSA for presidency again and protect hard won freedom and the future prosperity ….
Monday, January 25, 2010
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Mahinda Chintanaya takes Sri Lanka towards economic independence
Mahinda Chintanaya takes Sri Lanka towards economic independence
Sat, 2010-01-23 17:42 — editor
Sri Lanka
By Sugeeswara Senadhira
Colombo, 23 January, (Asiantribune.com):
Sri Lanka’s top economists are confident that the country would achive economic independence under the policies outlined in the Mahinda Chintanaya.
A group of the country’s eminent economists stated that for the first time in the country’s history, Sri Lanka is going to achieve economic independence using its geographical location under the economic policy of Mahinda Chintana – Vision for the future.
Addressing a press briefing at the Information and Media Ministry yesterday to analyze the economic policy of Mahinda Chintana – Vision for the future, Prof Buddhadasa Hevavitharana of the Peradeniya University, Prof W.D. Lakshman of Colombo University, Dr Lalithasiri Gunaruwan of the Colombo University and Dr Lloyd Fernando of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura said under the Mahinda Chintanaya, the economy is pulled from the front instead of pushed from the back.
They said the significance of the policy is to make sure that economic benefits are distributed among the public equally.
Since independence everyone was questioning about economic independence of Sri Lanka and only now under Mahinda Chintana, there is a clear strategy to achieve it, Prof Hevavitharana said. It is expected to achieve an eight percent growth rate by developing the country as a naval, aviation, commercial, energy and knowledge hub. Under this strategy the country’s economy will not be pushed from the back, it will be pulled from the front.
The strategy is already under way with the commencement of constructing the Hambantota harbour and other harbours, Mattala International Airport and many other projects. In 2005, Mahinda Chintana commenced after clearing the backlog created by previous regimes without developing infrastructure. He pointed out that countries such as Gibraltar, Singapore, Hong Kong and the Maldives have already advanced economically due to such policies.
Dr Lalithasiri Gunaruwan of the Colombo University said that the victory Sri Lankan economy achieved in the middle of a global economic crisis is maintaining a growth rate of six percent for a period of four years. Therefore, achieving a growth rate of eight percent is not a challenge for the country at all. In Mahinda Chintana – Vision for the future, it is very clearly stated where the country’s economy is heading for, how the mentioned targets could be achieved and what are the strategies that will be used to achieve targets. But in the other election manifestos, only the vision is there but nothing more than that. No target or strategy has been stated in it.
Prof W.D. Lakshman of Colombo University said that with the achievement of permanent peace in May 2009, Sri Lankan economy is now having the chance of leaping forward. The existing environment will certainly assist to achieve eight percent growth rate if a major disaster does not take place in the future. There should be a vision to achieve great achievements and there are some visions included in both election manifestos. The difference in Mahinda Chintana – Vision for the future is, it very clearly states how and when the vision can be realised. The strategies are clearly mentioned in it. The policy does not focus only on the services side of the economy.
Dr Lloyd Fernando of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura said that Singapore achieved its present economic status because of the vision the country had in the past under its leadership. Foundation for the vision included in Mahinda Chintana – Vision for the future has already been laid. For example, there is no other country in the world that issues a passport within 24 hours and Sri Lanka does it. Our State Departments, State hospitals and similar institutions have already been modernised and developed to a high standard. The country should walk forward further.
Sat, 2010-01-23 17:42 — editor
Sri Lanka
By Sugeeswara Senadhira
Colombo, 23 January, (Asiantribune.com):
Sri Lanka’s top economists are confident that the country would achive economic independence under the policies outlined in the Mahinda Chintanaya.
A group of the country’s eminent economists stated that for the first time in the country’s history, Sri Lanka is going to achieve economic independence using its geographical location under the economic policy of Mahinda Chintana – Vision for the future.
Addressing a press briefing at the Information and Media Ministry yesterday to analyze the economic policy of Mahinda Chintana – Vision for the future, Prof Buddhadasa Hevavitharana of the Peradeniya University, Prof W.D. Lakshman of Colombo University, Dr Lalithasiri Gunaruwan of the Colombo University and Dr Lloyd Fernando of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura said under the Mahinda Chintanaya, the economy is pulled from the front instead of pushed from the back.
They said the significance of the policy is to make sure that economic benefits are distributed among the public equally.
Since independence everyone was questioning about economic independence of Sri Lanka and only now under Mahinda Chintana, there is a clear strategy to achieve it, Prof Hevavitharana said. It is expected to achieve an eight percent growth rate by developing the country as a naval, aviation, commercial, energy and knowledge hub. Under this strategy the country’s economy will not be pushed from the back, it will be pulled from the front.
The strategy is already under way with the commencement of constructing the Hambantota harbour and other harbours, Mattala International Airport and many other projects. In 2005, Mahinda Chintana commenced after clearing the backlog created by previous regimes without developing infrastructure. He pointed out that countries such as Gibraltar, Singapore, Hong Kong and the Maldives have already advanced economically due to such policies.
Dr Lalithasiri Gunaruwan of the Colombo University said that the victory Sri Lankan economy achieved in the middle of a global economic crisis is maintaining a growth rate of six percent for a period of four years. Therefore, achieving a growth rate of eight percent is not a challenge for the country at all. In Mahinda Chintana – Vision for the future, it is very clearly stated where the country’s economy is heading for, how the mentioned targets could be achieved and what are the strategies that will be used to achieve targets. But in the other election manifestos, only the vision is there but nothing more than that. No target or strategy has been stated in it.
Prof W.D. Lakshman of Colombo University said that with the achievement of permanent peace in May 2009, Sri Lankan economy is now having the chance of leaping forward. The existing environment will certainly assist to achieve eight percent growth rate if a major disaster does not take place in the future. There should be a vision to achieve great achievements and there are some visions included in both election manifestos. The difference in Mahinda Chintana – Vision for the future is, it very clearly states how and when the vision can be realised. The strategies are clearly mentioned in it. The policy does not focus only on the services side of the economy.
Dr Lloyd Fernando of the University of Sri Jayewardenepura said that Singapore achieved its present economic status because of the vision the country had in the past under its leadership. Foundation for the vision included in Mahinda Chintana – Vision for the future has already been laid. For example, there is no other country in the world that issues a passport within 24 hours and Sri Lanka does it. Our State Departments, State hospitals and similar institutions have already been modernised and developed to a high standard. The country should walk forward further.
Vision for the future
Vision for the future
Mahinda Chinthana Idiri Dakma (Vision for the future) was launched last week renewing hopes and aspirations among Sri Lankan citizens for a brighter future. President Rajapaksa's national and foreign policies have always been beneficial to the development of the country. It was due to his far-sighted policy planning that the country was able to successfully survive the massive financial crises that hit most of the world economies.
Though huge financial allocations were made on war, the government could yet maintain a decent GDP growth rate during the past four years while implementing mega development projects. The Sunday Observer interviewed Indrajith Aponsu, Senior Lecturer in Economics of the University of Colombo and Dhamma Dissanayake, Senior Lecturer Political Science and Public Policy, University of Colombo who firmly believe that the country will move forward even further during his next tenure.
By Samangie WETTIMUNY
Excerpts:
The financial crisis which hit the world last year was similar or even worse than the crises that affected the world in the 30s. World economies were in shambles. Some of the fast growing economies in Asia such as Singapore and Malaysia experienced negative growth.
Indrajith Aponsu, Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Colombo
Dhamma Dissanayake, Senior Lecturer in Political Science and Public Policy, University of Colombo
However, Sri Lanka managed to record a growth rate which was fairly decent and also it was good enough to keep the economy from going into negative growth.
"I would say it is commendable performance when you make a relative comparison to GDP growth in other countries." says Indrajith Aponsu, Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Colombo . He attributes it largely to the policies of Mahinda Chinthana . "As I see the main reason is President's decision to create domestic growth through agriculture and other rural sector developments. It is an ingenious move."
Explaining further, he said that earlier more than 50% contribution to GDP was from the Western Province. Also Sri Lankan economy (more than 70%) was based on trade. In particular, our export sector was highly relying on foreign economies such as US and EU. Also we were relying on sectors like tourism. These were the sectors that were very badly affected by the global financial crisis.
"It is at this point that President's decision became so much prominent." "He went into promotion of agriculture in a big way that really compensated for the losses in the areas which were relying on foreign sectors, especially the industrial sector. This in a way had helped keep the GDP growth at a decent level relative to other countries."
As Senior Lecturer in Political Science and Public policy, Dhamma Dissanayake sees 'Mahinda Chinthana Vision for the Future' has almost all the relevant features of a successful manifesto. Though many politicians have the habit of presenting their manifestos before an election , they lack many of the salient features. It seems that they have not paid enough attention to the standard or quality of it.
" In the history we have had only a very few manifestos which were up to the required standard. For example, the manifesto which was presented by Lanka Sama Samaja Party in 1935, manifestos which were presented by former Prime Minister, S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike and by Samagi Peramuna respectively in 1956 and 1970 were much talked of as they were up to the standard. Since then it was President Mahinda Rajapaksa who could come out with a manifesto based on solid background."
As he further noted manifestos which carry mere promises are poor in quality. A manifesto should be always based on solid fundamental, conceptual and theoretical values."A fine example was People's Agenda presented by U.N.P. in 2004. However their present manifesto remains to be a mere set of promises and it is a pity that the rival party could not come out with a sound manifesto."
On the contrary the two manifestos presented by this government have clearly indicated their targets and also the ways and means of achieving them." It clearly states how the country should go forward while attracting other favourable international sources.
Maga Naguma
Indrajith Aponsu too held almost a similar view. He said that there is enormous potential for further development. "Maga Naguma" is a far-sighted program. As he said one of the major bottlenecks Sri Lanka has been facing throughout last several decades was the inability to connect up regions.
"It did not address the major issue of connecting up regions, connecting up provinces with the hub of the economy." If we are to attract more investors and if we want our investors to go out, we have to develop infrastructure-especially the roads. But it is always better to have a proper way to address the peripheral issues that may a rise."
As an economist Aponsu is certain that once the Hambantota Port is completed it will certainly bring immense economic benefits to the country.
"Plantation and garment sectors have always played a major role in our economy and these sectors had been major foreign exchange earners. But now it is time to look into more profitable avenues - it is of utmost necessity to create a mega sector that would pave the way for the emergence of new sectors.
"I think port development will be much bigger than any other sector we had. For the simple reason the geographical location of Sri Lanka. Its location has tremendous advantages both economically and geographically and even politically. It is very strange that none of our successive leaders ever realized the necessity of constructing a harbour. I am sure this will be a major service sector."
Hambantota harbour will pave the way for open-ended development.
Today the country is politically, economically and democratically stable and there is no doubt that the harbour will always be the hub of international attention. As he further noted the sector itself will be a highly value added sector. It will create a whole chain of economic affairs within the country. And also because Sri Lanka is an island nation, the harbour will create the potential for other sub ports to develop centering around mega ports. So this is going to create a major navigational hub. "Perhaps I'd imagine that we'd be a major competitor to one of the major shipping hubs in Asia-Singapore.
When asked about the low interest rates and its impact on investment Aponsu said that low interest rates in banks do not necessarily guarantee higher investment. Higher investment requires other factors such as environment, the future profitability and market opportunities.
"And I think low interest rates supported by political stability, clear economic vision without the major bottleneck, the war, will definitely create a very conducive environment to investments."
Share market reflects the investor confidence in a certain day. People do not walk into a share market if the share market is not going to perform well and the market performance is based on profitability of companies."
That the share market is doing extremely well, may be one of the best markets in the world-reflects the contrary to what some people argue. With the end of war the country will now attract foreign investors for a number of reasons. "Also it is not that investors are just coming here to make a profit and go away, but they will blend themselves into our culture. They will also want to have their people working here.
I am sure this country offers a lot."
As Dr. Aponsu noted with the North East expansion and other potential expansion priorities and linkages - we are establishing links with the rest of the world - investors are really lining up to get into this country.
Infrastructure development programs such as Uthuru Wasanthaya and Nagenahira Navodaya are far sighted projects that would help uplift the living conditions of people in the North and the East. "They of course need a change."
"I can comment on economic development in many perspectives. I think we have had in the first few years one of the finest economic growth performances in the history of Sri Lanka. Second, as stated earlier when the whole world was crumbling, we were able to maintain the economic growth within the ratio of 3-4% which I think is extremely commendable."
Industrial sector is one of the areas that could really pave the way for huge employment generation, high level income value addition, high sustainability and faster growth momentum. So there is no possibility that we can generate something in the short term and the medium term, unless we refocus on industrial sector and look for some viable industry which will complement and supplement the garment and other sectors.
As Aponsu sees in this particular four years, the way we have reached the grass roots level has made the income distribution far more even and widespread.
Foreign policy
As Dhamma Dissanayake says only two Sri Lankan leaders had so far been able to handle Sri Lanka's foreign policy independently without succumbing unnecessarily to international forces . First was former Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike and the second is none other than President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He has always been able to maintain the image and dignity of the country.
As mentioned earlier his emphasis on national economy helped Sri Lanka to face global financial crisis successfully.
Why should we reelect him as President.?
"Is it solely as a gesture of gratitude that we should reelect Mahinda Rajapaksa as president. " I asked Dhamma Dissanayake.
" Not necessarily." "If a person wants to cast his/her vote to Mahinda Rajapaksa as a way of expressing gratitude that is fine, but as I see that is not the reason why we should vote for him.
His capabilities are far ahead of his chief rival candidate. He proved his credentials by ending the LTTE terrorism which was ruining the country for the past thirty years, and also by implementing massive development projects ranging from agriculture to infrastructure development. The way he handled international relations is commendable.
He has proved himself to be a clever leader, a democrat at heart who represents a well-established political party. Need mail bonding? Bring all your contacts to Yahoo!Xtra with TrueSwitch
Mahinda Chinthana Idiri Dakma (Vision for the future) was launched last week renewing hopes and aspirations among Sri Lankan citizens for a brighter future. President Rajapaksa's national and foreign policies have always been beneficial to the development of the country. It was due to his far-sighted policy planning that the country was able to successfully survive the massive financial crises that hit most of the world economies.
Though huge financial allocations were made on war, the government could yet maintain a decent GDP growth rate during the past four years while implementing mega development projects. The Sunday Observer interviewed Indrajith Aponsu, Senior Lecturer in Economics of the University of Colombo and Dhamma Dissanayake, Senior Lecturer Political Science and Public Policy, University of Colombo who firmly believe that the country will move forward even further during his next tenure.
By Samangie WETTIMUNY
Excerpts:
The financial crisis which hit the world last year was similar or even worse than the crises that affected the world in the 30s. World economies were in shambles. Some of the fast growing economies in Asia such as Singapore and Malaysia experienced negative growth.
Indrajith Aponsu, Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Colombo
Dhamma Dissanayake, Senior Lecturer in Political Science and Public Policy, University of Colombo
However, Sri Lanka managed to record a growth rate which was fairly decent and also it was good enough to keep the economy from going into negative growth.
"I would say it is commendable performance when you make a relative comparison to GDP growth in other countries." says Indrajith Aponsu, Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Colombo . He attributes it largely to the policies of Mahinda Chinthana . "As I see the main reason is President's decision to create domestic growth through agriculture and other rural sector developments. It is an ingenious move."
Explaining further, he said that earlier more than 50% contribution to GDP was from the Western Province. Also Sri Lankan economy (more than 70%) was based on trade. In particular, our export sector was highly relying on foreign economies such as US and EU. Also we were relying on sectors like tourism. These were the sectors that were very badly affected by the global financial crisis.
"It is at this point that President's decision became so much prominent." "He went into promotion of agriculture in a big way that really compensated for the losses in the areas which were relying on foreign sectors, especially the industrial sector. This in a way had helped keep the GDP growth at a decent level relative to other countries."
As Senior Lecturer in Political Science and Public policy, Dhamma Dissanayake sees 'Mahinda Chinthana Vision for the Future' has almost all the relevant features of a successful manifesto. Though many politicians have the habit of presenting their manifestos before an election , they lack many of the salient features. It seems that they have not paid enough attention to the standard or quality of it.
" In the history we have had only a very few manifestos which were up to the required standard. For example, the manifesto which was presented by Lanka Sama Samaja Party in 1935, manifestos which were presented by former Prime Minister, S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike and by Samagi Peramuna respectively in 1956 and 1970 were much talked of as they were up to the standard. Since then it was President Mahinda Rajapaksa who could come out with a manifesto based on solid background."
As he further noted manifestos which carry mere promises are poor in quality. A manifesto should be always based on solid fundamental, conceptual and theoretical values."A fine example was People's Agenda presented by U.N.P. in 2004. However their present manifesto remains to be a mere set of promises and it is a pity that the rival party could not come out with a sound manifesto."
On the contrary the two manifestos presented by this government have clearly indicated their targets and also the ways and means of achieving them." It clearly states how the country should go forward while attracting other favourable international sources.
Maga Naguma
Indrajith Aponsu too held almost a similar view. He said that there is enormous potential for further development. "Maga Naguma" is a far-sighted program. As he said one of the major bottlenecks Sri Lanka has been facing throughout last several decades was the inability to connect up regions.
