President Mahinda Rajapaksa ushered in peace and stability by Shanika SRIYANANDA If not for him, the national flag would not be fluttering in the four corners of Sri Lanka. If not for him, we would still be walking in blood soaked streets and if not for him we would still be living in fear of our bodies being blown up in pieces at any moment! As a whole, if not for him, Sri Lanka would still be clamouring for peace while terrorists were becoming harsh and having a severe impact on humanity. For many, especially for villagers - Sinhalese and Tamils-whose lives the LTTE terrorists played with for many years, he is the leader who was born in the correct era to spearhead the struggle to freedom and defeating terrorism. But for the ordinary masses he is the most humble leader, who knows their heart beat who has been born in recent history. Popular for keeping his promises, he taught a great lesson to the world – if there is a will nothing is impossible. Many world giants seemed to be now taking his strides. Having a long journey and with a proven track record in politics, the seasoned politician celebrates his second year of a second tenure as the President of this country, this week. President Mahinda Rajapaksa is the leader who never let his dreams for the country remain dreams. His dreams resulted in giving birth to visionary programs for the country. The first dream – the Mahinda Chinthana - annihilation of LTTE terrorism coupled with the country’s development was implemented during his first term and he realised his dream by achieving both -destroying the scourge of terrorism and also developing the country without excluding the North and East. "Though people have ethnic and religious differences, they are all children of Mother Lanka and we should not allow divisions to dominate us as it would hinder realising our true potential to grow as one country. Sri Lanka suffered for nearly 30-years, due to division and conflict and we must secure this hard earned peace and harmony and enable all Sri Lankans to enjoy it" It was the Mahinda Chinthana Idiri Dekma (the extended version of the Mahinda Chinthana policy) implemented for the massive development and rebuilding of the nation during his second tenure. He is the leader to all Sri Lankans and this was reiterated by the President even before finishing off the LTTE on May 19, 2009. “I have been elected as the President of the entire country; of all its people, irrespective of language or religion. I consider myself responsible for all children of our country, whether they are in the South or in the North; Trincomalee, Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Batticaloa, Badulla, Colombo or anywhere else. I see them all as my own children. It is because of this that we need to proceed with liberating the Tamil people of the North and their children from the clutches of the LTTE.” President Rajapaksa said so when he addressed the audience of worshippers and well wishers at the New York Buddhist Vihara in 2009. Here are some highlights from his speeches delivered during his first year of the second tenure. President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the nation at the 60th Anniversary celebrations of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) reiterated that the government would not compromise the country’s defence at any stage and the government was engaged in a mission to develop the country which was destroyed by LTTE terrorists.At a public rally held in Colombo the President said no one could topple the government by spreading rumours and they have to wait to do so until the next General Election scheduled to be held in 2016 or the Presidential election in 2017. “There was a time when people feared to refer to Sri Lanka as being a unitary state, but now we have come a long way from that situation. Our government would not allow violence to crop up again and divide this country”, President Mahinda Rajapaksa called upon all Sri Lankans to be united despite differences to develop Sri Lanka economically and socially. At a ceremony held to commemorate the late H. Sri Nissanka, a member of Sri Lanka’s first Parliament and a founder member of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, he said. Though people have ethnic and religious differences, they are all children of Mother Lanka and we should not allow divisions to dominate us as it would hinder realising our true potential to grow as one country. “Sri Lanka suffered for nearly 30-years, due to division and conflict and we must secure this hard earned peace and harmony and enable all Sri Lankans to enjoy it”, he said, adding it is sad to see that some people who had their education here, act against the interest of the country”. “The time has come to change this situation. Everyone has a responsibility to take the country on the path which these founding fathers laid with so much dedication and sacrifice” he said. President Rajapaksa inviting patriots to rally round the government to develop Sri Lanka said, “We too would not be deterred by challenges. We cannot allow hard won democracy and people’s rights and freedom to be reversed. Undeterred by challenges we would take this