Join hands to combat ruthless terrorism
Far-reaching political leadership to
govern the country and right military leadership to the security forces
to combat terrorism have enabled Sri Lanka to make commendable progress
as a nation with an impressive economic growth while wiping out the LTTE
from the East.
The key to recent political, military and economic successes have
been due to the right approach by the relevant authorities. While the
ruling party politicians gave the right leadership, they never mixed
their political vision with matters relating to national security and
our economy.
This is an important factor which has given a distinct advantage to
the Government in its endeavour to usher in peace and bring economic
prosperity to Sri Lanka.
The latest and the most encouraging news, according to the World
Bank, is that Sri Lanka is on the verge of becoming a middle-income
country. Thanks to the relatively rapid economic growth, its
traditionally high levels of human development and the able leadership
of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is also the Minister of Finance, Sri
Lanka has been able to make commendable progress in all spheres.
The latest World Bank report disclosed that Sri Lanka's overall
growth has not been commensurate with its human development
achievements. The reports would be discussed at the Sri Lanka
Development Forum, in Galle on Monday and Tuesday.
The Word Bank, in its report, has commended Sri Lanka's recent
economic performance amidst adverse setbacks that included the 2004
tsunami, doubling of world crude oil prices and increased competition
for its apparel export industry after the phase out of the Multi-Fiber
Arrangement (MFA).
Sri Lanka's economic performance has been achieved amidst ruthless
terrorist attacks by the LTTE. The convincing victory by our security
forces in liberating innocent Tamil civilians in Vakarai coincided with
the inauguration of the Moragahakanda Kalu Ganga Project.
This is a timely move as the Government has not let LTTE terrorism
disrupt the progress of the country's economy or development programs.
Now that the Tigers have been wiped out from the East, the Government
would make every effort to develop the area and bring economic
prosperity to the Tamils, Muslims and Sinhalese in Trincomalee,
Batticaloa and the Ampara districts.
The Moragahakanda Reservoir is the last and third largest irrigation
reservoir to be built under the Mahaweli Development Scheme. The project
would open a new era in the development of the North Central and Eastern
Provinces.
President Rajapaksa, who was the chief guest at the inauguration of
the Moragahakanda Kalu Ganga Project said the latest development venture
will douse the fire of communalism by uplifting the lives of thousands
of people in the two provinces. The Rs. 38,500 million project is the
biggest in post-independence Sri Lanka and would be funded entirely by
the Government. Despite a rich agro based economic history, some of our
previous leaders in recent times adopted a policy of filling up paddy
fields to grow tobacco, selling water in reservoirs to bridge budget
deficits, and selling the nerve centres of culture to build hotels.
Our security forces have the ability, courage and strength to defeat
terrorism. As the President has quite rightly pointed out, the key
secret behind the recent military success is due to the Government's
right vision on national security, which could not be compromised.
Neither the President nor his Government gave any political target or
time frames to the Armed Forces.
Despite a thin majority in the Parliament, the ruling party
politicians did not sell or market the war for their survival. In
keeping with the mandate given to President Rajapaksa 14 months ago, the
Government always gave high priority to the country's national security
and burning issues of the people in the North and East who have become
unfortunate victims of Prabhakaran's ruthless terrorism.
Even Prabhakaran's former confidante and breakaway LTTE leader Karuna,
in a recent television interview, said that the LTTE cannot win. The
LTTE's military strength is not increasing but decreasing. Prabhakaran
cannot win the war, even if God helps him, Karuna said.
On the other hand, the President is making a valiant effort to obtain
the support of all political parties to beat the common enemy
Prabhakaran and his terrorist cadres who have showed no mercy even to
their own Tamil community. That was why the President extended his hand
of solidarity.
We have a patriotic and able leader who treats all communities alike.
His fight is only against Prabhakaran's barbaric terrorism, not the
innocent Tamil civilians. But the LTTE is trying to link these two to
gain international sympathy. However, the Eastern Tamils have given a
fitting reply to Prabhakaran's terrorism by running towards the security
forces that have come to liberate them. Be it Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims
or Burghers we must realise that it's time for us to unite and help the
President to protect this country from terrorism. Even most of his
political opponents have understood this bitter truth. We hope the
support given by some of the opposition Parliamentarians, who are to
join the Government, would strengthen President's resolved against
terrorism. |