"It did not address the major issue of connecting up regions, connecting up provinces with the hub of the economy." If we are to attract more investors and if we want our investors to go out, we have to develop infrastructure-especially the roads. But it is always better to have a proper way to address the peripheral issues that may a rise."
As an economist Aponsu is certain that once the Hambantota Port is completed it will certainly bring immense economic benefits to the country.
"Plantation and garment sectors have always played a major role in our economy and these sectors had been major foreign exchange earners. But now it is time to look into more profitable avenues - it is of utmost necessity to create a mega sector that would pave the way for the emergence of new sectors.
"I think port development will be much bigger than any other sector we had. For the simple reason the geographical location of Sri Lanka. Its location has tremendous advantages both economically and geographically and even politically. It is very strange that none of our successive leaders ever realized the necessity of constructing a harbour. I am sure this will be a major service sector."
Hambantota harbour will pave the way for open-ended development.
Today the country is politically, economically and democratically stable and there is no doubt that the harbour will always be the hub of international attention. As he further noted the sector itself will be a highly value added sector. It will create a whole chain of economic affairs within the country. And also because Sri Lanka is an island nation, the harbour will create the potential for other sub ports to develop centering around mega ports. So this is going to create a major navigational hub. "Perhaps I'd imagine that we'd be a major competitor to one of the major shipping hubs in Asia-Singapore.
When asked about the low interest rates and its impact on investment Aponsu said that low interest rates in banks do not necessarily guarantee higher investment. Higher investment requires other factors such as environment, the future profitability and market opportunities.
"And I think low interest rates supported by political stability, clear economic vision without the major bottleneck, the war, will definitely create a very conducive environment to investments."
Share market reflects the investor confidence in a certain day. People do not walk into a share market if the share market is not going to perform well and the market performance is based on profitability of companies."
That the share market is doing extremely well, may be one of the best markets in the world-reflects the contrary to what some people argue. With the end of war the country will now attract foreign investors for a number of reasons. "Also it is not that investors are just coming here to make a profit and go away, but they will blend themselves into our culture. They will also want to have their people working here.
I am sure this country offers a lot."
As Dr. Aponsu noted with the North East expansion and other potential expansion priorities and linkages - we are establishing links with the rest of the world - investors are really lining up to get into this country.
Infrastructure development programs such as Uthuru Wasanthaya and Nagenahira Navodaya are far sighted projects that would help uplift the living conditions of people in the North and the East. "They of course need a change."
"I can comment on economic development in many perspectives. I think we have had in the first few years one of the finest economic growth performances in the history of Sri Lanka. Second, as stated earlier when the whole world was crumbling, we were able to maintain the economic growth within the ratio of 3-4% which I think is extremely commendable."
Industrial sector is one of the areas that could really pave the way for huge employment generation, high level income value addition, high sustainability and faster growth momentum. So there is no possibility that we can generate something in the short term and the medium term, unless we refocus on industrial sector and look for some viable industry which will complement and supplement the garment and other sectors.
As Aponsu sees in this particular four years, the way we have reached the grass roots level has made the income distribution far more even and widespread.
Foreign policy
As Dhamma Dissanayake says only two Sri Lankan leaders had so far been able to handle Sri Lanka's foreign policy independently without succumbing unnecessarily to international forces . First was former Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike and the second is none other than President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He has always been able to maintain the image and dignity of the country.
As mentioned earlier his emphasis on national economy helped Sri Lanka to face global financial crisis successfully.
Why should we reelect him as President.?
"Is it solely as a gesture of gratitude that we should reelect Mahinda Rajapaksa as president. " I asked Dhamma Dissanayake.
" Not necessarily." "If a person wants to cast his/her vote to Mahinda Rajapaksa as a way of expressing gratitude that is fine, but as I see that is not the reason why we should vote for him.
His capabilities are far ahead of his chief rival candidate. He proved his credentials by ending the LTTE terrorism which was ruining the country for the past thirty years, and also by implementing massive development projects ranging from agriculture to infrastructure development. The way he handled international relations is commendable.
He has proved himself to be a clever leader, a democrat at heart who represents a well-established political party. Need mail bonding? Bring all your contacts to Yahoo!Xtra with TrueSwitch
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Govt. brings in heavy guns to counter tigers
Govt. brings in heavy guns to counter OppositionMaj. Gen says some countries hindered war against LTTE‘Only 3 per cent of the war displaced remained to be re-settled in Trinco’
by Shamindra Ferdinando
Major General Prasanna Silva says that a section of the international community not only rejected Sri Lanka’s calls for arms, ammunition and equipment but also prevented aircraft carrying urgently needed items from flying over their airspace.
The former General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 55 Division said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government had bought in the required armaments to bolster the army’s firepower in spite of obstacles.
Silva, currently the GOC of the 22 Division headquartered in Trincomalee said that contrary to claims, the Rajapaksa government had provided a range of weapons and equipment, which helped the government forces to destroy the LTTE’s military wing last May.
Participating in a Sinhala language political programme aired over Rupavahini, the former Special Forces Commander paid a glowing tribute to the Sri Lanka Air Force for throwing its weight behind the army. Commenting on operations carried out by the 55 Division under his command, Silva said that the SLAF jets and helicopter gunships had made their task easier. The SLAF had facilitated the evacuation of the wounded, a challenging task, particularly when the infantry crossed a lagoon under fire, he said. Despite severe constraints, the SLAF had played a remarkable role, he said emphasising he had never seen the SLAF going all out during previous engagements. SLAF personnel had engaged in evacuation operations even risking their own lives, he said.
Silva said that the deployment of UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) on surveillance missions had provided real time battle ground pictures to him, thereby helping him with decision making.
The government is under heavy fire for using senior Army officers to dispute Opposition presidential candidate General (redt) Sarath Fonseka. The Opposition said that the government shouldn’t have involved serving officers in its propaganda campaign directed against the former Army Commander. But regardless of criticism, senior officers, including Major General Kamal Gunaratne (former GOC of the 53 Division), Major General Shavendra Silva (former GOC of the 58 Division) and Major General Chagi Gallage recently appeared on State TV.
Maj. Gen. Silva said that there was absolutely no truth in the claim that the Army had killed LTTE cadres, who surrendered on the Vanni front. The Army had evacuated wounded LTTE cadres, some of them airlifted to hospital though some interested parties criticised the government for ill-treating the enemy. No one should forget that there were over 11,000 LTTE cadres in government custody, he stressed.
Silva said that the government should tell the world how the enemy was treated during the war and after the end of operations last May.
According to him, one of the primary reasons for their success was the availability of the required manpower. Challenging battlefield objectives couldn’t have been met without the Army receiving fresh recruits, he said.
During the final phase of the offensive, his Division advancing along the north-eastern coast rescued about 15,000 men, women and children without any loss of life among the civilians.
Responding to interviewer Chamuditha Samarawickrema, Silva said that at one point the Army had wondered whether they could hold their Muhamalai frontline let alone break through the LTTE northern defence line, a well built complex backed by artillery pieces, mortars and strong points.
Unlike any other previous leader, President Mahinda Rajapaksa had visited frontline troops to boost their morale.
The former soldier Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had, Maj. Gen. Silva said, brought the three services and the police together. He had acted swiftly and decisively, intervening to deploy the SLAF to evacuate a wounded soldier from Vakarai during the height of the battle in the East.
Since the end of the Eelam war last May, the government and security forces had done a tremendous amount of work in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, he said. In the Trincomalee District there were only three per cent of IDPs to be resettled. The resettlement process had been somewhat delayed due to slow progress in mine clearing operations, he said. The army de-mining units were primarily engaged in mine clearing operations in the Vanni thereby causing a delay in humanitarian de-mining operations in the Trincomalee District, where two areas were to be cleared. The second reason for the delay in completion of resettlement in the district was the need to relocate the war displaced elsewhere as the government had taken over their land for development work, he said.
The Army was actively supporting development work in the District in support of the government’s overall strategy to restore normalcy in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, he said.
by Shamindra Ferdinando
Major General Prasanna Silva says that a section of the international community not only rejected Sri Lanka’s calls for arms, ammunition and equipment but also prevented aircraft carrying urgently needed items from flying over their airspace.
The former General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 55 Division said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s government had bought in the required armaments to bolster the army’s firepower in spite of obstacles.
Silva, currently the GOC of the 22 Division headquartered in Trincomalee said that contrary to claims, the Rajapaksa government had provided a range of weapons and equipment, which helped the government forces to destroy the LTTE’s military wing last May.
Participating in a Sinhala language political programme aired over Rupavahini, the former Special Forces Commander paid a glowing tribute to the Sri Lanka Air Force for throwing its weight behind the army. Commenting on operations carried out by the 55 Division under his command, Silva said that the SLAF jets and helicopter gunships had made their task easier. The SLAF had facilitated the evacuation of the wounded, a challenging task, particularly when the infantry crossed a lagoon under fire, he said. Despite severe constraints, the SLAF had played a remarkable role, he said emphasising he had never seen the SLAF going all out during previous engagements. SLAF personnel had engaged in evacuation operations even risking their own lives, he said.
Silva said that the deployment of UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) on surveillance missions had provided real time battle ground pictures to him, thereby helping him with decision making.
The government is under heavy fire for using senior Army officers to dispute Opposition presidential candidate General (redt) Sarath Fonseka. The Opposition said that the government shouldn’t have involved serving officers in its propaganda campaign directed against the former Army Commander. But regardless of criticism, senior officers, including Major General Kamal Gunaratne (former GOC of the 53 Division), Major General Shavendra Silva (former GOC of the 58 Division) and Major General Chagi Gallage recently appeared on State TV.
Maj. Gen. Silva said that there was absolutely no truth in the claim that the Army had killed LTTE cadres, who surrendered on the Vanni front. The Army had evacuated wounded LTTE cadres, some of them airlifted to hospital though some interested parties criticised the government for ill-treating the enemy. No one should forget that there were over 11,000 LTTE cadres in government custody, he stressed.
Silva said that the government should tell the world how the enemy was treated during the war and after the end of operations last May.
According to him, one of the primary reasons for their success was the availability of the required manpower. Challenging battlefield objectives couldn’t have been met without the Army receiving fresh recruits, he said.
During the final phase of the offensive, his Division advancing along the north-eastern coast rescued about 15,000 men, women and children without any loss of life among the civilians.
Responding to interviewer Chamuditha Samarawickrema, Silva said that at one point the Army had wondered whether they could hold their Muhamalai frontline let alone break through the LTTE northern defence line, a well built complex backed by artillery pieces, mortars and strong points.
Unlike any other previous leader, President Mahinda Rajapaksa had visited frontline troops to boost their morale.
The former soldier Defence Secretary, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa had, Maj. Gen. Silva said, brought the three services and the police together. He had acted swiftly and decisively, intervening to deploy the SLAF to evacuate a wounded soldier from Vakarai during the height of the battle in the East.
Since the end of the Eelam war last May, the government and security forces had done a tremendous amount of work in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, he said. In the Trincomalee District there were only three per cent of IDPs to be resettled. The resettlement process had been somewhat delayed due to slow progress in mine clearing operations, he said. The army de-mining units were primarily engaged in mine clearing operations in the Vanni thereby causing a delay in humanitarian de-mining operations in the Trincomalee District, where two areas were to be cleared. The second reason for the delay in completion of resettlement in the district was the need to relocate the war displaced elsewhere as the government had taken over their land for development work, he said.
The Army was actively supporting development work in the District in support of the government’s overall strategy to restore normalcy in the Northern and Eastern Provinces, he said.
President will poll 61 per cent of votes - Lakshman Yapa
President will poll 61 per cent of votes - Lakshman Yapa
Thursday, 21 January 2010
Minister of Mass Media and Information, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana, today reiterated that President Mahinda Rajapaksa would poll 61% of the votes at the upcoming Presidential election.
Addressing the Media, at the Ministry of Information today, the Minister predicted at least one million majority for the President. He attributed the decrease in the votes of General Sarath Fonseka to be the unbecoming conduct of Fonseka who used abusive words on the election platform.“People will not like the dictatorial attitude of General Fonseka”, the Minister added. He further said the JVP was creating a fear psychosis in the country threatening civilians to surrender their Identity Cards. Elaborating on the ‘Mahinda Chinthana’ manifesto, the Minister said every Samurdi family will receive Rs 1000, with an additional allowance for children under 3 years old. For self employment Rs 100,000 will be offered. The minister said that adequate security will be provided to the civilians to cast their votes on the Election Day.
Thursday, 21 January 2010
Minister of Mass Media and Information, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardana, today reiterated that President Mahinda Rajapaksa would poll 61% of the votes at the upcoming Presidential election.
Addressing the Media, at the Ministry of Information today, the Minister predicted at least one million majority for the President. He attributed the decrease in the votes of General Sarath Fonseka to be the unbecoming conduct of Fonseka who used abusive words on the election platform.“People will not like the dictatorial attitude of General Fonseka”, the Minister added. He further said the JVP was creating a fear psychosis in the country threatening civilians to surrender their Identity Cards. Elaborating on the ‘Mahinda Chinthana’ manifesto, the Minister said every Samurdi family will receive Rs 1000, with an additional allowance for children under 3 years old. For self employment Rs 100,000 will be offered. The minister said that adequate security will be provided to the civilians to cast their votes on the Election Day.
President only candidate with a work program - PM
President only candidate with a work program - PM
A program of work has been placed before the people under the Mahinda Chintana - Idiri Dekma that has never been presented by any candidate before, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka said.
He said Phase Two of the Mahinda Chintana is not merely a series of promises but a program of work aimed at country's social, economic and cultural uplift.
The Premier was addressing an election rally in Godakawela.
Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka
He said the Government expects to make several changes in the administrative set up to accelerate the country's development.
They hope to establish Jana Sabhas in each Grama Sevaka division and by joining several Jana Sabhas to create a Gam Sabha.
"We decided to go back to the Gam Sabha system since it is the local administration that is nearest to the people to solve their various problems," he said.
The Prime Minister said the Gam Sabha system worked successfully in the past. The Premier opined that development cannot be confined to a single village, district or a province.
The Prime Minister said President Mahinda Rajapaksa never took decisions with an eye on the vote.
Even if he lost some votes he took decisions with the country's development in mind. The best example of this is the Norochcholai and Upper Kotmale power projects. All governments before this although drew up plans to commence these projects in the end did not go ahead due to ceratin pressures, he said.
In contrast President Rajapaksa faced these challenges head on and took decisions fearlessly because he was concerned for the future of the country.
The President always thought of the country first and took firm decisions for its benefit, the Prime Minister said.
He said steps are being taken to build five ports, two airports, modernise the road network and provide infrastructure.
Infrastructure is the key for a country's development and investors come only if there is proper infrastructure, Premier Wickramanayaka said.
"Earlier we only exported raw material but very soon we will shipping our own finished products to the outside world bringing massive foreign exchange to the country," he said.
The Premier observed that by growing food crops that can be grown locally, the Government's aim is not only to make the country self-sufficient in food but also introduce value added that would have a big demand in the international market. This, while reducing the outflow of foreign exchange would earn for the country massive foreign exchange. In turn farmers too would receive a good price for their produce, he said.
The President is the only candidate who had mapped out such a program for the country and his victory is assured.
"At a time we are about to turn a new chapter I ask you all to be active partners in this development program," the Prime Minister said.
A program of work has been placed before the people under the Mahinda Chintana - Idiri Dekma that has never been presented by any candidate before, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka said.
He said Phase Two of the Mahinda Chintana is not merely a series of promises but a program of work aimed at country's social, economic and cultural uplift.
The Premier was addressing an election rally in Godakawela.
Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka
He said the Government expects to make several changes in the administrative set up to accelerate the country's development.
They hope to establish Jana Sabhas in each Grama Sevaka division and by joining several Jana Sabhas to create a Gam Sabha.
"We decided to go back to the Gam Sabha system since it is the local administration that is nearest to the people to solve their various problems," he said.
The Prime Minister said the Gam Sabha system worked successfully in the past. The Premier opined that development cannot be confined to a single village, district or a province.
The Prime Minister said President Mahinda Rajapaksa never took decisions with an eye on the vote.
Even if he lost some votes he took decisions with the country's development in mind. The best example of this is the Norochcholai and Upper Kotmale power projects. All governments before this although drew up plans to commence these projects in the end did not go ahead due to ceratin pressures, he said.
In contrast President Rajapaksa faced these challenges head on and took decisions fearlessly because he was concerned for the future of the country.
The President always thought of the country first and took firm decisions for its benefit, the Prime Minister said.
He said steps are being taken to build five ports, two airports, modernise the road network and provide infrastructure.
Infrastructure is the key for a country's development and investors come only if there is proper infrastructure, Premier Wickramanayaka said.
"Earlier we only exported raw material but very soon we will shipping our own finished products to the outside world bringing massive foreign exchange to the country," he said.
The Premier observed that by growing food crops that can be grown locally, the Government's aim is not only to make the country self-sufficient in food but also introduce value added that would have a big demand in the international market. This, while reducing the outflow of foreign exchange would earn for the country massive foreign exchange. In turn farmers too would receive a good price for their produce, he said.
