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.