PRESIDENT RAJAPAKSA TELLS
WORLD AFFAIRS COUNCIL HE WANTS VOLUNTEERS AND BUSINESSMEN FROM THE US
TO DEVELOP EAST
By Walter Jayawardhana
President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the World Affairs Council in
Los Angeles in English appealed to civic groups in California and other
places in the United States and businessmen to join in his efforts to
reconstruct the Eastern Province and invest money in business ventures
to upgrade the lives of the Eastern province people who have suffered
immensely by the rule of terrorists for two decades.
“. A massive programme of rehabilitation and reconstruction has
been launched, with the objective of making the Eastern Province a model
for post-conflict reconstruction and development,” he said making
a luncheon speech accorded to him at the Bonaventure Hotel in downtown
Los Angeles, September 28.
Answering questions from the audience the President said he is fully
committed to a united Sri Lanka where justice is meted out to all ethnic
groups equally.
Replying to a question as to where the Tamil Tigers got their aeroplanes,
President rajapaksa said if he kenew he would have personally gone their
to stop it.
Asked about his policy about Palestenians he said they should be allowed
to run their country without outside interference .
Replying another question he said Tamil Tigers should give up their
terrorism and enter into the mainstream of democracy.
The following is the full text of his speech:
“I am very happy to be in the presence of such a distinguished
audience this afternoon. I am glad to be here with you in California,
a state which is home to a large Sri Lankan population, and in particular,
in your lovely City of Angles.
“We are inspired by California, being the seventh largest economy
in the world, the home of the IT revolution and the birthplace of the
film industry.
“I wish to express my own and my people’s most sincere thanks
to the people in the state of California who came to our assistance
in our hour of need, when the Tsunami of 2004 devastated our land. We
will always remember your generosity with gratitude.
“Earlier this week, I addressed the UN General Assembly, on a few
key issues – among them, Sri Lanka’s position on global terrorism.
Dr. Martin Luther King often said, “Injustice anywhere is a threat
to justice everywhere”; likewise, we firmly believe that terrorism
anywhere is terrorism everywhere.
“Terrorism in Sri Lanka is nurtured by funds from overseas. We
urge all our friends around the world, to help us to cut off funds to
the terrorists in Sri Lanka.
“ Ladies and Gentlemen, our goal remains a negotiated and honourable
end to this unfortunate conflict in Sri Lanka. Our goal is to restore
democracy and the rule of law to all the people of our country. 54%
of Sri Lanka’s Tamil population now lives in areas other than the
north and the east of the country, among the Sinhalese and other communities.
There is no ethnic conflict in Sri Lanka – as some media mistakenly
highlight. Sri Lanka’s security forces are fighting a terrorist
group, not a particular community.
“I see no military solution to the conflict. The current military
operations are only intended to exert pressure on the LTTE to convince
them that terrorism cannot bring them victory.
“Sri Lanka’s armed forces have successfully cleared the country’s
Eastern Province of Tiger terrorism. Despite the scale of the operation,
we ensured that civilian casualties were kept to a minimum.
“We are mindful of various groups that have been screaming about
massive numbers of displaced civilians in the east. However, only about
145,000 people were displaced, and, that too, for a very short period
of time. Approximately 110,000 of the displaced have already returned
home. Others will follow once land mines have been fully cleared. The
UNHCR and the International Committee of the Red Cross both acknowledge
that Sri Lanka’s programme of returning displaced persons to their
homes has been consistent with international standards.
“These returnees now have to move on with their lives. We are in
the process of ensuring that they have access to schools, health facilities
and basic amenities. They also need to be provided with livelihood opportunities.
A massive programme of rehabilitation and reconstruction has been launched,
with the objective of making the Eastern Province a model for post-conflict
reconstruction and development. We hope to accomplish the major part
of this program with our own effort but also with the assistance of
the international community. My Government has deployed approximately
Rs. 20 billion for the reconstruction of the East.
“It gives us great strength to know that the international community
is with us in our efforts at rehabilitation and reconstruction. During
the time the Tigers controlled the east, they devastated the economy
of the area. Thus, there are plenty of opportunities for civic groups
to join in the reconstruction of schools, community institutions, hospitals
and in rehabilitating the livelihood of the people of the East. There
is tremendous potential for developing fisheries, tourism and animal
husbandry. A consortium of donors including France, Spain and Japan
are assisting in constructing a major coastal highway. The EU is building
another. We have also begun a mono-rail project in Colombo. However,
there are other key infrastructure projects being implemented.
“We believe that the current conflict has its roots in poverty
and underdevelopment. The way to wean the youth away from violence is
to create economic opportunities for them. And there is tremendous potential
for investment projects in the east. Tourism, modern agriculture, aqua
culture and the fisheries industry are some of the lucrative areas for
foreign investment.
“Despite the ongoing conflict, Sri Lanka has not neglected economic
development in other parts of the country. We are in the process of
expanding the capacity of the Colombo port. In a few years, Colombo
port will be a modern commercial hub with significantly enhanced capacity
to handle container vessels. Another port is being developed in the
country’s south, also an international airport. Several major irrigation
projects have been started. A national budget airline operates to seven
international destinations giving a boost to the tourism industry. Sri
Lanka has still not exploited its full potential to meet the demands
of the IT world. I invite you to consider Sri Lanka as a destination,
when you make your own investment decisions in the future.
“Our per capita income is around US Dollars 1350 now, one of the
highest in South Asia. The economy grew by 7.2% last year. Unemployment
is at a record low level. We are also on the way to achieving or surpassing
many of the Millennium Development Goals. For instance, less than 5%
of our population is below the poverty line. The net primary school
enrolment in 2004 was 97%. Almost every child in Sri Lanka goes to school.
Very few countries in the world can make this claim. Our infant mortality
rate in 2004 was one of the lowest in the world.
“Sri Lanka has been misunderstood and her actions misinterpreted
in many ways. Over the decades, we have developed our democratic institutions
with great care and pride. We have enjoyed universal adult franchise
since 1931. Democracy is deeply rooted in our country, and we hope to
restore democracy in the Eastern Province without delay by holding elections.
The pluralism and democracy taken for granted elsewhere in Sri Lanka
need to be re-established in the Eastern Province and in the North.
We hope that before long, we will also be able to take this message
to the areas still controlled by the Tigers.
“My Government will exert every effort to search for a political
solution that is honourable and sustainable. For this purpose, I have
convened an All Party Representatives Committee comprising elected members
of parliament, which has made substantial progress.
“I believe that the direction we are heading will result in an
outcome, which will ensure justice to all our people. The solution we
seek must necessarily be just, honourable and acceptable to all, and
above all, it must be a democratic solution, a solution that preserves
the democratic institutions that we have developed over 75 years.
“Thank you for your interest in Sri Lanka.
“May the Triple Gem bless you.”
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