Facing the New Year with renewed hopes

Yet another Sinhala and Hindu New Year has just begun. Each time a New Year approaches, we make our own resolutions and dreams. Expectations are high but not all would fulfill those dreams eventually.

Also it's time to take stock of our achievements as well as failures to face the New Year with greater courage and determination.

Unlike in previous years, people in Sri Lanka today pay more attention to our age-old customs and traditions. The Sinhalese and Tamils gave equal prominence to their New Year customs under one flag.

This is a positive sign as all citizens are acutely aware of the importance of protecting Sri Lanka's identity. Be it Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims or Burghers, all are Sri Lankans. They are the sons and daughters of this soil and this resplendent isle belongs to them.

As the First Citizen, President Mahinda Rajapaksa set an example by following the New Year customs to perfection at his native Hambantota residence last year. He is sure to follow those rich traditions with those villagers this year too.

At a time we have so-called leaders who celebrate their birthdays and New Year overseas in European style, the nation needs true leaders who could show our younger generation the right way.

Talking about the achievements as a nation during the past year, Sri Lanka has liberated thousands of innocent civilians from the jaws of the blood-thirsty Tigers. Successful operations in Mavil Aru, Sampur and Vakarei have given true liberation to the Tamil civilians in those areas, not the so-called liberation practised by a terrorist group headed by Prabhakaran.

A few days before the New Year, the security forces cleared the Maha Oya-Chenkalady A-5 route after 14 years. With the capture of the A-5 road, the entire civilian population in the East is under government control and the remaining terrorist cadres are confined to a mere 150 square kilometre area in the Thoppigala jungle.

Areas such as Karadiyanaru, Sinnapillumale, Aiththiyamale, Thumpalanchole, Weligahakandiya, Kalkudah and all surrounding villages were freed from the LTTE terror after the humanitarian operations were carried out during the past few weeks.

The brave efforts of the security forces in liberating the entire East from terrorists is the greatest achievement in terms of national security.

Despite being forced to spend heavily on the nation's battle against terrorism, Sri Lanka achieved its own share in terms of development. Several mega projects were launched during the year.

The Weerawila International Airport, Hambantota Harbour, Upper Kotmale power generation, Kukule Ganga and the last phase of the Mahaweli Development - Moragahakanda, are some of the ventures undertaken by the Government. Finding finances for those gigantic projects alone is a great victory for the nation.

On the other hand, the rate of unemployment has been reduced to a great extent, especially with the Government's initiative of providing jobs to unemployed graduates.

In the more-important cost-of-living battle, the Government emerged victorious just weeks before the New Year. Due to the untiring efforts of the Government and its Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena, opportunist traders could not hold sway. Prices of 14 essential commodities were slashed, some by Rs.100 per kilogram.

A mechanism to maintain this price structure even after the New Year has already been implemented. Even the Government's political opponents have accepted that the prices of essential commodities have come down significantly, thereby protecting the consumer, especially during the New Year season.

Sri Lanka has also attracted a larger share of foreign investment, which augurs well for our economy. These contributory factors enabled Sri Lanka to record an all-time high growth rate of 7.4%.

Overall, we could be happy with what Sri Lanka has achieved during the past year. Nevertheless, we could fare even better in the coming year.

We are confident that the right strategy and leadership would find lasting solutions to most of the problems we face today.

While terrorism should be suppressed, all other problems, be it ethnic, economic or otherwise, could be settled though dialogue.

The Government before long will find a negotiated settlement to the problem in the North. The chances of resuming the peace talks with the LTTE look even brighter in the New Year.

The Tiger terrorists broke ice by indicating their willingness to get back to the negotiating table, something which the Government has always called for. With the Government responding favourably to the LTTE call, we could expect the two parties to meet soon in the New Year.

If we could find a lasting solution and achieve an honourable peace, that would be the biggest New Year gift to the nation. Let all communities join hands to usher in peace in this thrice-blessed nation.