CLASSIFIED | POLITICS | TERRORISM | OPINION | VIEWS

GOTABHAYA ASSURED BUSINESSMEN THAT TERRORISM WILL BE CURBED WITHIN STIPULATED TIME FOR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY

By Walter Jayawardhana

Defense Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa assured the business community that the government would definitely curb terrorism within a stipulated time period opening new business opportunities for them.

“This would undoubtedly open new doors of opportunity for business,”he told leading businessmen when they called on him at his ministry conference hall, September 11 Tuesday.

Telling the business leaders that to do business , first of all , there should be a country, Gotabhaya, the younger brother of President Mahinda Rajapaksa said, “signing temporary peace pacts with a ruthless terrorist group cannot bring lasting peace nor economic stability. It only seems as a attractive alternative if you don't comprehend and confront the reality.”

In an obvious reference to the pact signed by the opposition United national Party with LTTE leader Prabhakaran Gotabhaya said, “I sense that some of you believe that the present opposition can deliver stability as far as your business opportunities are concerned. I must say this is a big myth.”
Making no bones about it, the Defense Secretary , who is also a decorated soldier of the Sri Lanka Army said, “As the whole world has realized, the only way to bring about peace is to curb terrorism. Sri Lanka cannot be foolishly idealistic.”

He told the businessmen, “Peace has become a marketable commodity in the world today and in Sri Lanka too there is blatant marketing of this commodity called peace for pure economic gain. So much so, that for some people it has become a lucrative business venture, where the top line has become equivalent to the bottom line since there aren't any costs involved. You might even be envious if you see the Income Statement of some of these "peace organizations". This was an obvious reference to some foreign funded NGO’s whose income ran to millions every month.
“But as a soldier,” said Gotabhaya, “ I know only the right strategy which takes all other factors into consideration will work and achieve the final bigger goal that not only you as a corporate but we as one nation longs for.

This is the way towards long term, sustainable stability in the country where you can take strong investment decisions in order to achieve your corporate objectives.”

Rajapaksa said the final solution lies in a negotiated settlement and in order to achieve this objective, the country needs to combat terrorism and push the terrorist leaders to come to the negotiating table and above all protect the law & order of the country.

Telling businessen that a company without a vision gropes in the dark Gotabhaya said "I can assure you one thing. And that is we are driven by a vision and we do have a carefully crafted mission to achieve our objectives. Our long term strategies and short term tactics are very well focused to achieve these objectives".

"We on our part have understood the challenge placed before us and are acting with 100% professionalism in achieving the said objectives. I can assure you with responsibility that we do not have any private agenda. The Commanders of the three Forces and the IGP have pledged their unstinted support to this cause and we work as one team.”

Calling the LTTE one of the most ruthless terrorist organization in the world that has evolved into a corrupt mafia which has forgotten its own purpose of forming a separate state Gotabhaya said, “"The world over, they are engaging in drug trafficking, arms smuggling, money laundering, human trafficking and other large scale banking frauds. They have so far assassinated close to 60 Tamil leaders who have fought for democratic rights of the Tamil people. They have put 2 generations of Tamil people in jeopardy by recruiting the largest no. of child soldiers over 25 years. The complete education system and the lifestyle in the North & East are in total disarray except in little pockets in Government controlled areas. While the so called Tamil civil diaspora is funding terrorism for petty economic gain, their kith and kin are suffering in the North & East of Sri Lanka".

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