Lanka ready to face any challenge

By Shanika SRIYANANDA

President Mahinda Rajapaksa, who is ready to take challenges and is reputed for keeping promises has reiterated his commitment to look after the people from the North and to solve the issues of Tamils at a crucial stage, where the international community is trying to accuse the government in a chain of false allegations.

When he met Cabinet Ministers last week, the President instructed them to continue with their tasks to upgrade living standards of the Tamils in the North, who were battered by the LTTE and lost everything in the three decades of terrorism.

"No matter what happens in Geneva, we have to speedily solve the problems of the Tamil people and upgrade their living standards. Sri Lanka is ready to face any situation arising in the future,” he said.

Meanwhile, at a ceremony at Temple Trees to present land deeds to over 2,000 beneficiaries under the one million housing project of the Janasevana program he said Sri Lanka has the courage to face challenges posed by external forces.

Imported solution not needed

"Sri Lanka does not require an imported solution to solve the country’s internal issues. Sri Lanka is capable of solving its issues through peaceful dialogue with all parties concerned", he said."We never sought foreign advice, deployed foreign forces or obtained the services of mercenaries in the fight against terrorism. Our country requires no foreign advice on safeguarding human rights in the country.

"Foreign intervention or instructions are not necessary to safeguard human rights and carry out humanitarian, reconstruction and reconciliation programs in this country, he said.

“The war was fought and won solely by our heroic soldiers based entirely, on home grown military strategies and they were directed by their commanders. Sri Lanka has the capability, strength and knowledge to take the country forward on its own policies and programs. We have nothing to learn from foreign powers on how we should run the country and resolve our problems,” President Rajapaksa said.

President Rajapaksa reiterated that Sri Lanka could resolve her problems in the same manner she defeated terrorism. “All Sri Lankans whether they are from the North, South , East or West must rise against the situation that has been created in Geneva.

It is the paramount duty of the Opposition for the sake of the nation to rise with the people to protect the country.

Confront the problem

The Opposition and all Sri Lankans must forget their religions, caste, ethnic and political affiliations at this hour and confront the problem as one people,” he said.“We must determine to resolve our problems collectively as we are all the children of one mother. Only then would Sri Lankans of all parts of the country be able to enjoy the dividends of peace,’ he said.

The President said that the time had come for Sri Lanka to shed petty differences and join hands for the sake of the country. " My government believes that any problems in the country can be solved through peaceful negotiations.

Sri Lanka has arrived at a stage where the country’s problems can be solved by the people itself through negotiation without external assistance.", he said.“Sri Lanka does not need any imported solution for the country’s issues. The people should join hands to meet the challenges of external forces,” he said.

“To provide shelter for homeless, the government launched the ‘Janasevana’ housing program, which aims to construct one million houses in six years. The Construction, Engineering Services, Housing and Common Amenities Ministry was assigned for this task which is in full swing now”, President Rajapaksa said.

Certain international elements are trying to level human rights accusations at a time the killings of youth from all communities have stopped and when people are once again living freely and in harmony, after the elimination of the 30 year scourge of terrorism.

The burden of past animosities will not be passed on to the next generation. Creating co-existence, a healthy nation and inculcating virtues in people’s hearts is our aim, said President Rajapaksa, who was the chief guest at a ceremony to open the Anura Bandaranaike Memorial Ward and Blood Bank of the Wathupitiwala Hospital in Gampaha.“As parents, we always believe that hatred does not cease through hatred.

Animosities forgotten

We will not carry forward animosities. We will not pass them to our future generation.

This is the vision with which we go forward,” he said. The construction of the memorial ward at a cost of Rs 82 million was funded by the Anura Bandaranaike Memorial Fund.

The fourth death anniversary of Anura Bandaranaike, a former Parliamentarian, minister, Opposition Leader and Speaker falls on March 16.

He pointed out that after the defeat of terrorism, the loss of young lives from all communities has stopped and added that some think of human rights only when the killings no longer take place.Emphasizing that the government always implements development program giving priority to education and health, the President noted that it was possible to focus attention on development after liberating the country from terrorists.

He said that since the defeat of terrorism, people were living in harmony irrespective of ethnic, religious or other differences.

The President noted that the government appreciates the contribution made by the public, both in bringing freedom to the country and in developing the nation.President Rajapaksa also praised the contribution made by late politician Anura Bandaranaike to the society.Despite his busy schedule he took his time to inspect the public jogging track opened near Black Bridge (Kalu Palama) on Gampaha-Orutota road during a surprise visit and used it for his morning constitutional.

The four-kilometre jogging track has been laid on a picturesque plot of land on either side of the Oruwal Oya for the benefit of the public as part of a giant development program launched in the Gampaha district. Nearly 1,500 new plant species have been planted beside the track to protect and conserve vegetation. Construction work on the track costing Rs. 32 million was undertaken using latest technology under the Mahinda Chinthana policy of bequeathing a healthy person to society, it has been planned to build jogging tracks throughout the country.

Two such tracks have been built in the Gampaha district so far at Orutota and Mahara. After doing his exercises President Rajapaksa also interacted with the people present at the venue.