Tuesday 20 October 2009

We will decide fearlessly- President

Last modified on: 10/19/2009 7:26:49 AM

We will decide fearlessly- President
Armed forces' sacrificed not in vain :
(By : Rasika Somarathna in Matale)
Even though terrorism had been defeated certain forces which preached separatism and who tried to divide the country were still at large.
"We are closely monitoring the situation and to defeat this and in the struggles ahead to build a new country we shall not fear to take necessary decisions in the face of any dangers that we may face," said President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
President Rajapaksa stressed that he would not permit Sri Lanka's war heroes to be produced before any international war crimes tribunal.
"They fought to defend the Nation and we are always committed to defend them with dedication and we would never back down from that responsibility," he added.
He was addressing a large gathering at the Central Province War Heroes' felicitation at the Aluvihare temple premises in Matale. The President said the people contributed to this victory without any differences, in the face of many hardships. "They correctly understood that we had launched a proper battle to defeat of terrorism."
"Our mothers and fathers sacrificed their children to the armed forces, police and civil defence corps, as never before seen in our history. The leadership too led from the front.
"My own son joined the security forces and the children of other high ranking security forces personnel and other officials too joined the ranks," he said.
"Their immense commitment was not in vain. It is these sacrifices that have enabled the country to stand tall today without the shadow of terrorism hovering over us," President Rajapaksa added. The President also pointed out that at the time he took over the responsibility of leading the country, the separatist terrorists were on the verge of achieving their goal of dividing the country. "Many foreign forces attempted to persuade us that the path to peace was to give in to a terrorist organization which they claimed was invincible," President Rajapaksa said.
"Some local politicians too had embraced these ideas in order to realize their own selfish personal goals at the expense of the country," he said.
"Certain authorities even feared to identify terrorists as such and tried to belittle the efforts of the security forces," he said.
"The people wanted us to defeat the foundations of a cowardly peace and instead establish a genuine and dignified peace for our land by defending terrorism decisively. "The fundamental platform that we based our initiative was an undivided country, a national consensus and an honourable peace." "In the Mahinda Chinthana policy framework we gave emphasis to the word unitary which some scorned upon at that time.
We chose the right people for right positions without any affiliations.
We sought help from friendly nations, we went to the international community with our side of the story, we equipped the armed forces with the necessary manpower and equipment. We inculcated belief, trust and hope in the minds of the people," the President observed. He also noted that the present regime had treated all who contributed to the cause of saving the motherland from the clutches of terrorism from top to the bottom equally. However, Security Forces personnel should also be prepared to protect the dignified position they hold in society now with exemplary behaviour. They should not become pawns of undesirable elements for financial gains or otherwise," he added.
The President also pointed out that the two thirds mandate which the UPFA got during the southern polls is a clear manifestation of the peoples thinking regarding their duty towards the motherland.
Referring to the War Heroes felicitation which concluded yesterday, the President said that Matale was a fitting destination to hold such a ceremony as it possessed a historical past the country could be proud of. Its present contribution to the recently concluded conflict too has been commendable, he added.
During the ceremony Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, former Army Commander and the present Chief of Defence Staff General Sarath Fonseka, former Navy Commander Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, Air Force Commander Air Marshall Roshan Gunatilleke, Former Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Donald Perera, Director General of Civil Defence Force Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera and IGP Jayantha Wickremaratne were felicitated.
Religious and political leaders of the area felicitated the President during the ceremony. Before the ceremony the President paid his homage to the famous Aluvihare temple.
Religious and political leaders representing the people of the Central Province felicitated the President and the war heroes and the ceremony ended with the chanting of Pirit.
A large crowd including war heroes' relatives participated.
Mementoes were present to President Mahinda Rajapaksa by senior political leaders in the Province, namely, Ministers D.M. Jayaratne, Janaka Bandara Tennekoon, Rohana Kumara Dissanayake, Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake, CPC Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa and Basnayake Nilame N. Jayawardhana. Ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage and NCP Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake were also present.
Courtesy : Daily News

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