Colombo: Sri Lankan President Mahinda
Rajapaksa on Thursday asked the Tamils to work with the government
to settle their differences and not fall prey to machinations
of a section of the diaspora which still supported the LTTE.
"I implore the separatist forces and local and
international conspirators not to underestimate our motherland
and the people of this nation," he said on the 62nd
anniversary of the Independence Day.
In an apparent reference to the international bodies and
LTTE's splinter groups overseas, Rajapaksa asked the Tamil
speaking and other communities to not allow outside
interference and seek a solution through political means.
"I am certain that the people in the North and East could
stand on their own feet through a solution brought by
devolving powers to the villages and empowering them in the
entire country," he said during the celebrations in Kandy.
"Lets solve our problems ourselves through discussions,"
Rajapaksa said in Tamil language.
"Everyone will receive all facilities in equal manner.
That is called equality and equal rights," he said.
As he takes up his second term as President in a largely
polarised country, he said after "uniting the territory," his
priority was "uniting hearts of all sections of our people".
"I willingly take over the noble task of creating peace
among our communities," he said.
Rajapaksa, who won a landslide victory in the recently
concluded presidential elections but was given a cold shoulder
by the Tamils, said "narrow divisions" of race, religion,
language and regions should not be entertained.
"Let us build this country for the sake of our future
generations," he said as he presided over the first post-LTTE
independence day celebrations, and took salute of the armed
forces.
Asserting that all Sri Lankans are children of one
mother, he said: "there is no racism, separatism or
terrorism... We consider no one in our country as a minority
person".
Rajapaksa also asked certain politicians not to mislead
innocent people.
Earlier speaking in Sinhala, Rajapaksa said he was proud
to proclaim that he is in a position to raise the flag of Sri
Lanka with dignity in the entire country, remembering the
sacrifices of the soldiers in the war against the LTTE.
"My people were at a standstill for 30 years because of
terrorists. Now this era is over. We will create a country
where people can live at ease," he said.
"We need to remove the bureaucratic hurdles on the path
to economic development as we removed road barriers," he
added.
PTI
First Published: Thursday, February 04, 2010, 18:57