The President is the only candidate who had mapped out such a program for the country and his victory is assured.
"At a time we are about to turn a new chapter I ask you all to be active partners in this development program," the Prime Minister said.
President withstood international pressure
President withstood international pressure
Shirley Wijesinghe
President Mahinda Rajapaksa's unique leadership and firm stand against foreign pressure to stop the final battle against the LTTE led to the defeat of terrorism and to protect the country from division, former Foreign Secretary and Sri Lanka's permanent representative to the UN Dr Palitha Kohona said.
He added that this helped keep the moral of the three Armed Forces as well as the Police at a high level until the operation to eradicate the LTTE ended.
He was addressing a workshop organized by the young members' section of the Institute of Engineers to share their experiences during the war period, at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute yesterday.
Dr Kohona said a majority of the western countries objected to the final humanitarian operation to release innocent Tamils who were under the grip of the LTTE. "There was more pressure on the Government with warnings of economic sanctions. Funds were suspended by some donor countries to Sri Lanka. Amidst this international pressure, the Foreign Ministry had to strengthen the close relationship with friendly countries such as China, Pakistan and Russia. India was always with us," he said.
Recalling the Government's efforts in 2005 to come to a negotiated solution to the terrorist problem in the country, he said President Rajapaksa had decided to conduct the humanitarian operation to liberate the innocent civilians after those peaceful efforts failed. "We cannot forget Erik Solheim's two visits to India during the military operations in the North. But India never listened to him."
Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and Major General Shavendra de Silva also spoke.
Shirley Wijesinghe
President Mahinda Rajapaksa's unique leadership and firm stand against foreign pressure to stop the final battle against the LTTE led to the defeat of terrorism and to protect the country from division, former Foreign Secretary and Sri Lanka's permanent representative to the UN Dr Palitha Kohona said.
He added that this helped keep the moral of the three Armed Forces as well as the Police at a high level until the operation to eradicate the LTTE ended.
He was addressing a workshop organized by the young members' section of the Institute of Engineers to share their experiences during the war period, at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute yesterday.
Dr Kohona said a majority of the western countries objected to the final humanitarian operation to release innocent Tamils who were under the grip of the LTTE. "There was more pressure on the Government with warnings of economic sanctions. Funds were suspended by some donor countries to Sri Lanka. Amidst this international pressure, the Foreign Ministry had to strengthen the close relationship with friendly countries such as China, Pakistan and Russia. India was always with us," he said.
Recalling the Government's efforts in 2005 to come to a negotiated solution to the terrorist problem in the country, he said President Rajapaksa had decided to conduct the humanitarian operation to liberate the innocent civilians after those peaceful efforts failed. "We cannot forget Erik Solheim's two visits to India during the military operations in the North. But India never listened to him."
Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal and Major General Shavendra de Silva also spoke.
Tharunnyata Hetak, Suba Anagathayak
Tharunnyata Hetak, Suba Anagathayak most attractive slogans:
President leads
*People feel President must be re-elected
*President leading in most districts
Nivantha KANUWANA
President Mahinda Rajapaksa will score a remarkable victory over Sarath Fonseka at the forthcoming Presidential Election, according to the results of an independent survey on National Development and Social Attitudes conducted by the Kelaniya University.
Releasing the results to the media at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute yesterday Dr Rohana Laxman Piyadasa, Senior Lecturer of Mass Communications Department, Kelaniya University said that 62 percent of the people believe in the victory of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and 60 percent feels the President must be re-elected to ensure a brighter future for the country. At the same time only 36 percent believe in the victory of the common candidate Sarath Fonseka and the balance two percent voters did not fall in to any of the above two categories.
According to Dr Piyadasa the survey was conducted in three consecutive stages and yesterday’s released results were the final.
The sample size was 15,000 representing 20 percent of Government servants, 25 percent private sector employees, 30 percent self employees and 25 percent unemployed respondents covering all 25 administrative districts.
Survey results show that in most districts President Mahinda Rajapaksa dominates over Sarath Fonseka with an outstanding margin. In districts like Ratnapura, Galle, Kurunegala, Hambantota, Moneragala, Puttalam, Badulla and Polonnaruwa it will reach the peak with over a two thirds majority. In addition to the election predictions the survey has identified the Tharunnyata Hetak and Suba Anagathayak as the most attractive slogans in the entire media campaign.
Senior Lecturer of Economics Department, Kelaniya University Dr M.M. Gunathilaka pointed out that this election is one of the most media-sensitive elections in the recent past and it will influence a lot in the final result.
Ajith Dissanayake, Manoj Jinadasa and Saman Rajapaksha were among other lecturers who presented the survey results at the press conference and they described the statistical background of the survey. The same survey had been conducted in the 2004 General election and the 2005 Presidential election with accurate predictions.
President leads
*People feel President must be re-elected
*President leading in most districts
Nivantha KANUWANA
President Mahinda Rajapaksa will score a remarkable victory over Sarath Fonseka at the forthcoming Presidential Election, according to the results of an independent survey on National Development and Social Attitudes conducted by the Kelaniya University.
Releasing the results to the media at the Sri Lanka Foundation Institute yesterday Dr Rohana Laxman Piyadasa, Senior Lecturer of Mass Communications Department, Kelaniya University said that 62 percent of the people believe in the victory of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and 60 percent feels the President must be re-elected to ensure a brighter future for the country. At the same time only 36 percent believe in the victory of the common candidate Sarath Fonseka and the balance two percent voters did not fall in to any of the above two categories.
According to Dr Piyadasa the survey was conducted in three consecutive stages and yesterday’s released results were the final.
The sample size was 15,000 representing 20 percent of Government servants, 25 percent private sector employees, 30 percent self employees and 25 percent unemployed respondents covering all 25 administrative districts.
Survey results show that in most districts President Mahinda Rajapaksa dominates over Sarath Fonseka with an outstanding margin. In districts like Ratnapura, Galle, Kurunegala, Hambantota, Moneragala, Puttalam, Badulla and Polonnaruwa it will reach the peak with over a two thirds majority. In addition to the election predictions the survey has identified the Tharunnyata Hetak and Suba Anagathayak as the most attractive slogans in the entire media campaign.
Senior Lecturer of Economics Department, Kelaniya University Dr M.M. Gunathilaka pointed out that this election is one of the most media-sensitive elections in the recent past and it will influence a lot in the final result.
Ajith Dissanayake, Manoj Jinadasa and Saman Rajapaksha were among other lecturers who presented the survey results at the press conference and they described the statistical background of the survey. The same survey had been conducted in the 2004 General election and the 2005 Presidential election with accurate predictions.
Biggest Traitors in sri lanka, SF and Ranil
Don't Blame me or Fonseka for the demise of LTTE, It is Mahinda who did it - Ranil Tells LTTE TV
Leader of the United National Party (UNP), Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe recently appearing on pro LTTE TV channel GTV (Global Tamil Vision) sought support of LTTE remnants for UNF-TNA-JVP candidate Sarath Fonseka at the forthcoming presidential election. Giving an interview to a programme named "Freedom Struggle", Mr. Wickramasinghe said neither him nor Fonseka should be held responsible for the military defeat of the Tamil Tigers. Asked why Tamil people should support Mr. Fonseka who was the commander of the Army during war, Mr. Wickramasinghe said that Fonseka was just carrying out the orders of the government but not fought on his own accord. "Break down of the process was a matter between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE. When they got the Tamils to boycott (2005 election), Mr. Prbhakaran have had a different option. If he didn't have option then you can't blame anyone else, certainly not the service commanders who had led his services under the instruction of the government", he said. Explaining Mr. Fonseka's contribution in the he said that Mr. Fonseka only carried out the orders given. "Once the government gave the order, the service commanders have to go ahead and execute it. So, he was the commander who had to execute the orders given by the government... and the government gave the timeframe, and what should be done... and that's how the war developed", he said. Asked whether he had any involvement in engineering the rift between Karuna Amman and Prabhakaran, Mr. Wickramasinghe said he had nothing to do with it and he should be not blamed for that. "I have nothing to do with it, as you see Karuna today is with the government, I have not even met Karuna... Don't try to cover up everything by putting the blame on me ... Karuna is today a reality made by Mahinda Rajapaksa", he said. Throughout the interview Mr. Wickramasinghe tried to convince the audience that unless for his defeat at the 2005 presidential election the LTTE could be still in action. Also, he said that Mr. Fonseka has been tasked only to abolish the executive presidency and once it is accomplished an executive prime minister will have the power. GTV is a London based TV channel propagating for Tamil tribalism aiming at instigating racial violence in Sri Lanka . It is one of the major propaganda arms of the LTTE, carrying out false propaganda against Sri Lanka and its people. Political experts are in the view that UNF-TNA-JVP candidate Sarath Fonseka's campaign is aimed at deceiving both Tamils and Sinahalese in the country. "At Sinhala audiences , Fonseka tries to sell him as the only war hero who won the war singlehandedl... but for the Tamil communities he wants to show himself as a innocent government servant who had no other option than to carry out what he was asked to", one expert told ToL.
Leader of the United National Party (UNP), Mr. Ranil Wickramasinghe recently appearing on pro LTTE TV channel GTV (Global Tamil Vision) sought support of LTTE remnants for UNF-TNA-JVP candidate Sarath Fonseka at the forthcoming presidential election. Giving an interview to a programme named "Freedom Struggle", Mr. Wickramasinghe said neither him nor Fonseka should be held responsible for the military defeat of the Tamil Tigers. Asked why Tamil people should support Mr. Fonseka who was the commander of the Army during war, Mr. Wickramasinghe said that Fonseka was just carrying out the orders of the government but not fought on his own accord. "Break down of the process was a matter between the Government of Sri Lanka and the LTTE. When they got the Tamils to boycott (2005 election), Mr. Prbhakaran have had a different option. If he didn't have option then you can't blame anyone else, certainly not the service commanders who had led his services under the instruction of the government", he said. Explaining Mr. Fonseka's contribution in the he said that Mr. Fonseka only carried out the orders given. "Once the government gave the order, the service commanders have to go ahead and execute it. So, he was the commander who had to execute the orders given by the government... and the government gave the timeframe, and what should be done... and that's how the war developed", he said. Asked whether he had any involvement in engineering the rift between Karuna Amman and Prabhakaran, Mr. Wickramasinghe said he had nothing to do with it and he should be not blamed for that. "I have nothing to do with it, as you see Karuna today is with the government, I have not even met Karuna... Don't try to cover up everything by putting the blame on me ... Karuna is today a reality made by Mahinda Rajapaksa", he said. Throughout the interview Mr. Wickramasinghe tried to convince the audience that unless for his defeat at the 2005 presidential election the LTTE could be still in action. Also, he said that Mr. Fonseka has been tasked only to abolish the executive presidency and once it is accomplished an executive prime minister will have the power. GTV is a London based TV channel propagating for Tamil tribalism aiming at instigating racial violence in Sri Lanka . It is one of the major propaganda arms of the LTTE, carrying out false propaganda against Sri Lanka and its people. Political experts are in the view that UNF-TNA-JVP candidate Sarath Fonseka's campaign is aimed at deceiving both Tamils and Sinahalese in the country. "At Sinhala audiences , Fonseka tries to sell him as the only war hero who won the war singlehandedl... but for the Tamil communities he wants to show himself as a innocent government servant who had no other option than to carry out what he was asked to", one expert told ToL.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Sri Lanka President says the country is more important to him than votes
Sri Lanka President says the country is more important to him than votesMon, Jan 18, 2010, 03:17 am SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Jan 18, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa said the country and the future of its people are more important to him than gaining few votes to secure his presidency at the cost of the hard-earned freedom from terrorism.
President Rajapaksa, responding to a question raised by a journalist in an interview with media personnel on Sunday night said he did not agree to the conditions laid out by the Tamil National Alliance because that would mean going back to the pre-war LTTE era.
After 30 years of war sacrificing thousands of lives of soldiers and people and destruction of country's properties like Central Bank by the LTTE, he is not ready to give into the TNA demands, as they are asking for the same demands LTTE put forward, including dismantling the high security zones, North-East merger and division of the country, the President said.
He said his decision will not offend the Tamil people as they also want to enjoy the freedom and the development that came along with the end of the war in the region to uplift their lives. TNA cannot fool the Tamil people all the time, he said.
In reference to his large government the President said when he was handed over the country in 2005, the LTTE already had set up their armed forces, even an air force, banks, courts, schools, and the whole administrative structure in the North and East and he had to seek the support of every political party in the country to strengthen the parliament. The President said he had the choice of holding parliamentary elections to secure his power or to eliminate the terrorism and he chose the latter.
Offering ministerial portfolios was the only way to unify the southern political parties to back the government to go against the LTTE at the time, the President said, adding that it is not needed in the next government.
Responding to corruption charges, the President said the opposition UNP which has been in existence for 60 years and produced so many presidents and prime ministers couldn't find a candidate to go against the President because they knew that they would not win an election and the only thing they can say about the government is the corruption.
The President challenged the opposition to produce documentary evidence and prove those charges in a court of law. The opposition brought so many no-confidence motions against President Chandrika Kumaranatunga and why haven't they bring any against him alleging corruption, he asked.
When asked about the common opposition candidate General Sarath Fonseka's promise of giving 10,000 rupees to public servants, the President said anybody can promise anything but he cannot promise things he cannot do because he knows the condition of the country.
A pay rise does not have any value unless it is accompanied with development, elevation of standard of living and opportunities for the future, the President pointed out. He said his government is committed to uplift the lives of the people by providing better education to children, developing rural areas, improving health facilities and housing and other infrastructure.
A housing scheme is planned for providing 600,000 houses to people, which in turn will boost the employment opportunities for laborers, construction workers, and vendors. This is the real change the President said adding that the Sri Lankan people are intelligent enough to understand the difference between promises and deeds.
President Rajapaksa pointed out that the per capita income was only $1,000 when he assumed office in 2005 and now it is raised to $2,200. The public sector employment has been doubled to 1.2 million and the IT knowledge of the youth has increased from a 5% in 2005 to 35% at present.
Commenting on the accusation by opposition candidate that he is being called a traitor, the President said he has no need to sling mud at anyone and pointed out that Fonseka's spokesman Mangala Samaraweera was the first one to insult him before the war victory saying that General Fonseka is not even fit for the Salvation Army.
The President reminded the media personnel how the opposition downplayed the military victories by the government forces and opposed the war that they are capitalizing on now by convincing foreign countries to stop arms trade to the military. Even now, they are trying to bring the disrespect to the troops by the General's own statement that the army under his command committed war crimes, the President explained.
The President said he has fulfilled the promises set out in the first term and he has come before the people for a second term to bring the necessary political changes to address the grievances of all communities and to create a country full of opportunities for the their children. He said he has confidence in the Sri Lankan people that they would make a wise choice on January 26th.
Jan 18, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa said the country and the future of its people are more important to him than gaining few votes to secure his presidency at the cost of the hard-earned freedom from terrorism.
President Rajapaksa, responding to a question raised by a journalist in an interview with media personnel on Sunday night said he did not agree to the conditions laid out by the Tamil National Alliance because that would mean going back to the pre-war LTTE era.
After 30 years of war sacrificing thousands of lives of soldiers and people and destruction of country's properties like Central Bank by the LTTE, he is not ready to give into the TNA demands, as they are asking for the same demands LTTE put forward, including dismantling the high security zones, North-East merger and division of the country, the President said.
He said his decision will not offend the Tamil people as they also want to enjoy the freedom and the development that came along with the end of the war in the region to uplift their lives. TNA cannot fool the Tamil people all the time, he said.
In reference to his large government the President said when he was handed over the country in 2005, the LTTE already had set up their armed forces, even an air force, banks, courts, schools, and the whole administrative structure in the North and East and he had to seek the support of every political party in the country to strengthen the parliament. The President said he had the choice of holding parliamentary elections to secure his power or to eliminate the terrorism and he chose the latter.
Offering ministerial portfolios was the only way to unify the southern political parties to back the government to go against the LTTE at the time, the President said, adding that it is not needed in the next government.
Responding to corruption charges, the President said the opposition UNP which has been in existence for 60 years and produced so many presidents and prime ministers couldn't find a candidate to go against the President because they knew that they would not win an election and the only thing they can say about the government is the corruption.
The President challenged the opposition to produce documentary evidence and prove those charges in a court of law. The opposition brought so many no-confidence motions against President Chandrika Kumaranatunga and why haven't they bring any against him alleging corruption, he asked.
When asked about the common opposition candidate General Sarath Fonseka's promise of giving 10,000 rupees to public servants, the President said anybody can promise anything but he cannot promise things he cannot do because he knows the condition of the country.
A pay rise does not have any value unless it is accompanied with development, elevation of standard of living and opportunities for the future, the President pointed out. He said his government is committed to uplift the lives of the people by providing better education to children, developing rural areas, improving health facilities and housing and other infrastructure.
A housing scheme is planned for providing 600,000 houses to people, which in turn will boost the employment opportunities for laborers, construction workers, and vendors. This is the real change the President said adding that the Sri Lankan people are intelligent enough to understand the difference between promises and deeds.
