‘No grabbing land nor dividing the motherland’:

President vows to continue fight anti-Sri Lankan forces

* No room for separation

* Foreign invasions nothing new

* Live together in one country

* Faith in heroism, strength in youth

* Ex-Presidents felt LTTE unbeatable

* Victory best felt in children’s hearts

by Manjula Fernando

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday assured that he would continue to fight against the anti-Sri Lankan forces and would neither allow them to grab a single piece of land nor divide the motherland.

He said, “Foreign forces or foreign invasion is not a new thing to us” and added that since the victory against terrorism, four years go, such forces resorted to various tactics to take Sri Lanka under their control. The President said that these forces cited various issues such as human rights, grease devils, Arab Spring and media freedom to achieve their ulterior motives.

“Though they said that their aim was to safeguard human rights and protect democracy, their intention is to take control of Sri Lanka.” “But we are confident that the masses in the country are mature enough to understand the ulterior motives of the so-called forces.”

“For the past four years, we have been fighting against those forces and will continue our fight against them in the future too.” “We assure you that we will not allow them to grab a single piece of land or divide the country,” he said.

The President was addressing the Security Forces and the public at the Galle Face Green yesterday at the fourth anniversary of defeating the LTTE and ending the 30-year terrorism in the country.

Prior to his speech, President Rajapaksa, Ministers, officials, military top brass and the civilians observed a minute’s silence to commemorate the fallen war heroes. Two Army officers and four from other ranks who made the supreme sacrifice for the motherland were presented the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya award at the ceremony.

These officers had made the supreme sacrifice for the country during the battle against the LTTE and their close relatives received the award from the President.

President Rajapaksa said he wanted this era to be inscribed in the annals of history “that ended a ruthless war” and laid a solid foundation whereby another war would never erupt. President Rajapaksa recalled that a past regime signed a peace accord with the LTTE, “but could not stop the bomb explosions”.

He said there were Presidents who called upon citizens to look after their own safety and also another President who provided weapons to the LTTE and permitted the LTTE to kill 700 policemen.

Another signed a pact and gave half of the country to the LTTE, but could not prevent bomb explosions. “Those leaders became cowards”, he said.