Unite and assist President
NOW THAT PRESIDENT Mahinda Rajapaksa has ushered in an environment for the people to live in peace by defeating the barbaric terrorists, it is the duty of every patriotic citizens to work towards bequeathing this peaceful environment to the future generation, said the Most Ven. Udugama Sri Buddharakkitha Mahanayake Thera of the Asgiriya Chapter commenting on the victory over terrorism yesterday. Therefore it is the duty of all to shed petty differences and unite to assist the President in the national rebuilding effort.
The prelate said it was the people’s good fortune that President Mahinda Rajapaksa was elected to office in 2005.
The country achieved this victory due to his unwavering policies. If previous State leaders acted like him, terrorism would have been wiped out much earlier, he added credit for this victory should also go to the Defence Secretary, Security Forces Commanders, the IGP and the head of the Civil Defence Force.
The LTTE chartered its own fate by rejecting all efforts taken by the Government to find a solution through negotiations, the prelate said.
Rally round President
At a time when the President has found a solution to the vexed terrorist problem which dogged the country’s development and progress for three decades, people of all communities should shelve petty differences and rally round to assist the task of rebuilding the country, said the Most Ven. Tibbotuwawe Sri Sumangala Mahanayaka Thera of the Malwatte Chapter yesterday.
Ven. Sri Sumangala Mahanayaka Thera said that when certain detractors in the South tried to place the Government in a difficult situation by conducting strikes and protest campaigns, the majority of the people remained calm and quiet fully confident that the President would find a proper solution to the national problem.
As much as the President fulfilled his election pledge to defeat terrorism and usher in lasting peace, he would also usher in economic development and progress reconfirming the confidence the people of all communities had placed in him as a capable and astute leader, the Prelate said.
The Mahanayaka Thera said the Security Forces while fighting a terrorist outfit had set an example to the whole world about their humanity by catering to the welfare of civilians who fled LTTE clutches and arrived in the Government controlled areas.
The moral support given by the President by visiting the Forces in liberated areas and bequeathing one of his children to the Armed Forces had greatly helped in achieving this victory over terrorism within a short span, he said.
Result of deep commitment
Archbishop Oswald Gomis yesterday congratulated President Mahinda Rajapaksa for his courageous leadership in the battle.
“We are indeed very happy that the war is over and I congratulate President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Chiefs of the Defence Forces who supported him with deep commitment and self-sacrifice,” Archbishop Gomis stated.
Excerpts of the press release:
“We are indeed very happy that the war is ended and that the Security Forces have been able to release all the innocent civilians who were trapped in battle.
I congratulate President Mahinda Rajapaksa for his very courageous leadership and thank the Chiefs of the Defence outfit who supported him with deep commitment and self-sacrifice. I also offer my deepest sympathies to those who laid down their lives in battle and those innocent civilians killed, trapped in war. In a sense, we could say that we have won the battle but the war is not ended.
The war would end only on the day that we grow in nationhood realizing that we are all one people in one country with equal rights. We have to realise the fact that we are a multi-ethnic, multi-religious and multi-cultural community. As such we are now left with the great task of nation-building forgetting our ethnic, political and religious differences.
It is imperative that there be a political formula that will inspire confidence and promote a sense of belonging among the minority groups in the country. We have to leave the sad and bitter memories of the past three decades and look positively and optimistically towards the future in hope.
All of us have to share the blame for our division and forgive each other.
Military Victory a Good Lesson to Entire World
Commenting on the present military victory achieved by the Sri Lanka Security Forces, MAGA Engineering (Pvt) Chairman and Managing Director Capt. M.D. Kularatne said that the credit should go to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, and the Forces Commanders and valiant soldiers.
He added that this great victory should be turned into a base upon which development of the entire country should be spearheaded.
By defeating the ruthless terrorists of the LTTE through a humanitarian military operation, Sri Lankan Forces has taught a good lesson to the entire world too, Capt. Kularatne said.
“On behalf of the construction sector of the country I would like to express my gratitude and best wishes to the Government and the Forces for this military victory over the release of massive number of civilians from the LTTE’s grip,” he said.
Businessman, Chandana Jayawardane who is engaged in ornamental fish exporting in Negombo, Kochchikade told the Daily News that the victory achieved by our valiant soldiers is one of the greatest victories achieved by the Nation.
The LTTE terrorism gripped the entire country and terrified masses by creating panic during the past three decades.
A massive damage has taken place. The Share Market of the country dropped due to this terrorism. The general public as well as the business community faced financial difficulties, and hardships. Access to foreign markets had been shut.
But today the country’s dream has been realized, Jayawardane said. We all should work hard and achieve development which were stagnated for almost three decades,” he stressed.
President, Deserving Contender for Nobel Prize
SRI LANKAN is jubilant over the resounding military victory gained by the Armed Forces and the Police under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Chairman Consumer Affairs Council Upali Senaratne said.
Senior attorney Senaratne emphasised that ‘In a way, it would not be an over exaggeration to claim that President Mahinda Rajapaksa is perhaps one step away from being the most serious and the most deserving contender for the coveted Nobel Prize.
That would, most importantly, be a resounding victory for Sri Lanka and her people,” he said.