President Rajapaksa pointed out that the per capita income was only $1,000 when he assumed office in 2005 and now it is raised to $2,200. The public sector employment has been doubled to 1.2 million and the IT knowledge of the youth has increased from a 5% in 2005 to 35% at present.
Commenting on the accusation by opposition candidate that he is being called a traitor, the President said he has no need to sling mud at anyone and pointed out that Fonseka's spokesman Mangala Samaraweera was the first one to insult him before the war victory saying that General Fonseka is not even fit for the Salvation Army.
The President reminded the media personnel how the opposition downplayed the military victories by the government forces and opposed the war that they are capitalizing on now by convincing foreign countries to stop arms trade to the military. Even now, they are trying to bring the disrespect to the troops by the General's own statement that the army under his command committed war crimes, the President explained.
The President said he has fulfilled the promises set out in the first term and he has come before the people for a second term to bring the necessary political changes to address the grievances of all communities and to create a country full of opportunities for the their children. He said he has confidence in the Sri Lankan people that they would make a wise choice on January 26th.
"අවුරුදු 30 ක් තිස්සේ" අප නොයෙකුත් තාඩන පීඩනවලට කරදර කරච්චල් වලට ලක්වූ යුගය අවසන්කර දැන් කිසිම ජාති ආගම් භේදයක් නොමැතිව රට වැසියාට රටපුරා ඕනෑම තැන
රට පුරා ඕනැම තැනක සැනසිල්ලේ ජීවත් විය හැකි පරිසරයක් උදාවෙලා අස්ගිරි මහ නාහිමි පියදාස රණසිංහ - අතුරුගිරිය හා සුගත් ප්රේමතිලක - කඩුවෙල "අවුරුදු 30 ක් තිස්සේ" අප නොයෙකුත් තාඩන පීඩනවලට කරදර කරච්චල් වලට ලක්වූ යුගය අවසන්කර දැන් කිසිම ජාති ආගම් භේදයක් නොමැතිව රට වැසියාට රටපුරා ඕනෑම තැනක නිදහසේ ගමන් කරන්නට - සැනසිල්ලේ ජීවත් වන්නට පුළුවන් පරිසරයක් උදාවී තිබෙනවා. මේ ලැබූ සැනසිල්ල - නිදහස දිගටම පවත්වා ගෙන යැමට අප සියලු දෙනාම කල්පනාවෙන් බුද්ධියෙන් කටයුතු කළ යුතුයි. ගමේ දියුණුවත් සමගම රටේ සංවර්ධනයත් - දියුණුවත් ගැන කල්පනාවෙන් ක්රියා කරන්න කියා මා මතක් කරනවා"අස්ගිරි පාර්ශ්වයේ මහා නායක අතිපූජ්ය උඩුගම ශ්රී බුද්ධ රක්ඛිත නාහිමිපාණෝ කඩුවෙල - කොරතොට රාජමහා විහාරස්ථ ග්රාම සංවර්ධන දහම් පාසලේ 60 වැනි සංවත්සර උළෙලේ මූලසුන අනුශාසනය පවත්වමින් එසේ පැවැසූහ. විහාරාධිපති - හේවාගම් කෝරළයේ ප්රධාන අධිකරණ සංඝ නායක හබරකඩ සෝභිත නාහිමියන්ගේ අනුශාසනා ඇතිව දහම් පාසලේ ප්රධානාචාර්ය හබරකඩ සුමනසාර හිමියන් ප්රමුඛ ආචාර්ය මණ්ඩලය විසින් මෙම උළෙල සංවිධානය කර තිබිණි. මෙම දහම් පාසලේ ආදි ශිෂ්ය දේශමාන්ය ඒ. කේ. ජනක නන්දකුමාර මහතාගේ ධන පරිත්යාගයෙන් ඒ මහතාගේ පියා වන මහතුන් අලවත්ත මහතාගේ ගුණ සමරා ඉදිකරනු ලැබූ නව දහම් පාසල් ගොඩනැඟිල්ල අස්ගිරි මහා නාහිමියන් හා දර්ශනපති ඉත්තෑපාන ධම්මාලංකාර හිමියන් ප්රමුඛ මහ සංඝරත්නයේ සහභාගිත්වය ඇතිව විවෘත කරන ලදී. උත්සව සභාව හමුවේ අස්ගිරි පාර්ශ්වයේ මහානායක හිමිපාණෝ වැඩිදුරටත් මෙසේ ද පැවැසූහ. අප කල්පනා කරන්න ඕනෑ මේ සමාජයේ අප ජීවත්වන විට මට තියෙන අයිතිවාසිකම් අනෙක් හැම කෙනාටත් තියනවා, මට කියන අමාරුකම්, අපහසුකම් අනෙක් හැම දෙනාටත් තියනව කියන කාරණය. ඒ නිසා මට යම් කිසි වේදනාවක්. දුකක් ඇති වෙනවාදෝ, ඒ දුක, වේදනාව අනෙක් හැම කෙනාටත් ඇති වෙනවා කියන එක තේරුම් අරගෙන කිසිවෙකුටවත් හිංසා පීඩා කරන්න හොඳ නැහැ. මෛත්රියෙන්, සහයෝගයෙන් ජීවත් වන්නට ඕනෑ කියන එක හැම දෙනාගෙම සිතේ තබා ගන්නවා නම් අද අපේ සමාජයේ ඇතිවන නොයෙක් විදිහේ හිංසා පීඩා කල කෝලාහල මිනී මැරුම් වගේ දරුණු අපරාධ කර ගැනීමෙන් වැළකී සිටිය හැකියි. හොඳ දේශපාලනඥයෙක් වෙන්න නම් ශිල්ප ශාස්ත්රය අවශ්යයි. ගණධර්ම වගේම හොඳ විනයත් අවශ්යයි. ශිල්ප ශාස්ත්රවලින් හොඳ ගුණධර්මවලින් සන්නද්ධව දේශපාලනයට බහින පුද්ගලයාගෙන් රටට - සමාජයට අහිතකර කිසිවක් සිදුවන්න ඉඩක් නැහැ.
වීරවංශ කියනවා වගේ ෆොන්සේකා සක්විති වගෙයි
වීරවංශ කියනවා වගේ ෆොන්සේකා සක්විති වගෙයිමම අහසින් වැටුණු මිනිහෙක් නොවෙයි කියන්නේ කරන්න පුළුවන් දේ විතරයිජනපති මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ බොරැල්ලේදී කියයිශිරාන් රණසිංහගමෙත්, නගරයෙත් ජනතාවගේ ප්රශ්න මට අමුතුවෙන් කිවයුතු නෑ. මම ගිරුවාපත්තුවේ ගමකින් කොළඹට ආපු කෙනෙක්. ලබන 26 වැනිදායින් පසුව මේ රටේ ජනතාවගේ හෙට දවස යහපත් කරමින් රට සංවර්ධනය කරන්නේ යෑයි ජනාධිපති මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ මහතා පැවැසීය.ජනාධිපතිවරයා මේ බව කියා සිටියේ පසුගියදා බොරැල්ල කැම්බල් පිටියේ පැවැති එ.ජ.නි.ස. ජනාධිපතිවරණ රැලිය අමතමිනි.බොරැල්ල එක්සත් ජනතා නිදහස් සන්ධානයේ සංවිධායක තිලංග සුමතිපාල මහතා විසින් මෙම රැලිය සංවිධානය කර තිබූ අතර අතිවිශාල ජනකායක් ඊට සහභාගී වී සිටියහ.මෙහිදී තවදුරටත් කතා කළ ජනාධිපති මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ මහතා,පසුගිය ජනාධිපතිවරණය වෙලාවේ, මට බොරැල්ල ජනතාව ඇමතීමට නොහැකි වුණා. ඒකට හේතුව වුණේ ආරක්ෂක හේතූන් මත මට බොරැල්ල රැස්වීම අමතන්න එපා කියලා කියපු නිසා. එදා ඒ රැස්වීම තිබ්බේ ගොඩක් රෑ වෙලා.දැන් එහෙම ආරක්ෂාව සම්බන්ධ ප්රශ්නයක් නෑ. ඒකට හේතුව කොටියා කපෝති කිරීමයි.මට අපේ ආදරණීය ජනතාව රට බාරදෙන විට රට දෙකට බෙදිලයි තිබුණේ. වෙනම භූමිභාගයක් මුහුදෙන් තුනෙන් දෙකක් විතරක් නෙවෙයි කොටින්ට කප්පම් එකතු කරන්නත්, වෙනම ඊළම් හැඳුනුම්පත් තිබුණා. අපිට එදා යුද්ධ කරන්න සිද්ධවුණේ වෙනම රටක් එක්ක. බැරි වෙලාවත් ලෝකයේ එක රටක් හෝ ඊළම පිළිඅරන් තිබුණ නම් තත්ත්වය බරපතළ වෙනවා. අපිට එදා ලැබුණේ පාර්ලිමේන්තුවේ කථා නායකවරයාව තෝරා පත් කරගන්න බැරි ආණ්ඩුවක්. හමුදාව ශක්තිමත් කරන්න අපි කටයුතු කළා. හමුදාව ශක්තිමත් කිරීම නිසි ලෙස කළමනාකරණය කළා. අපි යුද්ධ කරන අතරේ මුළු ලෝකෙම ආර්ථිකය කඩා වැටෙන්න ගත්තා. ලෝකයේ අංක එකේ බැංකු සියයක් පමණ කඩා වැටුණා. නමුත් අපි මේ යුද්දෙත් කරමින් රටේ ආර්ථිකය රැකගත්තා. අපි රාජ්ය දේපළ එකක්වත් විකුණුවේ නෑ. මුළු ලෝකයම ආර්ථික අර්බුදයක ගිලෙද්දී අපිට ආහාර හිඟය දැනුනේ නෑ. ලෝකයේ තෙල් අර්බුදයක ගිලෙද්දී අපිට අවශZH ඉන්ධන ඉරානයෙන් ලබාගන්න අපට හැකිවුණා. අපි බලයට එන විට විදුලි අර්බුදයක් මතුවන බවට අනාවැකි පළවුණා. නමුත් අපි විදුලිය කැපුවේ නෑ. මහාමාර්ග ඉදිකළා. මාර්ග ඉදිකළා. ගමේ පාරවල් කොන්ක්රීට් කළා. විදුලි බලාගාර ඉදිකළා. වරායන් පහක් ඉදිවෙනවා.නිවාස යෝජනා ක්රම ඇරඹුවා. අපි ඒ ආකාරයට ඉදිරියටම ගියා. අවසානයේ දී හමුදාව ජනතාව එකට එකතු කළා. රටට එකතු කරගෙන රට නිදහස් කරගත්තා. මේ ත්රස්තවාදයට එරෙහිව යුද්ධෙ කරන විට මාව හොරෙක් වංචාකාරයෙක් ලෙස පෙනුනේ නෑ. එතකොට මහින්ද හොඳයි. යුද්ධෙ දිනුවට පස්සෙත් ප්රශ්නයක් තිබුණේ නෑ. මැතිවරණය ප්රකාශයට පත්කළ පසුවයි මේ අවලාද නගන්න ගත්තේ. මේවා මඩ ප්රචාර.මට අවුරුදු හතළිහක දේශපාලන අත්දැකීම් තියෙනවා. මගේ අතේ මඩ නෑ. ලේ නෑ. මම ජනතාව විශ්වාස කරලයි මෙතනට ආවේ. ගිරුවාපත්තුවේ ගමක ඉඳලයි මම මෙතනට ආවේ. මහා වෙල්යායක් ළඟ තමයි මගේ නිවස තිබුණේ. ඒ ඈත පිටිසර ගමක ඉඳලයි මම කොළඹට ආවේ. කොළඹට ඇවිත් නැවතිලා හිටියේ බොරැල්ලේ. මම කොළඹ නාලන්දයටත් පස්සේ තර්ස්ටන් විද්යාලයටත් ගියා. මේ බොරැල්ලේ පාරවල් හැම එකක්ම මම දන්නවා. ඒ කාලේ මම මේ හැමතැනම ඇවිදලා ගියා. මම අහසින් වැටුන කෙනෙක් නෙවෙයි. මිනිස්සුන්ගේ දුක, කඳුළ, සතුට, සැනසුම ගැන මට අමුතුවෙන් කියන්න ඕනෙ නෑ. නගරයත්, ගමත් මම හොඳට දන්නවා. මේ මිනිසුන්ගේ හදවත මම හඳුනනවා. ඒ නිසා තමයි මේ රට සංවර්ධනය කරන්න මට පුළුවන්. මම මහින්ද චින්තන 2005 ජනාධිපතිවරණයේ දී ඉදිරිපත් කළා. එදා මම පොරොන්දු වූ පරිදි යුද්ධය අවසන් කළා. ගෞරවාන්විත සාමයක් උදා කළා. ඒකීය රට තහවුරු කළා. එදා ඒ මහින්ද චින්තනයේ කරුණු වලින් සියයට 94 ක් ඉටුකළා. 2010 මම ඉදිරිපත් කළ ප්රකාශනයේ කරුණු සියයට සියයක්ම ඉටු කරනවා කියලා මම පොරොන්දු වෙනවා. මම බැරි නම් බෑ කියනවා. මේ මහින්ද පුළුවන් නම් පුළුවන් කියනවා. ඒ නිසා තමයි රුපියල් දසදහසකින් රාජ්ය සේවක වැටුප් වැඩිකරනවා කියලා නොකිව්වේ. විසිදහසකින් වැඩිකරනවා කියලා නොකිව්වේ.අපි මේ රටේ දරුවන්ගේ අනාගතය සුරකිනවා. උපන්, නූපන් දරුවන්ගේ හෙට යහපත් කරනවා. පැල්පත් ජීවිත ගෙවන සියලු දෙනාට නිවාස ලබාදෙනවා. පැල්පත්වල ජීවත්වන ජනතාව සැපවත් ජීවිතයක් ගෙවන්න අවශ්ය කටයුතු යොදනවා. දැන් පිරිසක් හොර ගිවිසුම් අත්සන් කරලා. උතුරු නැගෙනහිරට ස්වයං පාලනයක් දෙන්න. ඊළම ආපසු දෙන්න පොරොන්දු වෙලා. අපි දිනාගත් රට කෑලි වලට කඩන්න දෙන්න බෑ. උතුරු නැගෙනහිර ඒකාබද්ධ කරන්න රට පාවාදෙන්න මම ඉඩදෙන්නේ නෑ කියලා මතක් කරන්න ඕනේ. ආර්. සම්බන්ධන් මේ කාරණා පිළිබඳ මට කිව්වා. අර විමල් වීරවංශ කියනවා වගේ ෆොන්සේකා සක්විති වගෙයි. අපි කියන්නේ ඔබේ වටිනා ඡන්දය අහක දාන්න එපා. එදා කාත්තන්කුඩිවල පල්ලියක යාඥා කරමින් සිටි 104 දෙනකු මරාදැමුවා. ඒ වගේ විශාල ජීවිත විනාශයකින් පසුව තමයි අපි අද නිදහස ලබා සිටින්නේ.අපි මේ රටේ රාජ්ය දේපළ කොල්ල කනවා කියලා බොරු ප්රචාර කරනවා. මේ බොරු ප්රචාර කරලා රටේ ජනතාව මුළා කරන්න බෑ. මම වරක් මේ දේශපාලනය නිසා හිරගෙයට ගියා. නමුත් මම දේශපාලන පලිගැනීම් කරන්න සූදානම් නෑ. මේ රට නිදහස් කළා විතරක් නෙවෙයි සංවර්ධනය කිරීමත් මට පැවැරුණු වගකීමක්. මේ රටේ ජනතාවට සැපවත්, නිදහස් ජීවිතයක් ලබාදෙන්න මට පුළුවන්. ඒ සඳහා ලබන 26 වැනිදා බුලත් කොළය ඉදිරිපිට කතිරය ගසා මේ ජයග්රහණය විජයග්රහණයක් කරන්න. ඔබට සුබ අනාගතයක්.