Sri Lanka President at Ranaviru Day celebrations: Only we can solve our own problems, and none other
We do not hesitate to ensure the democratic and human rights of the citizens living in north and east. But we will not heed to the demands of separatists or terrorists. When people in this country do not accept their demands, they look for ways to make us bow down using foreign influence. But I must emphasize that no one can do anything in this country without the consent of our people. It is only we who can solve our own problems, and no one else, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the nation, at the 2nd Ranaviru Day celebrations at Galle Face, Colombo today ( May 27)
“There is a truth we have to tell the world. We did not build Armed Services to invade countries. What we have is an Armed Force committed to rebuild the country with utmost commitment to the people… Today we celebrate the victory of ensuring the right of every citizen of the country to live in harmony. It is the victory of freeing thousands of civilians in the north, who were held as hostages,” the President said.
Here is the text of the President’s address:
After uniting the country with the defeat of the most ruthless terrorism in the world, today we were able to hoist our national flag with dignity and honour.
Today we celebrate the victory of ensuring the right of every citizen of the country to live in harmony. It is the victory of freeing thousands of civilians in the north, who were held as hostages.
Friends,
By adding Human Rights to the Constitution it will not guarantee those rights to the people of this country. If someone robs the right to life, it is only by ensuring the right to life can we preserve human rights.
Therefore, today we also celebrate the victory of ensuring the Right to Life of thousands of citizens.
Friends,
We can look back with pride and much satisfaction at the last two years since we achieved freedom from terrorism.
You are aware that we have been able to draw a new map of Sri Lanka through the development revolution taking place here today. The north and east won by war heroes are fast becoming prosperous, in place of the hardships that prevailed.
As we removed the ‘border village’ from the Sri Lankan map, we are now taking measures to delete ‘displaced and destitute” from our vocabulary. Many thousand acres of land sowed with landmines are now been cultivated. Thousands of displaced civilians were resettled with all the facilities, from shelter, bedding to mosquito coils. Likewise, reconstruction of North and East is a major development task in our history.
With rays of freedom rising in the north and east, the rays of development are also dawning on people in those areas.
People in those areas should bear in mind that what we rebuild rapidly are the public properties destroyed by terrorists.
When we rebuild the north and east destroyed by the terrorists, the world knows what the terrorists who are abroad did during past two years. Since the country was united with the death of the last LTTE leader in Vellamulliwaikkal on May 19, these elements organized against the motherland again. They did not cease to collect funds for terrorism and many other illegal activities.
During the war they had heaps of money for purchasing weapons and ships. With that huge amount of money the terrorists continue to spread false rumors, conspire and spread false propaganda against Sri Lanka. Even though terrorism was eradicated from Sri Lanka, terrorists living abroad continue to work to destroy our country. Those abroad, misusing the democratic freedom and their right to vote in the countries of their domicile, are influencing those countries against us in campaigns against us.
Friends,
Terrorism in a country begins with shooting down the truth. Even after war the Tamil Tigers continue to target the truth. As a result of this, conspiracies were launched to write false reports against our country and our war heroes.
Friends,
We do not hesitate to ensure the democratic and human rights of the citizens living in the north and east. But we will not heed to the demands of separatists or terrorists. When people in this country do not accept their demands, they look for ways to make us bow down using foreign influence. But I must emphasize that no one can do anything in this country without the consent of our people. It is only we who can solve our own problems, and no one else.
Friends,
I will recall what I said in the past that our troops went to the battlefront carrying a gun in one hand, the Human Rights Charter in the other, food for the innocent displaced on their shoulders, and love of their children in their hearts. They did not target any communities or religions, and did not march ahead with hatred towards anyone.
After the death of the terrorist leader, we took care of his mother and father. We still look after the families of leaders who surrendered. We were able to protect our country over the centuries from invaders because we did not hate any race, religion or person.
It is based on the great Buddhist traditions that do not preach hatred towards any race or person, and also on the core values of other religions, that we fought against the most ruthless, most cruel terrorist organization in the world.
We are the only country that fought the terrorists fighting against us while feeding them and providing them with medicines. Therefore, when we see how some countries carry out operations against enemies today, we are proud of the humanitarian nature of our operation against the enemy.
We were with you in the battlefield. It is same today. We will not betray you before the world.
