Colombo: As Sri Lankan Tamils marked the
festival of Diwali on Saturday, President Mahinda Rajapaksa promised
the beginning of a new era where their sufferings "will be a
thing of the past" and they would be able to return to their
homes in the war-torn north.
In his message on Diwali, Rajapaksa said the festival
symbolises the victory of good over evil, and hoped "the light
of goodwill will dispel the darkness of terror in our land".
"We are now at the threshold of a new era, where the
suffering faced by the Hindu community will be a thing of past
and they could look forward to living in peace and harmony in
the comfort and tranquillity of their own homes," he said.
He said the Sri Lankan society was celebrating the
festival with "a spirit of unity" marked by increased harmony
among people, "irrespective of ethnic, religious and other
differences that have kept them apart for a long period".
The Hindu community celebrated Diwali in the country,
the first after the end of the three decade old civil war.
The government said Kovils or Tamil temples were lit up
in northern Sri Lanka and shops in the hill areas were full of
people, amidst tight security in the region.
Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake in a message
said: "Today we have overcome that dark period and entered a
good era... None could forget the trials and tribulations
suffered by our society for 30 years due to the activities of
evil persons".
"If we are to perpetuate in society the atmosphere of
freedom won we have to establish a society where human values
would be respected. Deepavali provides us with valuable
insight in this regard," Wicremanayake said in his Diwali
message.
He said: "I earnestly hope that Deepavali lights will
show us the way towards bequeathing to our next generation a
Sri Lanka where humane values would reign".
Bureau Report