ජාතික නිදහස් පෙරමුණ සභාපති පාර්ලිමේන්තු මන්ත්රී විමල් වීරවංශ මහතාමේ එළැඹ තිබෙන්නේ මෙරට පවත්වන වැදගත්ම තීරණාත්මක මැතිවරණයක්. රටේ අනාගතය පිළිබඳව තීන්දු ගන්න මැතිවරණය මෙයයි. රටේ කොතැන බැලුවත් මේ රැස්වන ජනතාව කියන්නේ මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ යළිත් මේ රටේ ජනාධිපති වෙනවා කියන එක පමණක් නෙවෙයි. මෙය විජයග්රහණයක් වන බවයි.රට සංවර්ධනය කරන්න, හැඩගසන්න, ගොඩනගන්න, සෞභාග්යවත් කරන්න තිබෙන මැතිවරණය මෙයයි. අලියා මේ මැතිවරණයේ නෑ. තවත් කුජීත වන නිසා මැතිවරණයට රනිල් ආවේ නෑ. ෆොන්සේකා කරගැහුවා. ෆොන්සේකා හිතුවා යුද්දේ කරලා ලබපු කීර්තියෙන් කොටසක් ඔහුටත් තියෙනවා කියලා. ලබන 26 වැනිදා ෆොන්සේකාට ඇමරිකාවට යන්න ගුවන් ටිකට්පත් වෙන් කරන්න සිද්ධවෙලා.මේ ෆොන්සේකා යුද්දෙ කරපු රණවිරුවන් ජාත්යන්තර අපකීර්තියට පත් කළා. දැන් උන්දෑ කියනවා මේ යුද්දෙ ඔක්කොම කළේ උන්නැහැලු. එතකොට ගුවන් හමුදාපතිට අණ දුන්නෙත් ෆොන්සේකාද? නාවික හමුදාපතිටත් උපදෙස් දුන්නේ උන්දැද? පොලිස්පතිට උපදෙස් දුන්නෙත් උන්දැද? ෆොන්සේකාට නියෝග දුන්නෙත් ෆොන්සේකාද? තව ටික දවසකින් මේ පුත්රයා කියයි අම්ම තාත්තා නෙවෙයි, මමම තමයි තනිවම ඉපදුනේ කියලා.යුද්දේ අවසාන කරන කොට ෆොන්සේකා ලංකාවේ හිටියේ නෑ. එතකොට ඔහු හිටියේ චීනයේ. චීනයේ යුද අවි සමාගමක් එක්ක ගනුදෙනු කරන්නයි ඔහු එරටට ගියේ. ඒ සමාගම ගානේ හෝටල් බිල් ගෙවලා. කාලා බීලා නාලා එයා එහෙ සතුටු වෙද්දියි නන්දිකඩාල්වල අවසන් සටන වුණේ. එහෙම ආයුධ ගේන්න රට ගිය ෆොන්සේකා මෙරටට එනකොට යුද්දෙ ඉවරයි. එදා ඒ කළ ගනුදෙනුවට අනුව මෙරටට ආයුධ නැවක් ආවා. ඒක දැන් එපා කියලා ආපසු හරවලා යවන්න ගෝඨාභය රාජපක්ෂ මහත්තයා තීරණය කළා. "ඇගේ වෛරය" ඔහුගේ වෛරය බවට පත්වුණේ ඊට පසුවයි.ඒ පුත්රයට අද යුද්දෙට වළ කපපු රනිල් වික්රමසිංහ එක්ක එකට ඉන්න පුළුවන්ද? අද රනිලුයි, සෝමෙයි එකට බදාගෙන ඉන්න ඡායාරූපයක් ඉංග්රීසි පුවත්පතක පළ කරලා තිබුණා. එදා ජ.වි.පෙ. නිර්මාතෘ ආදරණීය රෝහණ විඡේවීර සහෝදරයා බොරැල්ලේදී අමු අමුවේ මරා දැමුව උන් යා වෙලා. මේ රැළ එකට එකතු වුණේ කොහොමද? කියන්නේ මට පෙර රට.. කියලා අනේ මගේ කට.මනෝ ගනේෂන් අද මේ හවුලෙ. එදා යුද්දෙ වෙනකොට බටහිර නියෝජිතයන් ලංකාවට එනකොට දෙමළ තරුණයෝ අතුරුදන් කියලා බෝඩ්ලෑලි උස්සන් යුද්දෙ නතර කරන්න කියලා කෑ ගහපු නල්ල මලේ ගනේෂන්. අනෙක් පැත්තෙන් හකීම්, ටී. එන්. ඒ. එකත් එක්ක ගිවිසුම් ගහලා. මෙන්න ෆොන් සේකාගේ හවුල. ටී. එන්. ඒ. එක කියන්නේ කොටියගේ පලුව. ත්රස්තවාදයට පණ දෙන්න තමයි ෆොන්සේකා ජනාධිපති අපේක්ෂකයා කළේ. ටී.එන්.ඒ. එක එක්ක ගහපු ගිවිසුම පත්තරවල තිබුණා. මේ පාවාදීම බරපතලයි. ටී.එන්.ඒ හෙවත් දෙමළ ජාතික සංධානයත් එක්ක ෆොන්සේකා ගහපු ගිවිසුම පිළිබඳ ඒ දෙමළ මන්ත්රීවරුම කරුණු කියනවා. කොන්දේසි තියෙනවා. මේ පාවාදීම බරපතලයි. සම්බන්ධන්ලා නිකන් ෆොන්සේකාට උදව් කරයිද?අපි අභියෝග කරනවා පුළුවන් නම් ජනාධිපතිවරණයට පෙරාතුව රනිල්, මනෝ, ෆොන්සේකා, සම්බන්ධන් එකට වාඩිවෙලා පුවත්පත් සාකච්ඡාවකදී කියන්න මේ ගිවිසුම ගැන. ගිවිසුමේ කොන්දේසි මොනවද කියලා. අපි දන්නවා මේ හවුලට මේ ගහපු කොන්දේසි එකට වාඩිවෙලා කියන්න බෑ. මේ පාවාදීම රටට කියන්න ඒ අයට බෑ. ඡේ. වී. පී. එකත් අද කතා නෑ. ඡේ. වී. පී. එක කියනවා ෆොන්සේකා ගේ ආණ්ඩුවක අගමැති සරත් නන්ද සිල්වා ලු. රනිල් කියනවා එයාලු විධායක අගමැති. මේක අවුලක්. ෆොන්සේකා විධායක ජනාධිපති, රනිල් විධායක අගමැති. සරත් නන්ද සිල්වා ඇගමැති.මේ අන්තර් ජාතිකය ගොඩනගන අවුලක්. මිනීමරු ත්රස්තවාදයට යළි පණ දෙන සෙල්ලමක්. අධිරාජ්ය බලවේග වල වුවමනා ඉෂ්ට කරන හවුලක්. ෆොන්සේකා හොරා හොරා කියල රාජපක්ෂට කියනවා.කවුද හොරා... හයිකෝප් හොරා, නීල හොරා, කම්බ හොරා, පට්ට හොරා.... ජනතාව ඒක දන්නවා.ලබන 26 වැනිදා ජනාධිපතිවරණයෙන් මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ යළිත් මේ රටේ ජනාධිපති වෙනවා.එදා 2005 දී බලය ඉල්ලුවේ ත්රස්තවාදය පරාජය කරලා මේ රට රකින්නයි. මෙවර ඡන්දය ඉල්ලන්නේ රට හදන්නයි. රට ගොඩනගන්නයි. සංවර්ධනය කරන්නයි. වංචාව, දූෂණය නැති කරලා රැඩිකල් පාලනය ඇති කරන්න තමයි මේ ජනාධිපතිවරණය වසර දෙකකට පෙරාතුව තිබ්බේ. මේ සාමයේ ප්රතිලාභ ලැබෙන්නේ ඊළඟ පාලනයේදීයි. එනිසයි අපි මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂට විජයග්රහණයක් ලබාදිය යුත්තේ.කොළඹ මහ නගර සභාවේ විපක්ෂ නායක වාසුදේව නානායක්කාර මහතා - මෙය මේ රටේ වැදගත් මැතිවරණයක්. 1956 දී මේ රට ප්රබල විපර්යාසයකට ලක් වුණා. 1970 දී එය ඉදිරි පිම්මක් පැන්නා. 2005 දී අපි තවත් ඉදිරියට ගියා. ජාතික නිදහස, ප්රජාතන්ත්රවාදය, ජනතා බලය, සමානාත්මතාව, මිනිස් අයිතිවාසිකම් සහතික කරන්න ඕනෑ.ප්රධාන කඩඉම් කිහිපයක් පසු කරලයි අපි මෙතනට ආවේ. නව ශිෂ්ටාචාරයක්, අලුත් යුගයක් බිහිවන ලබන 26 වැනිදා මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ මහත්තයට විජයග්රහණයක් ලබාදෙන්න මේ ජනතාව සූදානම්. පසුගිය යුද්දෙ මුළු ලෝකෙම ඇස් මේ රටට එල්ල කරන්න සමත් වුණා.කියුබාව කියන ලෝකයේ පුංචිම පුංචි රට වගේ ශ්රී ලංකාව කියන ඉන්දියන් සාගරයේ මුතු ඇටයත් මුළු ලෝකයම දැක්කෙ එදා. කියුබාවට කැස්ත්රො නම් ශ්රී ලංකාවට මහින්ද යන මතය ස්ථාපිත වෙලා ඉවරයි. අපේ නායකයා ඔහුගේ නිර්භීතකම ලෝකයටම පෙන්නුවා. ලෝක අධිරාජ්යවාදයට එරෙහිව සිය බලය පෙන්නුවා.අපි වවමු, රට නඟමු කියලා වැඩසටහනක් කළා. ලෝකයම ආහාර අර්බුදයක ගිලෙද්දී අපි ආහාරවලින් ශක්තිමත් වුණා. ලෝකයම බියව සිටින ත්රස්තවාදය මුලිනුපුටා දැම්මා. වී ටික, එළවළු ටික අපි වවන්න ගත්තා. අධිරාජ්යවාදයට එරෙහිව වචනවලින් නෙවෙයි ප්රායෝගිකවම මුහුණ දුන්නා. ජනතාවගේ දියුණුව, රටේ සංවර්ධනය ඇති කරන්නේ එහෙමයි. සමාජ සාධාරණත්වය, ජනතා පරමාධිපත්යය රකින්න පුළුවන් එකම නායකයා මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂයි.ප්රවීණ නිළි ගීතා කුමාරසිංහ මහත්මිය - චරිත ඝාතනවලට කැමැති නෑ. නමුත් මේ තීරණාත්මක මොහොතේ මට මගේ යුතුකම ඉෂ්ට කරන්න වෙලා.ත්රස්තවාදය පරාජය කර අප ජයග්රහණය ලැබුවේ ජනාධිපතිතුමාගේ නායකත්වය නිසයි. අද අපි පාරක තොටක බැහැලා නිදහසේ යනවා. ජනාධිපතිතුමා අපිට දුන්න නිදහස නිසයි මම මේ දේශපාලනය ගැන කතා කරන්නේ. අපි අපේ යුතුකම ඉෂ්ට කරමු. රට නිදහස් කළ මෙතුමා රට සංවර්ධනය කරන බව සිකුරුයි. යුද්දේ තිබියදීත් කරපු මේ සංවර්ධනය අපිට පේනවා. විපක්ෂයේ බොරු ප්රචාරවලට රැවටෙන්නේ නැතුව බුද්ධිමත්ව කටයුතු කරලා මේ රටේ ඉදිරි සංවර්ධනයට ඉඩ දෙන්න කියලා මම ජනතාවගෙන් ඉල්ලනවා.බොරැල්ල එ.ජ.නි.ස. සංවිධායක තිලංග සුමතිපාල මහතා - අද බොරැල්ලට අතිවිශාල ජනතාවක් ඇවිත්. මේ ජනතාවගෙන් අපි ඉල්ලන්නේ එළැඹෙන 26 වැනිදා ජනාධිපතිවරණයෙන් මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ මහත්තයගේ ජයග්රහණය විජයග්රහණයක් කරන්න කියලයි.2005 දී ජනාධිපතිවරණය වෙනුවෙන් ඉදිරිපත් කළ "මහින්ද චින්තනයේ" පොරොන්දුවලින් සියයට 94 ක් පසුගිය වසර හතරෙදි එතුමා ඉටු කළා. මූලිකම දේ යුද ජයග්රහණය, එපමණක් නොවේ රටේ ආර්ථිකය, කෘෂිකර්මාන්තය, කර්මාන්ත නගාසිටුවූවා. එපමණක් ද වරාය, විදුලිබලාගාර, ජල විදුලි බලාගාර ඉදි කළා. රටේ ජනතාවට සුබ අනාගතයක් වෙනුවෙන් මහින්ද දිනවීම මේ ජනතාවගේ යුතුකම හා වගකීමයි.වෙළෙඳ හා පාරිභෝගික කටයුතු ඇමැති බන්දුල ගුණවර්ධන මහතා - රටේ අනාගතයට වැදගත් තීරණයක් ගන්න දිනය ලබන 26 වැනිදායි. නිදහසින් පසු ලංකාවේ ජනාධිපතිවරු කිහිප දෙනෙක් සිටියා. නමුත් නිදහසින් පසු ලංකාවේ එකවිට අභියෝග රැසක් සාර්ථකව විස» එකම නායකයා තමයි මහින්ද?අද රටට ගෞරවාන්විත සාමයක් උදාවෙලා. දැන් තියෙන්නේ රට ගොඩනඟන්න. ඒ කටයුත්ත කරන්න හැකි නායකයත් මහින්දයි. යුද්ධ කරන අතරේ රටේ ජනතාව බඩගින්නේ තිබ්බේ නෑ. ලෝකයේ වෙනත් රටවල යුද්ධ කරන විට ජනතාවට පීඩා විඳින්න සිද්ධ වුණා. නමුත් අපේ නායකයා යුද්දෙ කරන අතර රටේ සංවර්ධනයත්, ආර්ථිකයත්, කර්මාන්තයත්, කෘෂිකර්මාන්තයත් සාර්ථකව කළා.
ජනාධිපති මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ මහතා යළි මේ රටේ ජනපති කරවීම යනු මේ රටේ අනාගත පරම්පරාව ජයග්රහණය කරවීම යෑයි බොරැල්ල ශ්රීලනිප ප්රධාන සංවිධායක බස්නාහිර පළාත්
මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ යළි ජනපති කරවීම යනු අපේ රටේ අනාගත පරපුර ජයග්රහණය කරවීමයිතිලංග සුමතිපාල බත්තරමුල්ලජනාධිපති මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ මහතා යළි මේ රටේ ජනපති කරවීම යනු මේ රටේ අනාගත පරම්පරාව ජයග්රහණය කරවීම යෑයි බොරැල්ල ශ්රීලනිප ප්රධාන සංවිධායක බස්නාහිර පළාත් සභා මන්ත්රී තිලංග සුමතිපාල මහතා පැවැසීය. බොරැල්ලේ පැවැති ජනාධිපති මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ මහතාට සහාය පිණිස වූ ජන හමුවකදී සුමතිපාල මහතා මේ බව පළ කළේය. සියලු ජාති හා ආගම්වලට අයත් කොළඹ දිස්ත්රික්කයේ ජනතාව අද ජනාධිපතිතුමා වටා පෙළ ගැසී සිටින බව පැවැසූ තිලංග සුමතිපාල මහතා මෙසේද කීය. අද එජාප නායක රනිල් වික්රමසිංහ මහතා පොදු අපේක්ෂකයාට ඡන්දය දෙන ලෙස එජාප පාක්ෂිකයන්ගෙන් ඉල්ලීමට සාදාචාරත්මක අයිතියක් නැහැ තම පක්ෂය සුරක්ෂිත කර එහි සියලු නායකයන් එකමුතු කර පක්ෂයට දැක්මක් ලබාදීමට එතුමාට නොහැකි වී තිබෙනවා. එසේ තිබියදී වෙනත් අපේක්ෂකයකුට ඡන්දය දෙන ලෙස ඉල්ලා සිටීමට ඔහුට තිබෙන අයිතිය කුමක්ද?. ජනරාල් ෆොන්සේකා මහතා ජයග්රහණය කළොත් ඔහු කිසිම පක්ෂයකට අයිති නැති නිසා තමන්ට හිතන දේ කරාවි. ජවිපෙ හා එජාපය ඇතුළු සෙසු පක්ෂ සමග ගිවිසුම් නැතැයි දැනමත් ප්රකාශ වී ඇති නිසා මේ තත්ත්වය අපට තේරුම් ගන්න පුළුවන්. තිස් වසරක යුද්ධය නිමා කර රට සංවර්ධනය කරා ගෙන යන දෙවැනි ගමනට දායක වෙමින් ජනාධිපතිතුමන් දිනවීමට බොරැල්ල සහ කොළඹ දිස්ත්රික්කයේ සෙසු ආසනවල අපි සියලු දෙනා සමගම අත්වැල් බැඳගෙන කටයුතු කරමු. මලයාසියාවේ මහතීර් මොහොමඩ් මහතා වටා ජනතාව පෙළ ගැසුණේ ඔහු දේශීය චින්තනය පෙරදැරිව රට නැංවීමට ක්රියා කළ නිසයි. අද අපේ ජනපතිතුමන් වටා ජනතාව එක් රොක්ව සිටින්නේ එතුමන්ගේ එම චින්තනය නිසයි.