Heroes of War,
We did not confine you to barracks after the end of the humanitarian operation. We gave you an important role to play in the task of rebuilding our motherland.
From the Foreign Service to the beautifying of Colombo city, war heroes contribute immensely for the betterment of this country. You who shed your blood for this country, are today toiling for the development process of the country. Your discipline and the commitment have placed a high demand for your services in many sectors.
There is a truth we have to tell the world. We did not build Armed Services to invade countries. What we have is an Armed Force committed to rebuild the country with utmost commitment to the people.
Friends,
Whenever we step with freedom on this motherland, we must remember with honour that there are thousands of Great Heroes of War at rest in this soil. I state with pride, that even at this very moment, our war heroes are ready to make the supreme sacrifice for the protection of this country.
Friends,
To make the sacrifice made by war heroes more meaningful, we have to build a great future for people to live in harmony. We have shown to the world that we are capable of doing so.
The best answer to those who ask what benefits the people received with the end of the war, is to respond by showing the development both in the North and South today. The economic growth rate in the country in 2007 was 6.8%. But after the end of the war, we have achieved an economic growth rate of 8%. The current growth rate in north is 14.2%. The unemployment rate has come down from 6% to 4.9%. We were able to stabilize the value of the dollar.
Friends,
The best way to meet our future challenges is to strengthen national unity. Today we do not hear a single incident of communal disharmony in this country. Two years ago, we celebrated the victory over terrorism without hurting the feelings of any community.
Today, Sinhalese take part in Vel processions; Tamil people participate with enthusiasm when Sinhalese conduct Sambuddhatva Jayanthi celebrations. Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims alike went sightseeing in the night to view Vesak decorations.
It is our responsibility to preserve this bond between communities. I emphasize to all political parties and groups that it will do no good to reopen the healing wounds, to continue to dig up the past, and creating disharmony and hatred among people will be of no benefit. The only way to secure this the freedom of our land and this victory is to protect this great bond between communities.
Heroes of war,
Those committed to bring peace to the country are pleased to see that people who were once hiding in the jungles with their kids are freely moving about today without any fear at all. When you see the land burdened with landmines is now being cultivated and the sea routes used by suicide vessels of the Sea Tigers now being used by our fishermen to earn their livelihood, you will realize that your sacrifices have not been in vain. Your hearts will be filled with happiness to see children who inherited the suicidal cyanide capsule, now learning in schools. I pay tribute to everyone who was committed to make our motherland free, content and prosperous.
Oba Samata Suba Anagathayak
(A prosperous future to you all)
Source: Government News Portal
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Dear Heroes of war,
Those committed to bring peace to the country are pleased to see that people who were once hiding in the jungles with their kids are freely moving about today without any fear at all. When you see the land burdened with landmines is now being cultivated and the sea routes used by suicide vessels of the Sea Tigers now being used by our fishermen to earn their livelihood, you will realize that your sacrifices have not been in vain. Your hearts will be filled with happiness to see children who inherited the suicidal cyanide capsule, now learning in schools. I pay tribute to everyone who was committed to make our motherland free, content and prosperous.
Your Truely,
Yuganthi.
The war is not over. The real war now begins. The war against poverty, hunger, homelessness, ignorance, ill-health, unemployment etc. We have to win the economic war now to be the most developed nation in South East Asia.
Our enemies are many. Enemies from within and from without. There are traitors who for a bit of porridge is ready to sell their own mother. They are betraying their Motherland. Anarchists like JVP stir-up the University students to revolt and cause chaos. We are fortunate in SL to have free education from early childhood to university. Even the imperial West do not have free education to University level. Education is an important tool of development. Educated citizens will hopefully play their role to build a future for themselves and their country. UNP is disunited and groping in the darkness. There are many traitors within the UNP who have betrayed the country to the LTTE and are now working with the diaspora LTTE and the imperial West to divide the country for vested interests. They are working hand-in-gloves with the TNA, the esrstwhile political wing of LTTE. These bigots will not rest till they reek revenge on the those who destroyed the LTTE and its leader. They seek eelam for SL Tamils. The majority Tamils do not seek eelam. They want to be left in peace to bring up their children well as good citizens of a united SL. Let the eelamist lobby return to their motherland, Tamil Nadu, and join big mama, Jayalalitha, to lobby for independence for its 70 million Tamils. Let the minority bigotted SL Tamils who want their own nation seek it in Tamil Nadu and not in SL.