country forward towards permanent peace and prosperity”. The Swimming, Life Saving and Survival Techniques Training Centre at Dharmapala Vidyalaya, Pannipitiya was opened by President Rajapaksa. Calling all students to use their childhood profitably to have a better future, he said there were some who does not even respect the national anthem. We have to have confidence to face any challenge. Children must be given confidence and this must be inculcated from childhood. They should pay more attention to overcome challenges as students.President Rajapaksa said schooling was the most precious period in one’s life and this could never be retrieved. “Therefore, use this period to improve skills in sports and aesthetics in addition to studying. Use your time in a productive manner to be successful in the future”, he said adding that the most valuable gift that parents can give their children, while giving them a luxury lives is education, which no one can rob”. We have also launched a program to improve the economic standards of families through the One Million Home Gardens Project. Each family will get Rs. 10,000 under this project. We want to make a change in each family by encouraging them to grow vegetables and fruits they need so that we need not have to import these food items. It was no miracle that the UPFA has once again captured power winning the majority of the Local Government bodies at the polls held on March 17.It is a victory that has not fallen from the sky but was brought due to the sheer dedication of the Head of State, who was determined to continue his mission to steer the country’s development starting at village level in the post conflict era.President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who knows the heart beat of the village people, always believed that the village is the epi-centre of the country’s development. President Rajapaksa is very focused to bring economic prosperity in his second-term, after keeping his first pledge - destroying the three-decade long scourge, LTTE terrorism in his first term of office. Leading the UPFA village level politicians under the theme of Sapiri Gamak-Supiri Ratak (an abundant village-a self-sufficient nation), the President addressed over 21 public rallies and 14 mini rallies in support of UPFA candidates. “Support the Government to make the country ‘Wonder of Asia’ the President Mahinda Rajapaksa said. Addressing the UPFA Trincomalee district conference he called all Sri Lankans to be united shedding differences to accelerate the country’s development. “ If we are united we can make Sri Lanka the wonder of Asia,” the President who addressed the gathering in Tamil said. “Our government has proved that we can get the support of all political parties to develop the country. They have their own different views but when it comes to developing the country, they are all with the government”, he said adding that politicians from the UNP, JVP, SLMC, TNA and other major political parties are supporting the government today to develop the country. “The Government is able to get the support of even former LTTE members to development process. Today people are enjoying true freedom after defeating terrorism, which destroyed the country for over 30-years. President Mahinda Rajapaksa calling all Sri Lankans to shed narrow politics ensure a steady development in the country, said the UPFA government had never taken decisions with the intention to remain in power. Addressing a public rally held in Gampaha he said. “This is not an election capable of changing the present regime, but strengthening the government”, he said explaining the steps taken by the government to uplift the lifestyle of people and also to develop the country. “We think the present lifestyles of the people need to be changed to have a meaningful development. People spend a large sum of money on liquor and smoking. Due to liquor and smoking, thousands of people become ill and have to take treatment from Government hospitals. “ Therefore, when we see how some countries carry out operations against enemies today, we are proud of the humanitarian nature of our operation against the enemy. We were with you in the battlefield. It is same today. We will not betray you before the world”, the President said. It is our greatest responsibility to protect our hard won freedom. Ensuring that we leave no room for terrorism or separatism to raise its ugly head again in this country is the greatest tribute we can pay to our heroes of war. This will help make them feel secure with the assurance that society at large has not forgotten them”, he said. The need for a well-established diplomatic service was felt by the Government and also by the foreign analysts, to counter the negative issues spread internationally tarnishing the image of the country and to propagate the success stories in the post conflict Sri Lanka. The diplomats are the live wires of such an effective campaign. In the post conflict era, it is time for the Sri Lankan diplomats to come out from their luxury chambers and open the doors of their respective foreign missions for all to get their service and to avoid engaging in traditional ceremonial diplomacy.