අනේ ජනාධිපතිතුමනි, මේ කොටියා කම්මුතු කරල දාන්න
ජනපති කඳුළෙන් රෝහල තෙමුණ දවසක් !කැබිතිගොල්ලෑව රෝහලට කිලෝමීටර් කීපයක් දුරින් මහා පිපිරුම් හඬක් ඇසිණ. රෝහල ද දෙදරිණි. මිනිත්තු කිපයකට පසු රෝහලට වාහන පෙළක් ළඟා විය. රෝහල් අංගනය ඉඩ මදි විය. ඒ හැම වාහනයකින්ම පිටතට ගෙනාවේ ලේ පෙරෙන මිනිස් සිරුරුය. රෝහල කූඹී ගුලක් බඳු විය. රෝහල් සේවක සේවිකාවෝ වහා ඒ මිනිස් සිරුරු පිළිගත්හ. කැබිතිගොල්ලෑව ප්රදේශයේ ගැහැනු පිරිමි රෝහලට දිව ආහ. ලේ පිරුණු ඒ සිරුරු ඔසවාගෙන රෝහල තුළට ගෙන ආහා. 2006 ජුනි 15 වැනිදා පෙරවරුවේ සිදුවූ මේ සිදුවීම් කැබිතිගොල්ලෑව රෝහලේ හෙදියක වන විමලා හේරත් මහත්මිය පසුගියදා මෙසේ සිහිපත් කළා ය. එදා මා ඩියුටි ඕෆ් වෙලා අපේ නිවාසයට යැමට සූදානම් වෙලයි හිටියෙ. උදේ හතට විතර බෝම්බ හඬක් ආවා. ඒ වෙලාවට යකා වැව පැත්තේ ඉදලා බසයක් එනවා. ඒකට බෝම්බ තියලද දන්නෙ නැහැ කියල මට හිතුණා. විනාඩි 15 ක් වත් ගියේ නැහැ රෝහලට ලේ පෙරෙන තුවාලකාරයෝ ගේනවා පෙනුණා. මම හිටියේ නිල ඇඳුමින් නොවෙයි. ඒත් මම තුවාලකාරයන්ට ප්රතිකාර කරන්න පටන් ගත්තා. අපට පෙනුණා මළ සිරුරුත් ඔසවාගෙන එනවා. මේ වෙලාවේ මුළු පළාතෙම මිනිස්සු උදව්වට ආවා. මේ මනුස්සකම උතුරා ගිය මොහොතක්. අපේ රෝහලේ හිටියේ වෛද්යවරු 4 දෙනයි. හෙද කාර්යයමණ්ඩලය 3 යි. සාත්තු සේවිකාවෝ 14 යි. ඩියුටි ඕෆ් වෙලා ගියපු අයත් මේ වෙලාවේ වාට්ටුවලට ආවා. අපට ලෙඩුන්ට සේලයින් දෙන්න සේලයින් බට රඳවන තිබුණෙ හතක් අටක් පමණයි. ගමේ මිනිස්සු සේලයින් බෝතල් ඔසවාගෙන ලෙඩ්ඩු ළඟ හිටියා. ලෙඩ්ඩුන්ට සේලයින් දුන්නේ එහෙමයි. පණ අදින තුවාලකාරයෝ බේරාගන්න විශාල සටනක් වාට්ටු ඇතුළේ සිද්ධවුණා. මළසිරුරු කොරිඩෝරයේ සහ අලුත හදාගෙන යන වාට්ටුවල තැන්පත් කළා. බලන්න බැහැ පුංචි බෝනික්කො වගේ ළමයි කෑළි, කෑළි වලට කැඩිලා, වාට්ටුව මිනිස්සුන්ගෙන් පිරුණා. එතැන එකම ඝෝෂාවක්. කිට්ටුව පාත රෝහල්වල වෛද්යවරු හෙදියෝ සාත්තු සේවිකාවෝ ඒ රෝහල්වල වාහනත් අරගෙන ආවා. මිනිසුන් ජීවත් කර වීමට මේ තරම් සටනක් කරපු දවසක් මා දැක නැහැ. කෑ ගහනවා, හඬා වැලපෙනවා, කොටියට ශාප කරනවා. ඒ මිනිස්සුන්ට වාට්ටුවෙන් පිටතට ගිහින් ඉන්න කිව්වට අහන්නෙ නැහැ. වාට්ටුවට එනවා. වාට්ටුව එකම මිනිස් පොදියක්. අළුතින් හදන වාට්ටුවේ මළ සිරුරු ළඟ වැලපෙන ගැහැනුන්ගේ පිරිමින්ගෙ හඬ උස්ව නැඟුණා. මේ මහ මිනිස් පොදිය අතරින් සෙනඟ පීරාගෙන කෙනෙක් ඉදිරියට ආවා. අපට අදහගන්න බෑ. මේ ජනාධිපති මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ මහතා. අපේ ජනාධිපතිතුමා. මිනිස්සුන්ගේ කෑගැහිල්ල නැති වුණා. ගොළු වුණා. "අනේ ජනාධිපතිතුමනි, මේ කොටියා කම්මුතු කරල දාන්න," කෙනෙක් කෑගහල කීවා. දරුවා නැතිවුණ මවක් ජනාධිපතිතුමාගේ අත් දෙක අල්ලා ගත්තා. ජනාධිපතිතුමා ඇගේ උරහිසින් අල්ලා ගත්තා. එතුමා ඇගේ උරහිස සොළවමින් හඬන්නට පටන් ගත්තා. ඇයත් හඬනවා. එතුමාත් හඬනවා. වාට්ටුවේ සිටි අපත් එතුමා සමඟ හඬන්නට පටන් ගත්තා. ඒ මොහොතේ මුළු වාට්ටුවම කඳුළින් පිරුණා. "අනේ ජනාධිපතිතුමනි ඔබතුමා මෙහෙ ආවේ ඇයි. තව කිලෝමීටර් 5 ක් 6 දුරින් කොටි ඉන්න මුලතිව් කැලේ. මේ රෝහල් ඉඩමටත් උන් එනවා. අපි යුනිෆොaම් වලට උඩින් කළු රෙදි ඇඳගෙන රෑට වැඩ කරන්නේ. උන් අපිට තර්ජනය කරනවා. මේ පළාත කොටි කටක් වගෙයි. ඇයි මෙහෙම ආවේ. ඔබතුමා පරිස්සම් වෙන්න ඕන. මෙහෙම ගමන් එන්න එපා." එක් රෝහල් සේවිකාවක් හඬ නඟා කිව්වා. ජනාධිපතිතුමා ළඟට ප්රියන්ත කියලා තාත්තා කෙනෙක් තමාගේ දරුවාගේ මළ සිරුර ඔසවාගෙන ආවා. "ජනාධිපතිතුමනි, මගේ දරුවා මළාට කමක් නැහැ. මම ඔබතුමාගෙන් ඉල්ලන්නේ මගේ දරුවා මරාපු කොටියා කම්මුතු කරන්න කියලයි. මුන්ට ඉඩ දෙන්න එපා." ඔහු ද හඬන්නට පටන් ගත්තා. "ජනාධිපතිතුමා එදා පැමිණියේ කිසිම ආරක්ෂාවක් නැතිව. එතුමා එන බව පොලිසියවත් දැනගෙන හිටියේ නෑ." කැබිතිගොල්ලෑව ප්රාදේශීය සභාවේ මන්ත්රීවරයකු වන කේ චන්ද්රසේකර පුංචිබණ්ඩා මහතා අප සමග කීය. ක්ලේමෝ බෝම්බ දෙකක ප්රහාරයට ගොදුරු වූ කැබිතිගොල්ලෑව පැමිණෙමින් සිටි ඒ බසයේ වැඩි දෙනා අයත් වුයේ යකාවැව ගමට ය. ප්රදේශීය සභා මන්ත්රී පුංචිබණ්ඩා මහතාගේ ගම ද යකාවැවය. අනුරාධපුර වවුනියා දිස්ත්රික් මායිමේ පිහිsටි, මුලතිව් කැලයට ද මායිම් වූ, යකාවැවේ වසන්ත චන්දන සෙනවිරත්න නමැති ග්රාමාරක්ෂක භටයා වවුනියාව කච්චකුඩියේ දී වෙඩි පහරකින් මිය ගියේය. ඔහුගේ අවමඟුලට සහභාගි වීම සඳහා ඒ ගමේ පිරිසක් 2006 ජුනි 15 වැනිදා උදෑසන ඒ ගම හරහා යන බසයකට ගොඩ වූහ. හිමිවරු දෙනමක් මාතෘ සායනයකට යන ගැබිණි කාන්තාවෝ කීප දෙනෙක් සහ ළමයි කීප දෙනෙක් ද ඒ බසයේ සිටියහ. කිලෝමීටර් 7 ක් පමණ දුර ගමන් කළ බසය තුඹසක සවි කළ ක්ලේමෝ බෝම්බ 02 කට හසුවිය. බසයේ රියෑදුරු විසිවිය. සුක්කානම නිදහස් විය. බසය මීටර් 70 ක් පමණ දුරට ඇදී ගියේය. බෝක්කුවක හැපී පාරේ වම් පැත්තට එය පෙරළණ. දොරවල් වැසිණ. 160 ක් පමණ වූ මගීන්ගෙන් වැඩි දෙනෙක් මළවුන් බවට පත්වූහ. අනෙක් අයගේ සිරුරු බිඳුණහ. අත්පා කැඩුණු ආබාධිතයෝ බවට පත්වූහ. බසය එකම ලේ විලක් බවට පත්විය. මියගිය 64 දෙනා අතර භික්ෂූන් වහන්සේලා දෙනමක්, ළමයි 15 දෙනෙක් සහ ගැබිණි මවුවරු කීප දෙනෙක් ද වුහ. තුවාල ලබා ජීවිත කාලයටම ආබාධිත ලකුණු උරුම වූ පණ රැකුණු කීප දෙනෙකු සමග කතා බහ කිරීමට අපට හැකිවිය. යකාවැව ගමේ කේ. යසපාල මහතා එයින් එක් අයෙකි. 51 හැවිරිදි ඔහු එදා කච්චිකුඩියේ මළගෙදරට යැමට බසයට නැඟුණේ සිය බිරිඳත්, පුතාලා දෙදෙනාත්, දුවත්, මුණුපුරාත් සමගය. මුණුපුරා දුවගේ පුතාය. යසපාල සිටියේ බසයේ හිටගෙනය. ඔහු ළඟම අසුනේ බිරිදත් දුවත් හිඳගෙන සිටියහ. මුණුපුරා දුවගේ උකුලේය. බෝම්බේ පිපිරීමත් සමගම ඔහු ඇද වැටිණ. ඔහුට බිරිඳත්, දුවත්, මුණුපුරාත් මැරී වැටෙනු පෙනිණ. එක් පුතකුගෙ අතක් බිඳිණ. දත් හතක් කැඩිණ. ඔහු කැලණි විශ්වවිද්යාලයේ ශිෂ්යයෙකි. යසපාල මහතා දින 45 ක් අනුරාධපුර රෝහලේ නතරවී ප්රතිකාර ගත්තේය. කැඩුණු අතින් දැන් වැඩක් කළ නොහැක. ඔහු මෙසේ කීවේය. "මුලතිව් කැලේ අසල ගමක ජීවත්වන අප දිගු කාලයක සිට කොටින්ගෙන් පීඩා ලැබුවා. උන් මගේ බිරිඳ දුව මුනුපුරා මට නැතිකළා. තවත් කී දහසක් දෙනා උන් නිසා විනාශ වෙන්නට ඇද්ද. මේ ත්රස්තවාදීන්ගෙන් රටත් අපත් බේරාගන්න මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ ජනාධිපතිතුමාට හැකිවුණා. එදා එතුමා කැබිතිගොල්ලෑවට ආපු හැටි මා දැක්කේ නැහැ. නමුත් මගේ දුවගේ සැමියා වන ප්රියන්ත, මගේ මුනුපුරාගේ මළසිරුර දෑතින් ඔසවාගෙන ජනාධිපතිතුමා ළඟට ගියා. මේ කොටිය ඉක්මනට කම්මුතු කරන්න කියලා ඔහු එතුමාගෙන් ඉල්ලුවා. එතුමා ඊළඟ මාසෙම මාවිල්ආරු අමුණ බේරාගන්න කොටියා සමග යුද්ධය පටන් ගත්තා. නැගෙනහිර පමණක් නෙවෙයි, උතුරු පළාතත් අල්ලාගෙන ප්රභාකරන් ඇතුළු ත්රස්තවාදී නායකයන් ඔක්කොම විනාශ කරනතුරු ඒa යුද්ධය ගෙන ගියා. දැන් කොටියා කම්මුතුයි. අපට දැන් සැනසිල්ලේ ඇවිදින්න, වැඩකරන්න පුළුවන්. පසුගිය කාලයේ අවුරුදු කීපයක්ම අපට කුඹුරු වගා කරන්න, ගොඩ බෝග දමන්න ඉඩ ලැබුණේ නෑ. කූඹුරු, වතුපිටි වල් බිහිවෙලා තිබුණේ. දැන් අපි බියසැක නැතුව වගාවේ යෙදෙනවා. අපේ ගමේ හැම පවුලකටම කොටියා විපත්ති කළා. නමුත් දැන් අපට සැහැල්ලුවෙන්, සැනසිල්ලෙන් ඉන්න පුළුවන්. මේ තත්ත්වය අපට ලබා දුන් ඒ මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ ජනාධිපතිතුමාට බුදුබව ලැබේවා. එතුමා නැවත වාරයක් අපේ රටේ ජනාධිපතිවේවා කියලා අපි පතනවා. මේ වගේ වේලාවක එතුමා අමතක කරන්න පුළුවන් වෙන්නේ කළගුණ නොදන්නා අයට. අපේ ගම් පළාතෙ කවුරුත් අද එකතුවෙලා ඉන්නවා එතුමාගේ ජයග්රහණය වෙනුවෙන්. මා මැරුණත් මගේ ශරීරයේ ඇට කෑල්ලක් හරි අරගෙන ගිහිල්ලා එතුමා වෙනුවෙන් කතිරය ලකුණු කරන්න කියලා මම කියලා තියෙනවා. එතුමා වගේ නායකයෙක් බිහිවුණේ නැත්නම් කොටියා තාමත් මුලතිව් කැලයේ ඉන්නවා. එහෙම වුණා නම් අපට ඉන්න වෙන්නේ බයේ ගැහි ගැහී. එතුමා අප රැකගත්ත එක අමතක කරලා මේ වෙලාවේ අපි වැඩ කරනවා නම් ඒක මහ පාපයක්. අපි කළගුණ සලකන්න ඕන. යකාවැව සිසිර කුමාර දිසානායක මහතා ද මේ බසයේ ගමන් කළ අයෙකි. "මා බසය මැද හිටගෙන හිටියෙ. පිපිරුම් හඬක් ආවා. මට සිහිය නැතිවුණා. සිහිය එනකොට මා සිටියේ අනුරාධපුර ලෝහලේ දැඩි සත්කාර ඒකකයේ. මගේ දකුණු අත කැඩිලා. ඒ අතින් දැන් වැඩකරන්න බැහැ. මගේ අම්මත්, අයියාත්, මේ අනතුරේදී නැතිවුණා. මා ළඟට ආ ජනාධිපතිතුමා මගේ හිස පිරිමැද "තෙරුවන් සරණින් ඔබ සුවපත් වේවා"යි කී බව මා ළඟ සිටි හෙදියක් කීවා. ජනාධිපතිතුමනි, අපි ඔබතුමාට ණය ගැතියි. මෙච්චරකල් හිටපු ජනාධිපතිවරුන්ට කරන්න බැරිවුණ වැඩක් ඔබතුමා කළා. කොටියා පරාජය කළා. මහ කොටියා ප්රභාකරනුත් ඉවරයි. දැන් ගමේ අය බයේ හැංගෙන්නේ නැහැ. ඉඩම් වල වල් කපලා වගා කරනවා. කුඹුරු හදලා වගා කරනවා. මේ තත්ත්වය ඇති කළ ජනාධිපති මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ මහතාට අපි කළගුණ සලකනවා."යකාවැව, ඉඳිගොල්ලෑව ප්රාථමික විදුහලේ හතරවන වසරේ ශිෂ්යයකු වන ලක්ෂාන් මධුශංක ධර්මපාල අප සමග කතා කළේය. "අපේ තාත්තා යූ. බී. ධර්මපාල. තාත්තා එදා බෝම්බයට අහුවුණා. දැන් ඉන්නේ අම්මයි මායි විතරයි. අම්මයි මායි එදා තාත්තා බලන්න ඉස්පිරිතාලෙට ගියා. තාත්තා මළ මිණි ගොඩක සිටිනවා මා දැක්කා." මෙබඳු කතා කියන තවත් දරුවො මේ ගමේ සිටිති.නිකවැව, ඉඳිගොල්ලෑව, තල්ගස්වැව, මොරවැව, හල්මිල්ලවැටිය, දුටුවැව, රළවනාව, පුලියංකුළම, පාළු හල්මිල්ලෑව ආදී ගම් රැසක අපි ඇවිද්දෙමු. හැමතැනකම කොටි භීෂණයට ගොදුරු වූ අයයි. ඔවුහු දැන් ජීවිතය අලුතෙන් පටන්ගෙනය. වල් බිහිවූ ඉඩම් එළිවේ. කලක් පුරන් වී පැවැති කුඹුරු වල නියර බැඳේ. ලියදි කැපේ. තැන තැන නිල්ල ගහන ගොයම් ද පෙනේ. යළි පිබිදෙන ගම්මාන අපි දුටුමු. මේ හැමතැනම හැම නිවසකම උළුවස්සට ඉහළින් සියලු දෙනාගේම ගෞරවය ලබන ඡායාරූපයක් වෙයි. ඒ මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ ජනාධිපතිතුමාගේ ඡායාරූපයයි. ඔවුහු මෙසේ කියති. "අපට එතුමාගෙන් පිටට යන්න බැහැ. එතුමා පහළවුණේ නැත්නම් යුද්ධය දිගටම යනවා. මේ ගම්මාන මුලතිව් කැලේ සිටින කොටියාට අයිති වෙනවා. එදා අපේ නෑයන්ගේ මළකඳන් අතරට තුවාල වූ අපේ නෑ මිතුරන් අතරට එතුමා ආ හැටි, හඬා වැළපුණු හැටි අමතක කරන්න අපිට බැහැ. එතුමා අපේ කෙනෙක්. අපේම කෙනෙක්. අපි අපේ ඡන්දය දෙන්නේ එතුමාටමයි."