Some NGOs and INGOs are enemies of SL working to imperial West agendas. They are saboteurs. They try to sabotage the devlopment work of SL to cause chaos and misery to ordinary majority good citizens. With the money from imperial West they enjoy a good life but try to make the lives of the good patriotic citizens of the country miserable.
The Hon President has his work cut-out to rid motherlanka of these enemies. Do not let down your guard. Increase the strength of our security forces. Do not repeal the Anti Terrorism Act, as our enemies wanted, to cause mayhem. Our real friends are China and Russia who can help us in the UNO to fight neo-colonialism of imperial West and help us develop economically. India is hand-in-glove with the imperial West against us. India treats us as if SL is their colony. We should not kow-tow to India. By having strong defence ties with China and Russia we can prevent threats from India and imperial West to our sovreignty.
USA is a threat to world peace and development of small nations. It seeks to build a new empire by conquering the world and grabbing their resources with the help of other imperial West nations and their military strength for their betterment. Britain was a great maritime power in the 19th Century because of its naval and military superiority. For a small nation it is amazing how they colonised a large extent of the world by a divide and rule policy.
On the pretext of helping to save the rebel citizens of Libya the imperial West, through heavy cruise missile attacks and relentless bombardment, have invaded Libya and killed many innocent civilians in order to bring about a regime change, to grab oil for themselves. Otherwise their economies will grind to a halt. They deceive the world by justifying their actions by proclaiming Ghaddafi is a war criminal. The real war criminals are the rulers of USA, Britain and France etc. They have remained so for ages. The imperial West is now turning their guns against Syria. After that they will try to subjugate Iran. All this, in order to grab their oil. Without oil the indutries of the imperial West will grind to a halt and their civilisations will become poor.
A brilliant analysis of challenges facing the nation, dear Nicholas.
At last, I observe you accepting my mass expatriation solution for the minority problem.
Dear Guru
I have advocated only the TNA and eelam lobyists to return to their motherland, big mamaland, Tamil Nadu. They are not true patriots because they are crying for their independence, from the South. Ordinary SL Tamils reject this. But bigoted eelam lobyists are vociferous and have the backing of Britain and Tamil diaspora. Norway is waiting in the wings for neo-Tamil militancy/terrorism under a new terrorist leader. They were hoping for Nedumaran to fill-in VP vacancy but that sod is in jail temporarily, at Holland’s request for extradition for murder and extortion in Holland.
I call on the Hon President to charge KP with treason, crimes against humanity and war crimes. It is high time this crafty sod hangs. The longer he lives the more likely he will escape to the West through corrupt officials.
The Hon President you must be with us another 100 years but pleaseeeeee fallow whats is our requrnment:
The war is not over. The real war now begin from last year. The war against poverty – cost of living, hunger, homelessness, ignorance, ill-health, unemployment etc. We have to win the economic war insterd of developeing roads or what ever pleaseeee.
nicholas thank you too for bean and bean seen the reality
Friend GURU… Not only the exodus of kallathonis is MUST to have real freedom 4 Sinhala Buddhists, but all Misbelivers too…!
Otherwise it’ll not be free at least the EARS from regular loudspeaker barking sounds of “allahuakbar” which’s already spreaded in many areas of country..!
So, my idea is to have a “pure Sinhala buddhist state” than exodus of many…!
Dear Amden,
If you act as a racist (against muslims, christians, tamils etc) then you are no different to racist LTTE terrorists. If you want to accuse others as dirty racists, then you must be clean of any racism germs first of your mind.
If you clean-out every other race and religion except Sinhalese and Buddhists from the country, then after that, you will start cleaning-out people who you don’t like on other issues such as “colour”, “certain Nikaya in Buddhism”, “people of upcountry or low-cauntry”, “high or low caste” etc etc etc.
Racism or hating others who are different is a sickness in mind and we all need to recognise our own mental sicknesses and stay clear of such sicknesses.
Also a “Pure Sinhala Buddhist” state is only a myth on that sort of lines of thought. If you act on race and religion, it cannot become “pure” buddhist because Buddhism is of “anti-racism”. It can only become “taliban” style “dirty and stinky” sinhala buddhist state rather than a “pure” sinhala buddhist state.
I hope you have sufficient brain-power and will-power to understand what I am trying to say here.