President calls for peace from Vakarai

by Ranga Jayasuriya

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday made history visiting the newly liberated former Tiger enclaves of Vakarai and Sampur and renewed his call for the Tigers to return to negotiations and vowed to bring a political solution acceptable to all communities.

Visiting Vakarai, taken by the security forces just a fortnight ago, the President paid tribute to the servicemen who fought in the thick jungles.

"I wanted to visit you to pay my gratitude for having united the country." he told the soldiers and officers. The President was accompanied by Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, Chief of Defence Staff Air Marshal Donald Perera and three Forces Commanders.

Meeting civilians displaced by the recent fighting, the President vowed to achieve a political solution acceptable to all communities. "The security forces fought to restore your dignity. No one could steal it(dignity), the President said, pledging a speedy resettlement program. He vowed never to divide the country, but to commit himself to unite the nation.

He invited the LTTE to return to the negotiation table and to be part of a negotiation process to seek a political solution.

"A solution acceptable to all communities is in the making," he said in a reference to the deliberations at the All Party Representative Committee. He reiterated that the government did not believe in a military solution to the national question. He said the recent military actions were retaliatory and defensive measures and never meant for offensive purposes.

"The ball is in the LTTE's court... and I wish they would return to the negotiation table," he said.

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