Canadian Tamils for Peace and Democracy support President Mahinda
At Kurunegala rally:
President pledges to end thuggery
Chaminda Perera in Kurunegala
*One minute silence for slain UPFA supporter
*We will defeat any conspiracy
*Govt will protect unitary status of country
While condemning the killing of an UPFA supporter in Madurankuliya by a group of gunmen on Saturday, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said he will not allow thuggery to take root in the country under any circumstances. The President was addressing over 100,000 people who flocked to the Maligapitiya grounds in Kurunegala in support of his victory at the upcoming election.
President Rajapaksa along with the Ministers observed one minute’s silence as a mark of respect to the UPFA supporter who was shot dead by an armed group, before he commenced his address.
“We should not give any room to the person who thinks that he can get political mileage by killing innocent people,” he said.
“We will put a full stop to thuggery and conspiracy to divide the country by remerging the North and the East on January 26,” he stressed. He added that the people of this nation gave him power at the eleventh hour to save the country which was under the threat of LTTE terrorists and their followers in the South.
The President reiterated that part of the country was handed over to the terrorists by an agreement and by the time he came into power and the terrorists have set up their own administration for a separate State.
The President stressed the Government pioneered liberating the country from the clutches of terrorism to ensure a better-country for posterity.
He said several traders were engaged in a futile attempt to create an artificial rice shortage in the country by hiding their stocks. The President reminded that this type of consipiracy was in place during 1977 and all hidden stocks came out after the 1977 General election.
He said that the people are ready to teach a lesson to these bogus traders and the conspirators who are involved in betraying the country on January 26. The President said that he is familiar with the life in the rural village as he hailed from one of the most under developed villages in the South.
“Certain elements have said on election platforms that I will be sent to a cottage in a rural village after the election. He said these elements of the pampered class have neither seen a cottage nor experienced the life in rural villages in the country”, he said.
He added that he did not sell any property belonging to the State during his entire tenure as the President. He said the Government has brought several State ventures which were privatized by previous administrations under its control during the past four years.
President Rajapaksa said some weak leaders in the country did not identify LTTE members as terrorists in fear of their lives at that time.
He stressed that more than 30,000 service personnel sacrificed their lives to safeguard the unitary state of the country and the Government is bound to protect and promote the unitary state of the country.
He said that the Government has clearly outlined in the Mahinda Chinthanaya that the Government is committed to protect and promote the unitary status of the country.
Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion and Media and Information Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Rural Industries Minister S.B. Navinna, Nation Building Minister and Hiriyala SLFP Organizer Salinda Dissanayake and NFF Leader Wimal Weerawansa also spoke.
President will romp home
Lakshmi de Silva
President Mahinda Rajapaksa will win the forthcoming Presidential poll with an absolute majority as it is clearly seen that all sections of people in the country are rallying round him, SLFP General Secretary, Agriculture and Mahaveli Development Minister Maithreepala Sirisena said yesterday.
Addressing a SLFP press conference at the Mahaveli Centre he said the President had clearly made the people understand his leadership in winning the humanitarian operations against the LTTE terrorists and also implementing mega development programs that accelerated the economic development of the country.
The people strongly felt the freedom from fear that existed even when President Mahinda Rajapaksa was elected four years back. Today they were enjoying the newly won freedom and were rallying in massive numbers at the public meetings held to support his candidature, the Minister noted.
Continuing he said on the other hand the NDF candidate’s behaviour and words used in addressing the public appears crazy and is an indication of his defeat.
He sometimes used the slang used in the army by some high ups on lower ranks. The UNP and the JVP have started unleashing violence like the cases in Tangalla or Anamaduwa as they want to use violence to instill fear into people.
They will have to face the repercussions of their own violence as the public were aware of their past records.
Three public opinion polls have been conducted and each one showed that President Mahinda Rajapaksa was miles ahead of the NDF candidate. The UNP and the JVP could live in their dreams for another few days but on January 27 they will wake up with the reality of realizing that President Mahinda Rajapaksa cannot be defeated.
President an exceptional leader - Ven Chandrarathana Thera
Sandya Karunaratne and Chinta Ranasinghe
President Mahinda Rajapaksa is an exceptional leader who destroyed the utopian dream of Eelam that was about to be built through 30 years of armed might, All Island Young Bhikkhu Organization President Ven Debokkawe Chandrarathana Thera said. The Thera said President Rajapaksa is the only leader who can actively intervene politics, economics, social and cultural matters adding that Sarath Fonseka is a stranger to these concepts.
If the country is to witness a bright future, it is President Mahinda Rajapaksa who should be elected leader at the Presidential Election and all members of the Sangha would join together to deny State power falling into the hands of a dictator like Sarath Fonseka.
He said: “Whenever the country was in peril it was the Bhikkhus who first became alert to the warning signs”.
The Thera was addressing a media conference at the SLFI recently. The Thera also said the role played by the Sangha from historical times to protect the sovereignty of the country should not be trivialized.
“Our organization had raised its voice on behalf of the unitary State since 2008. We will never issue statements for political gain.
We have taken a neutral stand. Today, the National Bhikkhu Front is making statements that mislead the people. We ask the people not to be carried away by such views.”
National Young Bhikkhu Organization Secretary Ven Aranwala Sumana Thera said they have not come forward to speak on behalf of any political party.
“There are among us those who hold different political views.
Certain Bhikkhus have even given up positions and high office and join us to protect the unitary state, independence and territorial integrity of the country.
This is social duty cast upon us,” he said.
The Thera observed that President Mahinda Rajapaksa had defeated all efforts to divide the country honouring his pledge made in 2005.
“However, a conspiracy is being hatched to once again divide the country and Opposition alliance led by Sarath Fonseka is attempting install a totalitarian regime in the country,” he said.
Canadian Tamils for Peace and Democracy support President
The Canadian Tamils for Peace and Democracy, a prominent civil rights group comprised of Sri Lankan Tamils living in Canada has pledged its fullest support to President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the forthcoming Presidential election. According to ToL sources in Toronto, the group has passed a resolution unanimously to support President Rajapaksa to be re-elected and as their only candidate for the Presidency.
The most recent confirmation of support came from the Executive Committee of CatPad, during their extraordinary meeting held on January 12, 2010 and ratified its support to the strong leadership given by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to eradicate terrorism and restore democracy in the North and East of Sri Lanka.
In a press release today the group also requests their brethren in Sri Lanka to follow its path to strengthen the hands of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to take forward the task of not only defeating terrorism in the North and East but also to strengthen the democracy by developing the province economically and socially which are interconnected with peace and political stability in the country.
The Press Release in full: “We urge our Tamils in the North and East to remember our past days under the LTTE warmongers and the communal UNP regime that supported them to establish a de facto government, which recognized LTTE, the most ruthless terrorist outfit in the World as the sole representative of the Tamils. Let us not forget those horrible days under the LTTE.
Their forceful recruitment of our beloved children, military training for young and old, killing of innocent civilians and moderate Tamils, suicide bombings, sufferings and sorrows followed by brutal war unnecessarily forced by the LTTE.
Remember the precious lives of all communities lost by the brutality of LTTE and their sole supporter the UNP. Let us not forget the plight of our Tamil speaking Muslims whose lives were ruined by the cruel LTTE.
We urge our Tamils in the North and East, to support a courageous leader who stood up for democracy for the Tamils and Peace for all Sri Lankans. We urge our Tamil speaking Muslims to rally behind President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, who brought them back to the North, the land of their ancestors.
Remember the UNP which not only permitted the high powered transmission equipment presented by the Norwegian Government without duty to the Voice of Tigers but also exercised their powers in government to strengthen the LTTE militarily during the pact signed with the LTTE in February 2002. The loss to the nation is well-known to the people of Sri Lanka. There is not a single family in Sri Lanka who was not affected by the unholy alliance of the UNP and LTTE, which ruined most of the men, women and children in Sri Lanka.
“We the Canadian Tamils for Peace and Democracy urge the Tamil community to vote for President Mahinda Rajapaksa, a leader who stood firmly against all international pressure and brought terrorism to an end in our motherland. Mahinda Rajapaksa is a leader who freed thousands of Tamils from the Vanni regime and showed a new path to Peace and Democracy. He is a President who saved our beloved children from the LTTE clutches, removed their cyanide capsules and relieved them from becoming suicide bombers. Give the President another chance to develop the North and East to regain our past glory.
Let us become once again the most educated community and stronger business community and become the backbone of our Nation.
Let us all live together with our Muslim and Sinhala brothers as one family.
“To achieve all our dreams let us unite together and vote for a President who has the ability to make this happen. Vote for President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
“Defeat the unholy alliance of Terrorist TNA (Tamil National Alliance alias Terrorist National Alliance) and the communal UNP.
“Defeat separatism. Defeat Sarath Fonseka.
“Every Vote to President Mahinda Rajapaksa is a vote for Peace.
“Every Vote for Sarath Fonseka is vote for Piece (Division of Sri Lanka).
“Your every vote counts!
“Vote for President Mahinda Rajapaksa!
Vote for a United Sri Lanka!”
President pledges to end thuggery
Chaminda Perera in Kurunegala
*One minute silence for slain UPFA supporter
*We will defeat any conspiracy
*Govt will protect unitary status of country
While condemning the killing of an UPFA supporter in Madurankuliya by a group of gunmen on Saturday, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said he will not allow thuggery to take root in the country under any circumstances. The President was addressing over 100,000 people who flocked to the Maligapitiya grounds in Kurunegala in support of his victory at the upcoming election.
President Rajapaksa along with the Ministers observed one minute’s silence as a mark of respect to the UPFA supporter who was shot dead by an armed group, before he commenced his address.
“We should not give any room to the person who thinks that he can get political mileage by killing innocent people,” he said.
“We will put a full stop to thuggery and conspiracy to divide the country by remerging the North and the East on January 26,” he stressed. He added that the people of this nation gave him power at the eleventh hour to save the country which was under the threat of LTTE terrorists and their followers in the South.
The President reiterated that part of the country was handed over to the terrorists by an agreement and by the time he came into power and the terrorists have set up their own administration for a separate State.
The President stressed the Government pioneered liberating the country from the clutches of terrorism to ensure a better-country for posterity.
He said several traders were engaged in a futile attempt to create an artificial rice shortage in the country by hiding their stocks. The President reminded that this type of consipiracy was in place during 1977 and all hidden stocks came out after the 1977 General election.
He said that the people are ready to teach a lesson to these bogus traders and the conspirators who are involved in betraying the country on January 26. The President said that he is familiar with the life in the rural village as he hailed from one of the most under developed villages in the South.
“Certain elements have said on election platforms that I will be sent to a cottage in a rural village after the election. He said these elements of the pampered class have neither seen a cottage nor experienced the life in rural villages in the country”, he said.
He added that he did not sell any property belonging to the State during his entire tenure as the President. He said the Government has brought several State ventures which were privatized by previous administrations under its control during the past four years.
President Rajapaksa said some weak leaders in the country did not identify LTTE members as terrorists in fear of their lives at that time.
He stressed that more than 30,000 service personnel sacrificed their lives to safeguard the unitary state of the country and the Government is bound to protect and promote the unitary state of the country.
He said that the Government has clearly outlined in the Mahinda Chinthanaya that the Government is committed to protect and promote the unitary status of the country.
Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion and Media and Information Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Rural Industries Minister S.B. Navinna, Nation Building Minister and Hiriyala SLFP Organizer Salinda Dissanayake and NFF Leader Wimal Weerawansa also spoke.
President will romp home
Lakshmi de Silva
President Mahinda Rajapaksa will win the forthcoming Presidential poll with an absolute majority as it is clearly seen that all sections of people in the country are rallying round him, SLFP General Secretary, Agriculture and Mahaveli Development Minister Maithreepala Sirisena said yesterday.
Addressing a SLFP press conference at the Mahaveli Centre he said the President had clearly made the people understand his leadership in winning the humanitarian operations against the LTTE terrorists and also implementing mega development programs that accelerated the economic development of the country.
The people strongly felt the freedom from fear that existed even when President Mahinda Rajapaksa was elected four years back. Today they were enjoying the newly won freedom and were rallying in massive numbers at the public meetings held to support his candidature, the Minister noted.
Continuing he said on the other hand the NDF candidate’s behaviour and words used in addressing the public appears crazy and is an indication of his defeat.
He sometimes used the slang used in the army by some high ups on lower ranks. The UNP and the JVP have started unleashing violence like the cases in Tangalla or Anamaduwa as they want to use violence to instill fear into people.
They will have to face the repercussions of their own violence as the public were aware of their past records.
Three public opinion polls have been conducted and each one showed that President Mahinda Rajapaksa was miles ahead of the NDF candidate. The UNP and the JVP could live in their dreams for another few days but on January 27 they will wake up with the reality of realizing that President Mahinda Rajapaksa cannot be defeated.
President an exceptional leader - Ven Chandrarathana Thera
Sandya Karunaratne and Chinta Ranasinghe
President Mahinda Rajapaksa is an exceptional leader who destroyed the utopian dream of Eelam that was about to be built through 30 years of armed might, All Island Young Bhikkhu Organization President Ven Debokkawe Chandrarathana Thera said. The Thera said President Rajapaksa is the only leader who can actively intervene politics, economics, social and cultural matters adding that Sarath Fonseka is a stranger to these concepts.
If the country is to witness a bright future, it is President Mahinda Rajapaksa who should be elected leader at the Presidential Election and all members of the Sangha would join together to deny State power falling into the hands of a dictator like Sarath Fonseka.
He said: “Whenever the country was in peril it was the Bhikkhus who first became alert to the warning signs”.
The Thera was addressing a media conference at the SLFI recently. The Thera also said the role played by the Sangha from historical times to protect the sovereignty of the country should not be trivialized.
“Our organization had raised its voice on behalf of the unitary State since 2008. We will never issue statements for political gain.
We have taken a neutral stand. Today, the National Bhikkhu Front is making statements that mislead the people. We ask the people not to be carried away by such views.”
National Young Bhikkhu Organization Secretary Ven Aranwala Sumana Thera said they have not come forward to speak on behalf of any political party.
“There are among us those who hold different political views.
Certain Bhikkhus have even given up positions and high office and join us to protect the unitary state, independence and territorial integrity of the country.
This is social duty cast upon us,” he said.
The Thera observed that President Mahinda Rajapaksa had defeated all efforts to divide the country honouring his pledge made in 2005.
“However, a conspiracy is being hatched to once again divide the country and Opposition alliance led by Sarath Fonseka is attempting install a totalitarian regime in the country,” he said.
Canadian Tamils for Peace and Democracy support President
The Canadian Tamils for Peace and Democracy, a prominent civil rights group comprised of Sri Lankan Tamils living in Canada has pledged its fullest support to President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the forthcoming Presidential election. According to ToL sources in Toronto, the group has passed a resolution unanimously to support President Rajapaksa to be re-elected and as their only candidate for the Presidency.
The most recent confirmation of support came from the Executive Committee of CatPad, during their extraordinary meeting held on January 12, 2010 and ratified its support to the strong leadership given by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to eradicate terrorism and restore democracy in the North and East of Sri Lanka.
In a press release today the group also requests their brethren in Sri Lanka to follow its path to strengthen the hands of President Mahinda Rajapaksa to take forward the task of not only defeating terrorism in the North and East but also to strengthen the democracy by developing the province economically and socially which are interconnected with peace and political stability in the country.
The Press Release in full: “We urge our Tamils in the North and East to remember our past days under the LTTE warmongers and the communal UNP regime that supported them to establish a de facto government, which recognized LTTE, the most ruthless terrorist outfit in the World as the sole representative of the Tamils. Let us not forget those horrible days under the LTTE.
Their forceful recruitment of our beloved children, military training for young and old, killing of innocent civilians and moderate Tamils, suicide bombings, sufferings and sorrows followed by brutal war unnecessarily forced by the LTTE.
Remember the precious lives of all communities lost by the brutality of LTTE and their sole supporter the UNP. Let us not forget the plight of our Tamil speaking Muslims whose lives were ruined by the cruel LTTE.
