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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.

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Gamin Gamata - Presidential Community & Welfare Service
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