PM pays tribute to President

Prime Minister D.M. Jayaratne, in a congratulatory message to President Mahinda Rajapaksa on his swearing-in for the second term and birthday, said:

"Mahinda Rajapaksa, a young law student was the youngest parliamentarian to represent the national legislature in the 1970s. His maiden speech at the first Parliamentary session of the United Front Government in 1970 was well acknowledged by the Government and Opposition Parliamentarians without reserve.

"Young Rajapaksa followed the footsteps of his great father, D.A. Rajapaksa, in his bid to traverse the path to dizzy political heights.

"The United Front government's defeat in 1977 created the springboard for young Rajapaksa to test his political acumen. He shared with his political peers the trials and tribulations suffered at the hands of the Jayewardene regime.

"He represented the downtrodden as against those who were in pursuit of personal gains and cheap publicity. He projected his image in the hearts of the have-nots among the rural peasantry.

"The Jayewardene era was notorious for trampling the rights of people's representatives. Rajapaksa led his crusade to protect the rights of the people at international fora in Geneva. Tens of thousands of people rallied round him and the result was the emergence of a strong anti-UNP camp.

"Mahinda Rajapaksa's Pada Charika from Colombo to Kataragama and Colombo to Ratnapura, was his new weapon to fight against political injustices perpetrated by the UNP regime.

"His inherent quality of tolerance and resilience, is no doubt a unique weapon in his armoury.

He realised his objectives in a non-violent manner without resorting to violence and taught others to do the same. "More than as the second citizen of the country, but rather as a humble citizen, I wish to pay tribute to President Mahinda Rajapaksa on his 65th birthday and the second term swearing-in."