We urge our Tamils in the North and East, to support a courageous leader who stood up for democracy for the Tamils and Peace for all Sri Lankans. We urge our Tamil speaking Muslims to rally behind President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, who brought them back to the North, the land of their ancestors.
Remember the UNP which not only permitted the high powered transmission equipment presented by the Norwegian Government without duty to the Voice of Tigers but also exercised their powers in government to strengthen the LTTE militarily during the pact signed with the LTTE in February 2002. The loss to the nation is well-known to the people of Sri Lanka. There is not a single family in Sri Lanka who was not affected by the unholy alliance of the UNP and LTTE, which ruined most of the men, women and children in Sri Lanka.
“We the Canadian Tamils for Peace and Democracy urge the Tamil community to vote for President Mahinda Rajapaksa, a leader who stood firmly against all international pressure and brought terrorism to an end in our motherland. Mahinda Rajapaksa is a leader who freed thousands of Tamils from the Vanni regime and showed a new path to Peace and Democracy. He is a President who saved our beloved children from the LTTE clutches, removed their cyanide capsules and relieved them from becoming suicide bombers. Give the President another chance to develop the North and East to regain our past glory.
Let us become once again the most educated community and stronger business community and become the backbone of our Nation.
Let us all live together with our Muslim and Sinhala brothers as one family.
“To achieve all our dreams let us unite together and vote for a President who has the ability to make this happen. Vote for President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
“Defeat the unholy alliance of Terrorist TNA (Tamil National Alliance alias Terrorist National Alliance) and the communal UNP.
“Defeat separatism. Defeat Sarath Fonseka.
“Every Vote to President Mahinda Rajapaksa is a vote for Peace.
“Every Vote for Sarath Fonseka is vote for Piece (Division of Sri Lanka).
“Your every vote counts!
“Vote for President Mahinda Rajapaksa!
Vote for a United Sri Lanka!”
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Sri Lanka will not be held back by threats, the President says
Sri Lanka will not be held back by threats, the President saysFri, Jan 1, 2010, 05:59 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.
Jan 01, Colombo: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa today said the country will not be held back by threatened economic sanctions or withdrawn trade concessions imposed by outside forces when the people are moving towards a decisive stage in the country's political development.
Issuing a New Year's message today President Rajapaksa pledged to develop the country in the new decade into a regional hub for ocean and air traffic and a knowledge-based society.
"We shall build on the foundation already laid in the construction of harbors, airports, extensive road networks and the marked increase in IT literacy in Sri Lanka," he said.
The President took the opportunity on behalf of the nation to thank all service personnel who willingly made the supreme sacrifice and to their mothers, fathers, spouses and the children.
President Rajapaksa pledged to focus more on development and continue the massive projects the government had started amidst the fighting with the rebels.
He expressed hope that the government will be able to fulfill the aspirations of the people for progress and prosperity as a nation, and a land of peace and unity for the children.
"We look forward with a commitment to heal the wounds of the past and also resist the pressures from abroad that stand in our way in this great task; as we stood firm against uninvited interference in our efforts to defeat terrorism," he said.
The President, appreciating the countries that supported Sri Lanka during the crucial battle with the rebels, said that Sri Lanka is committed to strengthen and sustain the relationships with them.
"We remain committed to a strengthened and sustained friendship with the countries that supported us in full measure to defeat terrorism and bring peace to our people. Similarly, we shall foster and encourage good relations with those who recognize and respect our sovereignty and encourage us in ways to move on the path to peace and prosperity," he said.
Sri Lanka has been criticized by the Western governments and organization for its conduct during the final stages of the war against the Tamil Tiger rebels. The European Union has even recommended suspending the generalized system of preferences plus (GSP+) trade facility to Sri Lanka due to its alleged human right violations.
Jan 01, Colombo: Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa today said the country will not be held back by threatened economic sanctions or withdrawn trade concessions imposed by outside forces when the people are moving towards a decisive stage in the country's political development.
Issuing a New Year's message today President Rajapaksa pledged to develop the country in the new decade into a regional hub for ocean and air traffic and a knowledge-based society.
"We shall build on the foundation already laid in the construction of harbors, airports, extensive road networks and the marked increase in IT literacy in Sri Lanka," he said.
The President took the opportunity on behalf of the nation to thank all service personnel who willingly made the supreme sacrifice and to their mothers, fathers, spouses and the children.
President Rajapaksa pledged to focus more on development and continue the massive projects the government had started amidst the fighting with the rebels.
He expressed hope that the government will be able to fulfill the aspirations of the people for progress and prosperity as a nation, and a land of peace and unity for the children.
"We look forward with a commitment to heal the wounds of the past and also resist the pressures from abroad that stand in our way in this great task; as we stood firm against uninvited interference in our efforts to defeat terrorism," he said.
The President, appreciating the countries that supported Sri Lanka during the crucial battle with the rebels, said that Sri Lanka is committed to strengthen and sustain the relationships with them.
"We remain committed to a strengthened and sustained friendship with the countries that supported us in full measure to defeat terrorism and bring peace to our people. Similarly, we shall foster and encourage good relations with those who recognize and respect our sovereignty and encourage us in ways to move on the path to peace and prosperity," he said.
Sri Lanka has been criticized by the Western governments and organization for its conduct during the final stages of the war against the Tamil Tiger rebels. The European Union has even recommended suspending the generalized system of preferences plus (GSP+) trade facility to Sri Lanka due to its alleged human right violations.
Last modified on: 1/4/2010 8:30:36 AM Frederica reconfirms Fonseka's allegation
Frederica reconfirms Fonseka's allegation
His clarification no retraction :
Editor Frederica Jansz in an article titled Her Story ... published yesterday in the Sunday Leader reconfirmed the authenticity of the interview given by former Army Commander and Chief of Defence Staff General Sarath Fonseka to the newspaper alleging that the Defence Secretary had ordered the killing of surrendering LTTE leaders.
Excerpts from the article:
"The interview proceeded as a series of questions and answers on major topics and issues and a transcript of the interview ... appeared in the Sunday Leader of December 13, 2009.
"..I asked the General what really happened.... Fonseka made the allegation that would later appear in the newspapers.
"He claimed he had heard that Gotabhya Rajapaksa ordered any surrendering LTTE cadres to be shot, and related the story of Pulidevan and Nadesan's surrender... It seemed obvious that an allegation of this magnitude deserves special attention...
"Realising the impact such striking allegations would have, at 9.45 a.m. before the paper went to print on Saturday I once again contacted Sarath Fonseka.
"During a 20 minute phone conversation the General reiterated that he stood by the allegation....
"Fonseka then said he was willing to go on record with his claim and he assured me that he would not back down. Only with that assurance did we go to print. Despite ... pressure it is notable that after its publication the General stood by the story. In a press conference he gave on Sunday afternoon at the JAIC Hilton, documented by the BBC, he made no effort to deny the story....
"At a meeting with the Chairman of the Sunday Leader, Lal Wickremetunga on Monday, December 14, senior UNP leaders together with Samaraweera and the JVP insisted that a retraction was necessary as the story had damaged Fonseka's reputation as a patriot...
"However, as a journalist and as someone who committed to the truth I refused to publish a fraudulent retraction....
"Later that same day, December 14, I met the General at approximately 2.45 p.m. whereupon he reiterated that he could not deny what he had said...
"Mangala Samaraweera and Vijitha Herath however remained adamant demanding that the Leader publish a partial retraction.....
"Finally, we agreed on a compromise whereby a clarification written by Sarath Fonseka would appear in the Sunday Leader of December 20, 2009 issue.
This clarification emphasizes a technical point and is in no way a retraction. "Under immense pressure...and unable to flatly deny what he knew to be the truth the General waffled and issued what was neither a clarification nor a retraction.
"However over the following days his advisors and supporters would insist that Fonseka had denied the story. The move from clarification to retraction and denial proved to be a disaster...
"Finally, the JVP threatened to sue the Sunday Leader for defaming Fonseka.
"However, the UNP side of the Opposition Alliance assured us that no Letter of Demand would be forthcoming."
Courtesy : Daily News
His clarification no retraction :
Editor Frederica Jansz in an article titled Her Story ... published yesterday in the Sunday Leader reconfirmed the authenticity of the interview given by former Army Commander and Chief of Defence Staff General Sarath Fonseka to the newspaper alleging that the Defence Secretary had ordered the killing of surrendering LTTE leaders.
Excerpts from the article:
"The interview proceeded as a series of questions and answers on major topics and issues and a transcript of the interview ... appeared in the Sunday Leader of December 13, 2009.
"..I asked the General what really happened.... Fonseka made the allegation that would later appear in the newspapers.
"He claimed he had heard that Gotabhya Rajapaksa ordered any surrendering LTTE cadres to be shot, and related the story of Pulidevan and Nadesan's surrender... It seemed obvious that an allegation of this magnitude deserves special attention...
"Realising the impact such striking allegations would have, at 9.45 a.m. before the paper went to print on Saturday I once again contacted Sarath Fonseka.
"During a 20 minute phone conversation the General reiterated that he stood by the allegation....
"Fonseka then said he was willing to go on record with his claim and he assured me that he would not back down. Only with that assurance did we go to print. Despite ... pressure it is notable that after its publication the General stood by the story. In a press conference he gave on Sunday afternoon at the JAIC Hilton, documented by the BBC, he made no effort to deny the story....
"At a meeting with the Chairman of the Sunday Leader, Lal Wickremetunga on Monday, December 14, senior UNP leaders together with Samaraweera and the JVP insisted that a retraction was necessary as the story had damaged Fonseka's reputation as a patriot...
"However, as a journalist and as someone who committed to the truth I refused to publish a fraudulent retraction....
"Later that same day, December 14, I met the General at approximately 2.45 p.m. whereupon he reiterated that he could not deny what he had said...
"Mangala Samaraweera and Vijitha Herath however remained adamant demanding that the Leader publish a partial retraction.....
"Finally, we agreed on a compromise whereby a clarification written by Sarath Fonseka would appear in the Sunday Leader of December 20, 2009 issue.
This clarification emphasizes a technical point and is in no way a retraction. "Under immense pressure...and unable to flatly deny what he knew to be the truth the General waffled and issued what was neither a clarification nor a retraction.
"However over the following days his advisors and supporters would insist that Fonseka had denied the story. The move from clarification to retraction and denial proved to be a disaster...
"Finally, the JVP threatened to sue the Sunday Leader for defaming Fonseka.
"However, the UNP side of the Opposition Alliance assured us that no Letter of Demand would be forthcoming."
Courtesy : Daily News
We must stand united - Prime Minister
We must stand united - Prime Minister
The Administrative and Financial Regulations governing public servants are not meant for doing no work at all, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka said.
“They should be used for guidance to provide an efficient service to the public. I am always prepared to give political leadership to any employee who takes correct decision in the interest of the public,” Prime Minister Wickramanayaka said.
The Prime Minister made these revelations while inaugurating the official functions of the Prime Minister’s Office with the dawn of the New Year.
“It is Government’s objective to make a self-sufficient and self-reliant Sri Lanka in a peaceful and ethical atmosphere,” he said.
“Just as the way our people showed their unity when the tsunami struck Sri Lanka, it is also necessary for us to stand united in our task to make a self-sufficient Sri Lanka,” the Prime Minister said.
“We must also look back at what we have done in the past.
“Last year, our Forces were able to eliminate the LTTE terrorism from this soil under the able leadership of the Government.
“We must also begin our activities for the new year with a sense of self-confidence.
“We have a duty to render an honest service to the masses,” the Prime Minister said. Prime Minister’s Secretary Mahinda Bandusena, Private Secretary Indika P. Chandrathilake, Additional Secretary S.S. Miyanawela, Coordinating Secretaries
The Administrative and Financial Regulations governing public servants are not meant for doing no work at all, Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka said.
“They should be used for guidance to provide an efficient service to the public. I am always prepared to give political leadership to any employee who takes correct decision in the interest of the public,” Prime Minister Wickramanayaka said.
The Prime Minister made these revelations while inaugurating the official functions of the Prime Minister’s Office with the dawn of the New Year.
“It is Government’s objective to make a self-sufficient and self-reliant Sri Lanka in a peaceful and ethical atmosphere,” he said.
“Just as the way our people showed their unity when the tsunami struck Sri Lanka, it is also necessary for us to stand united in our task to make a self-sufficient Sri Lanka,” the Prime Minister said.
“We must also look back at what we have done in the past.
“Last year, our Forces were able to eliminate the LTTE terrorism from this soil under the able leadership of the Government.
“We must also begin our activities for the new year with a sense of self-confidence.
“We have a duty to render an honest service to the masses,” the Prime Minister said. Prime Minister’s Secretary Mahinda Bandusena, Private Secretary Indika P. Chandrathilake, Additional Secretary S.S. Miyanawela, Coordinating Secretaries
Wimal challenges again
Wimal challenges again
Hiran H. Seneviratne
National Freedom Front Chairman Wimal Weerawansa called upon New Democratic Front Presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka or any nominee of his within the next 48 hours for a live television debate in any private channel to disprove his son-in-law’s alleged arm deals.
Fonseka held the post of Army Commander for four years and during that period he had purchased arms and military hardware through a company registered in USA belonging to his son-in-law, Weerawansa said. Weerawansa said he has ample documentary proof with all facts and figures on these deals carried out by Fonseka’s son-in-law.
He said the address in the US Green Card and the son-in-law’s company address is similar and he had misled the US Government as well. The Army Commander placed orders for purchase and procurement of arms and military hardware up to US$ 25 million and these dealings were done through his son-in-law’s company registered in USA, Weerawansa alleged.
Therefore, this is a golden opportunity for him to prove his cleanliness and transparency before the Presidential election, he said.
Weerawansa also said that the Sunday Leader Editor has also replied well to JVP MP Lal Kantha’s challenge on Fonseka’s controversial statement to their Sunday newspaper and that itself indicates that he challenged without any proof.
Engineering Services and Construction Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratna said that every citizen should be grateful to President Mahinda Rajapaksa for ending the three decade war. During his four year period, the President launched massive development projects and provided a large number of employment.
Minister Senaratna said upto 2006, the Chief of Defence Staff was the head of the tender board on purchasing and procurement of arms and military hardware into the country and Fonseka’s son-in-law paid all taxes to the US Government under his name on these arms purchasing and procurement.
Hiran H. Seneviratne
National Freedom Front Chairman Wimal Weerawansa called upon New Democratic Front Presidential candidate Sarath Fonseka or any nominee of his within the next 48 hours for a live television debate in any private channel to disprove his son-in-law’s alleged arm deals.
Fonseka held the post of Army Commander for four years and during that period he had purchased arms and military hardware through a company registered in USA belonging to his son-in-law, Weerawansa said. Weerawansa said he has ample documentary proof with all facts and figures on these deals carried out by Fonseka’s son-in-law.
He said the address in the US Green Card and the son-in-law’s company address is similar and he had misled the US Government as well. The Army Commander placed orders for purchase and procurement of arms and military hardware up to US$ 25 million and these dealings were done through his son-in-law’s company registered in USA, Weerawansa alleged.
Therefore, this is a golden opportunity for him to prove his cleanliness and transparency before the Presidential election, he said.
Weerawansa also said that the Sunday Leader Editor has also replied well to JVP MP Lal Kantha’s challenge on Fonseka’s controversial statement to their Sunday newspaper and that itself indicates that he challenged without any proof.
Engineering Services and Construction Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratna said that every citizen should be grateful to President Mahinda Rajapaksa for ending the three decade war. During his four year period, the President launched massive development projects and provided a large number of employment.
Minister Senaratna said upto 2006, the Chief of Defence Staff was the head of the tender board on purchasing and procurement of arms and military hardware into the country and Fonseka’s son-in-law paid all taxes to the US Government under his name on these arms purchasing and procurement.
War won due to correct leadership - Minister
War won due to correct leadership - Minister
The war victory is a result of a collective effort made by the Head of the Armed Forces, Commanders of the three Forces and the Police. Some people are trying to claim credit saying they won the war because of that person and this person.
Thanks to the political leadership which took heroic and accurate decisions unbiased to West, the Forces were able to win the war, said Local Government and Provincial Councils Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon. He was speaking at the opening of a new power plant at Galapamula in the Galewela Divisional Secretariat Division.
“Former leaders had to obey the west and stop the war even though victory was in sight.
Western countries tried to influence President Mahinda Rajapaksa in many ways to stop the war. Today we have the strength to stand on our feet as an independent nation because of the President’s correct decision,” the Minister said.
The war victory is a result of a collective effort made by the Head of the Armed Forces, Commanders of the three Forces and the Police. Some people are trying to claim credit saying they won the war because of that person and this person.
Thanks to the political leadership which took heroic and accurate decisions unbiased to West, the Forces were able to win the war, said Local Government and Provincial Councils Minister Janaka Bandara Tennakoon. He was speaking at the opening of a new power plant at Galapamula in the Galewela Divisional Secretariat Division.
“Former leaders had to obey the west and stop the war even though victory was in sight.
Western countries tried to influence President Mahinda Rajapaksa in many ways to stop the war. Today we have the strength to stand on our feet as an independent nation because of the President’s correct decision,” the Minister said.
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