Eager to show gratitude at Saturday's LG polls :

People in North and East hail President for ushering peace

By Suraj BANDARA in Jaffna

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is the only person who could bring about a solution where all ethnic groups will thrive with equal rights.

This was stated by a teacher of St. Joseph's School, Jaffna when we asked him who would win at the forthcoming Local Government election in the Jaffna district.

He said, it is true that the TNA and other political parties who are contesting the election are pretending that they are trying to redress the Tamil issue. This is mere lip service with the aim of deceiving the Tamils and getting their votes. Though they act as if they are the real representatives of the Tamils, they have never solved the problems with the cooperation of the government or any other international organisation as yet.

They created problems and left them unanswered but the government to a very great extent has successfully solved them. The fishing community's problems was initially blamed on the government and people worked against it. The government solved the problem and now no fishermen in the North is deprived as in the past. They can freely fish anywhere in the sea at any time. This move will enable fisher folk to be in favour of the government.

He further said earlier the, Tamils were in a dilemma whether the government will look after them. But that doubt has been completely cleared. In future elections, Tamils will rally round President Mahinda Rajapaksa and vote the government and he is the only person who helped the Tamils with a genuine notion that all are citizens of this country. Nobody is treated on the basis of their race or ethnicity, he said.

He said that this rapid development which is visible in every nook and corner of the North would have been only a dream to our children, if the LTTE had not been eliminated. Frankly speaking, we all lived under intense pressure, now we live with real peace.

I still recall the time when the Sinhalese and Tamils lived very closely a long time ago. But due to opportunistic politicians this collapsed.

I'm very glad to see the same atmosphere prevailing once again under the strong leadership of the President.

The TNA is convinced that this Government is working genuinely to enhance ethnic harmony and will develop the country. But they want to show Tamil Nadu politicians that they have not abandoned the earlier agendas to demarcate a separate homeland for the Tamils.

All problems are created by these opportunistic politicians, he said.

A wholesale businessman and well-known philanthropist Suppiah

Ramachandran who runs a mega scale business in Jaffna town told the Sunday Observer that the business of the district has increased by ten to fifteen folds after LTTE terrorism was

crushed. People don't see any discrimination being directed at them. There is no unfair treatment being meted out to the Tamils.

Anybody who has common sense can see the development being carried out in the region which is not second to anywhere in the country. The President has a clear idea to bring about a lasting solution to the ethnic problem and as an early step he laid the foundation by developing the region. He has given the responsibility to develop the region to his own brother Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa and his son parliamentarian Namal Rajapaksa. During a three year period, the government has achieved tremendous growth by developing the region.

Since the area was badly damaged, it will take sometime to bring the situation to normalcy. But I'm sure if this government stays for the North will gain much and everybody in the region would be hand in hand with the President.

An ice cream producer in the kilinochchci district said this is the time to rally round President Rajapaksa as nobody has the power to solve the ethnic issue in the country. He would bring about a permanent solution to the ethnic issue soon through a political solution. He is the best person to address the issue.

The TNA will again put forward the Tamil grievance for their own political ends by deceiving the public. The Tamils are not so foolish and be cheated from time time with colourful dreams, he said.

UNICEF head of the field office Jaffna district Macheri Damascus said the Government is very committed to develop the North and East and their dedication has laid the foundation to develop the district. The Government has extended its support not only for the mainland but even to the tiny islands where a few people live.

He said he has been in the country since 2010 and has understood that the Government has a clear intention to develop the region equal to other parts of the country. Today, water facilities is given to five islands where no clean water could be found was supplied and people are very happy with the development initiatives.

He said, above all, the government has been more democratic as a transparent government and lifted the ban regarding foreigners. They could visit the North and East without the permission of the Defence Secretariat. This is a positive move taken by the government. Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa and all ministers and government servants in the region are motivated and committed to develop the region, he said.

One who wears spectacles is UNICEF head of field office Jaffna district Macheri Damascus.