Dawn of a new era in North

A new era has dawned in the North with the rapid development process, speedy resettlement of displaced persons and restoration of democracy in the province.

People in Jaffna and Vavuniya exercised their democratic rights at yesterday's Local Government elections which would now be followed by the Provincial Council elections.

Despite various sinister campaigns by interested parties who are making an unsuccessful attempt to paint a gloomy picture, the Government's 180-day resettlement program is in progress with another batch of 1,500 civilians from the Manik Farm relief village being re-settled in Omanthai, Nochchimotai, Piramanalamkulam and Pirappumadu last week.

In order to ensure a trouble-free living for the displaced persons, reconstruction of roads, supply of electricity and water were already completed in these areas, which have been completely cleared of landmines.

In order to facilitate free movement of civilians, the Security Forces' checkpoint at Thandikulam too has been shifted to the Omanthai exit point.

Lifting of fishing restrictions in Mannar, Trincomalee and Jaffna has made the industry a thriving business. The fishermen are making good money with a bountiful harvest. The Government has also provided the civilians with agricultural equipment, seeds and other essential requirements in Musali to boost the agro industry in the Mannar District.A joint railway-bus service from the Vavuniya railway station will commence shortly for the benefit of Jaffna bound civilians. Trains are currently operated only up to Vavuniya, pending the reconstruction work of the Northern railway track. The rail-bus service will be a big boost for the people in the area and will meet the long-felt need of the Jaffna civilians.

The Government has so far opened 17 new police stations in the newly liberated areas to maintain law and order and restore civil administration.

The Uthuru Vasanthaya (Northern Spring) program, implemented under the personal supervision of Senior Presidential Advisor and Parliamentarian Basil Rajapaksa is in full swing with the active support from 47 key Ministries. The Government is making every endeavour to assure a better tomorrow for the displaced persons and the Vocational Training Ministry has commenced programs to train youth whose education has been disrupted due to LTTE terror. They are being trained in different trades.

Apart from the displaced persons, the Government has shown its sincere commitment to rehabilitate the ex-terrorist cadres. The Disaster Relief Services and Human Rights Ministry had also taken steps with the ex-combatants to resiliently adapt to civil society. Despite all those positive developments, we still find a few countries, INGOs and individuals who are trying to project a different picture.In doing so, they want to satisfy the Tamil Diaspora. At a time the Government is meeting the challenge and handling the displaced persons, problems efficiently, these elements, with vested interests are trying to meddle in the country's internal affairs by showing an 'extraordinary love' for the displaced persons.

All what we could say is that no country, organisation or an individual could have a greater feeling for the displaced persons than the President and the Government of Sri Lanka. Those displaced persons are our own countrymen and above all, our own brothers and sisters. We all have a feeling for them and that's precisely why the Government has given top priority for the resettlement process.

The masses, irrespective of their political or communal differences, should actively be involved in rebuilding the country after it was liberated from the clutches of LTTE terror and the barbaric rule of Velupillai Prabhakaran.

The Security Forces made the supreme sacrifice for the liberation of one third of the country's land area which was handed over to the terrorists by the controversial ceasefire agreement of the previous Ranil Wickremesinghe Government. The people are now bound to protect the country liberated by our valiant Security Forces.

The arrest of the so-called successor to Prabhakaran as the LTTE leader, Shanmugam Kumaran Tharmalingam alias Kumaran Pathmanathan is another victory for Sri Lanka's relentless battle against terrorism.

The self-appointed LTTE leader, better known as KP, was arrested on Thursday in a foreign country. The Interpol's most wanted man for arms smuggling and criminal activities, has been making desperate attempts to portray himself as the new LTTE leader. Notorious KP was accused of arms smuggling and conspiring in the assassinations of VVIPs including former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991. He has been the funding arm of the LTTE and was reportedly earning billions of US$ per month from LTTE fund raising activities.

Now that KP too has been trapped, the Tiger sympathisers will have to give up even the slightest hopes they have had of a comeback. The arrest of KP is a victory for democracy and to Sri Lanka's fearless leadership in the worldwide battle against terrorism.

As Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has pointed out at a felicitation ceremony at Nalanda College, Colombo, we should teach our youth and our children to love the country and make every effort to preserve the glory won by the valiant efforts of our gallant men and women in the Security Forces.

We should also safeguard our future generations from terrorism.At the same time, we should add more value to those military victories by treating the innocent Tamil civilians, rescued from the clutches of the LTTE terror, as our brothers and sisters. They are our own people and the citizens of this country. Once the ongoing resettlement and infrastructure development plans of the Government are completed, these people too would start contributing to the national economy.

That would be a positive sign for Sri Lanka to win the 'economic war' as well and face future challenges. President Rajapaksa is determined to lead Sri Lanka towards prosperity, both economically and socially, as a sovereign nation. It's the duty of all loyal and patriotic citizens to extend their wholehearted support to make it a reality in the near future.