| President
Mahinda Rajapaksa declared today that the Government
is endowed with the responsibility and challenge of
creating a harmonious environment in which all communities
and religious groups could live sans fear and suspicion.
Addressing
the SLFP's 55th anniversary convention at the BMICH
in Colombo today, the President said: "To this
end, the necessary structural changes should be made
without delay in the political and administrative spheres.
This entails the need for a typical Sri Lankan model
where all the citizens are involved in the administration
of the country."
"While
responding to the terrorists in the language they best
comprehend, we must also understand the plight of those
innocent Tamils who are erroneously assumed to be terrorists
by certain quarters of our society.
This
is completely flawed and needs to be eradicated. Didn't
we have Tamils of the calibre of the late Lakshman Kadirgamar,
Anandasangaree, Douglas Devananda, who have blatantly
opposed the LTTE's terrorism? Haven't we had many high-ranking,
committed and duty-conscious Tamil officers in our Armed
Forces?" he said.
He
asserted that the Government would never bow down to
the threats of the LTTE in the North-East.
President Rajapaksa said "it has been proved already
that we possess the courage and the skills to confront
the enemy".
President
Rajapaksa reiterated that the country could triumphantly
move forward, only by placing the right man to the right
place, based solely on one's merits, talents and skills.
He said that the victory and the capture of Sampur from
the LTTE by the armed forces, was achieved based on
this principle.
The
selection and recruitment of the most suitable personnel
to perform their respective tasks, has brought us success
in the battlefield with the LTTE.
"This
is the secret of victory for the Armed Forces. The same
is envisaged within our party too. Bandaranaikes and
Rajapaksas are not the only leaders of the party. This
is what I have been saying continuously," he said.
He
echoed that likewise in a cricket match what finally
matters is the team effort for an outright victory,
and not who, what party or what leader brings forth
peace and harmony to the country.
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