President assures better life for rehabilitated youth

By Shanika SRIYANANDA

“Duwe, Puthe”, that is how the ‘father’ of the children and youth of this country addressed a special gathering. The spellbound audience clad in T-shirts bearing the logo – Let’s get-together to develop the country – were eagerly listening to the person who saved them from terror and assured them of a better future.

“I welcome all of you to my house and wish you a bright future on this special day”, President Mahinda Rajapaksa, opened the doors of Temple Trees to these ex-LTTE cadres. This invitation made over 1,800 youth to feel that their bitter past had faded away and that they were as ordinary as any other youth.The President requested them to erase their past and join the government to develop the country. “We all love to be with our families but you have lost that opportunity of having a happy childhood.

Move forward

It was not your fault and we don’t want to dig into your past. I personally believe that there is no use of recalling the past and crying over lost opportunities. The need of the hour is to move forward and start a new life. The intention of this government is to secure your future”, he said.President Rajapaksa said the government identified the needs of youth, who were forcibly taken away by the LTTE to fight, long before the final battle and that was the reason was they were given a chance to be a part in the humanitarian operation and saved the lives of over 12,000 youth. “ the majority of them were united with their parents and were leading normal lives.

Today, you are going back to society not as a group who handled weapons but who are a part of the country’s development process.

You will be granted all the privileges enjoyed by all other citizens of this country”, he said adding the government could rehabilitate all youth as they were not considered enemies.

The President said Sri Lanka’s rehabilitation process was one of the speediest programs in the world that reintegrated thousands of youth in a short period of times.

He also said the government adopted and followed all the international recognised procedures in rehabilitation.At the ceremony organised by the Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms Ministry, President Rajapaksa alerted the youth about some forces waiting outside to drag them back to a ‘dark era’. “ But remember, the government is there to look after you and your future.

Productive citizens

The LTTE gave you weapons but we have given you tools to brush up your vocational training skills to give you confidence to stand on your own once you are back at home. We want you to be productive citizens”, he said.

These young men have followed a two-year rehabilitation program, where they were given vocational training, counselling and programs to catch-up on their education in 24 state-run rehabilitation centres in the North and East.President Rajapaksa said these youth, whom was misguided and left in deadly battle fields by the LTTE, were an asset to the government.

He said they would see a completely different villages compared to the villages they had earlier left as they are being developed and given the necessary facilities to start their lives, which were destroyed by the LTTE. “You will see how development has reached your villages within the last two years. Your villages now have carpeted roads, new bridges, hospitals, schools and much more, which you have never seen before.

You will see the difference soon. When you go back to your homes as ‘new’ human beings, you will step into a new village too. Every thing has changed and you can now travel to any part of this country as peaceful citizens”, he said adding that the main objective of the government is to provide electricity to every house in the North and the East.

No division

President Rajapaksa said he would not treat people in the South and the North differently but will give equal opportunities for all. “ This country belongs to all of us and this government doesn’t have any divisions and we treat everyone equally. One assurance that I want to give you is that my government would not ready to sacrifice young lives to achieve ulterior motives.“You have proved your talent during the rehabilitation process and those talents should be brushed up further. As a responsible government we will be there for you to assist you to pursue your goals. Your ultimate goal should be serving this country and society.

We will look for job opportunities for you in the future”, he said.Addressing the youth in Tamil at the “Ekvemu Sema Nagamu Rata” (Lets get together and uplift the country) ceremony President Rajapaksa said the world that the youth were to step in was not a bed of roses, but full of challenges and risks.

“There will be groups to drag you for illegal activities, but we request that you be watchful and not be mislead by them. As you are a talented group of youth now you can lead happy lives with parents and families”, he said.The President stressed that his government would not leave any space for the re-emergence of another conflict and would not allow anybody to mislead youth.

Tamil

While delivering the speech, in improved Tamil, he said in Sinhala : ‘Mata podda podda weradenawa. Samawenna! (I make small mistakes but pardon me)”. The youth who were trying to get a glimpse of the leader who ordered that their lives be saved from the deadly battle fields and also taught them the value of saving lives endorsed that he spoke good Tamil.

In a sudden move, President Rajapaksa invited all the foreign dignitaries to award certificates to the talented youth and also to hand them over to their parents.