Tamil expatriates welcome President's re-election

by Ananth PALAKIDNAR

Praising Sri Lankans for re-electing President Mahinda Rajapaksa for the second time, the Diaspora Dialogue for Peace and Development, an organisation comprising Tamil expatriate professionals, has urged all political parties to put behind their differences and join hands with the President to rebuild the North and the East.

On behalf of the Diaspora Dialogue for Peace and Development, its coordinator Dr. Noel Nadesan from Australia made a statement that the doors in the North and East are now wide open for development and rehabilitation with the victory of President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

"The Tamil diaspora has tremendous confidence in President Rajapaksa rebuilding the war devastated North and East. It's a pity to see the Tamil National Alliance trying to keep the people in the North and East in their grip with a meaningless political stance," he said in the statement.

Even political parties such as the TNA and SLMC from the North and East being able to take part in the electoral process comfortably without any hindrance was due to the eradication of terrorism from the North and the East. President Rajapaksa's efforts in putting back the war-torn North and the East in right shape have paved the way for Tamils and Muslims to use their franchise in a free and fair atmosphere. As President Mahinda Rajapaksa has pointed out correctly, soon after his victory, he was pleased to note the greater participation of the North and East civilians in the electoral process, regardless of their political stance. The comment made by the President showed his magnanimity in accommodating the North and East civilians in the political mainstream of the country, Nadesan said.

The Diaspora Dialogue for Peace and Development is confident that President Rajapaksa will take bold steps in settling the political issues of the North and the East, the same way he dealt with terrorism.

Even before the poll, President Rajapaksa had begun the task of rebuilding the North and the East. The progress made so far with regard to the infrastructure facilities highlights the President's desire for making the North and East regions safer and more prosperous than ever before.

Therefore, the TNA and other political parties should rethink their political stance and coorperate with President Rajapaksa instead of leading the people of the North and the East on the wrong path.