People commend end of Emergency

A cross section of Sri Lankan society belonging to different communities are of the view that the lifting of the Emergency is a positive move by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Here are some comments by members of the public:

S. A. Wickramapala, Chairman Co-operative Leasing Company and Director of the Puttalam Salt Company,: Lifting the state of Emergency was a big step towards empowering democracy. The President took the decision immediately after he realised that the country's situation had been normalized. It indicates that the President did not like to govern under Emergency. This decision will help to boost the country's image internationally, he said.

"It is good that the government has withdrawn the Emergency forthwith. In my opinion it should have been done some time back," said Leela Nanayakkara who is working as a Legal Officer in a leading private company. She

lives in Pamunuwa Road, Maharagama. She said certain elements of law should be retained to maintain peace and tranquillity in Sri Lanka just like all the neo-colonialists keep religious extremists and detractors away from their countries.

"It is obvious that the aim of neo-colonialists is to create instability first and then mayhem and thereafter send arbitrators to settle our disputes. Neo-colonialists failed to understand that majority Sri Lankans by far are politically mature and therefore cannot be tricked into such ploys," she said. It is the right of the elected government to introduce or withdraw Emergency as per the Constitution to retain its sovereignty, she added.

Stanley Perera from Wattala commended the lifting of the Emergency as a positive move but said it is essential to adjust the mindset of the public and the law enforcement agencies to the normal rules and regulations.

M. S. M. Naseer, an accounts and business studies teacher from Balangoda said it was a positive move. Many of the people living in my area belong to Tamil and Muslim communities. When the Emergency Law existed people were reluctant to go to other parts of the country if they did not have the National Identity cards or such equivalent documents. Until they sort out the problems with the Identity Cards they had moved from the area. Some were even reluctant to accept jobs in other parts of the country. With the Emergency Law being lifted it will bring some relief to such people.

Jayantha Kumarasiri, a Management Consultant of a Public firm living in Kandy said lifting the Emergency Law is a goodmove, considering the local and international concerns on Sri Lanka. This is a time where Sri Lanka is being attacked on many grounds not only by the international community but by our own people living abroad.

There is huge pressure on the Government by these parties. For them existence of the Emergency Law was a good point to argue. In this context lifting the Emergency Law will raise Sri Lanka's image.

He said the existing law will be sufficient to settle the problems the country may face due to terrorism or any other disturbance.

Dulani Liyanarachchi, a teacher from Papiliwala in Gampaha district held the same view"It is a good decision," she said. "It would be better if the authorities can similarly think of the day-to-day chaos people face," she added saying that considering the high cost of living would be similarly important.

Sugath Dehipitiya from Nawinna, a driver at a Colombo based private company hailed this decision. "It shows that there are no problems in the country.

We can travel anywhere in the country without any restrictions, Dehipitiya said. the country is peaceful like the good times we knew when we were children.

Today we lived in a peaceful environment. "Unlike those days we can send our children to school and do our job with peace of mind," Dehipitiya said.