The victory was gained after nearly three decades of war against the most dangerous and ruthless terrorist outfit in the world. When many of our previous leaders were skeptical over the ability of our Forces to take on and defeat LTTE terrorism, President Mahinda Rajapaksa steadfastly stood by the Armed Forces and the Police and gave them strength, support and leadership to extirpate terrorism and show the world that terrorism is not invincible,” Senaratne added.
Senaratne said the people of this country are beholden to President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and the brave and valiant Armed Forces and Police Force for bringing terror to an end, as well as for paving the way for greater development and prosperity.
“Now, it is time for all of us to rally behind President Mahinda Rajapaksa to develop the North, the East and the entire country, to give the people a much deserved peace,” he said.
This will be the Time to WIN TAMILS' HEARTS - Ven. Rathana Thera
THE SECURITY FORCES led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa have not only freed the country from terrorism but also from the influential foreign forces which had been demanding a cease fire.
This will be the best time to win hearts of the Tamil people by giving them protection and their needs, Parliamentarian and Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) Parliamentarian Leader Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera said. "The Army has set an example to other countries that Sri Lanka is a nation which never bowed down to terrorism but won over," he said.
While the Army rescued innocent people from the grip of Prabhakaran they also set an example for the world that it is a victory won over terrorism but not innocent people.
Thus, civilians can live as free people not as slaves or a human shield of terrorism, he said.
Rooting Out LTTE Terrorism, a Victory for All Communities
ROOTING out LTTE terrorism which caused physical and mental harm and agony to the nation for three decades is a great victory achieved by the people, said Plantation Industries Minister D.M. Jayaratne in a message issued yesterday.
If there has been a leader who worked steadfastly to safeguard the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the nation without succumbing to outside pressure it is none other than President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The message said this victory achieved over terrorism will be a memorable one in the world’s war history because there had been an unprecedented number of civilians kept as hostages. The message said this is not a singular victory of Sinhalese but a common victory achieved by all communities, Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher and Malay.
The main architects of this victory are the President, Defence Secretary, Three Forces’ chiefs, IGP and the war heroes and their dear families. The Tamils in the North and East as well as Muslims had rendered great support towards efforts to eradicate terrorism and we should always maintain their trust and confidence as our own brothers and sisters.
The next responsibility of the government would be to find a last political solution to please the Tamil brothers.
The clergy, politicians, intellectuals and the public should unite and rally round the Government to enable the country to overcome all economic and social problems envisaged in the future.
Country Free from Fear Psychosis - Minister Anura Yapa
MEDIA and Information Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa said he was relieved after hearing the news that LTTE leader Prabhakaran and his outfit was eliminated by the Security Forces from the country.
"My youth was filled with news of terrorist atrocities carried out by the LTTE. I got all news on bomb blasts, killings perpetrated by the LTTE during my youth, the Minister said.
The Minister said he was very happy as the younger generation will not have to experience what he had due to the victory achieved by the Security Forces. "They will never hear the sounds of bombs again," the Minister said.
The younger generation of all communities has a better future as they are free from fear psychosis spread by the LTTE killing thousands of innocent civilians in their path to carve out a separate State within the territorial boundaries of Sri Lanka.
The Minister also requested the public to pay due respect to the National Flag when the victory is celebrated throughout the country.
Terrorism will Never Raise Head Under President’s Leadership - Chief Minister
THE WORLD’S most brutal terrorist organization which terrorized the country for 30 years has been crushed in a manner they will never raise their heads under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
“We salute the efforts of the Security Forces”, said Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake at a media briefing in Kandy. “We are grateful to President Mahinda Rajapaksa for giving leadership to the Security Forces to crush this terror organization and liberate the people from all forms of terror.
This was proved by thousands of people irrespective of race or religion taking to streets and bursting crackers.
However, it is regretted that there are people in this country who under estimate the great victory achieved by the Security Forces under the guidance of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The United National Party has failed to support this effort, he added.
The people in the North have expressed deep gratitude to President Rajapaksa for the efforts taken by him to liberate them from the LTTE.
New beginning
AS SRI LANKANS we strongly endorse the bold decision taken by the President in 2006 to free our country once and for all from the brutal terrorist forces, it is indeed very heartening to note the total justification of that decision, Investment Promotion Minister Navin Dissanayake said.
Freeing this country of the terrorists marks a new beginning of our history. It should be our fervent hope and determination that we progress forward as one nation under one flag, shedding our petty differences.
It is no secret that throughout our history our Tamil brothers and sisters have had to confront many obstacles and injustices, both of political and social origin.
We must make sure that the death of one Prabhakaran will not give rise to another Prabhakaran. My late father made his own efforts to bring about a solution to this burning issue through the Indo-Lanka Accord.
We shall succeed in achieving finality on this through the able and far-sighted leadership of our President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, he said in a message. My father had the firm opinion that the terrorists must be paid with their own coin.
That is why he was assassinated by the Tiger terrorists. During the Presidential Election campaign in 1994, my father visited India and obtained their fullest support and concurrence to eliminate the Tiger menace from this country. When the Tigers got wind of this they launched a conspiracy to eliminate him.
The country lost a great leader and we lost a loving father. He never made any attempts to enter into secret covenants with the Tigers.
We witnessed over the last few months the blatant efforts made by some international organisations to halt the war efforts of Sri Lanka by pumping oxygen to the dying Tiger forces through ceasefire agreements. (Courtesy: Daily News)
