Venerable Members of the Maha
Sangha
Respected Clergy of other religions
Mothers and Fathers,
Brothers and Sisters
My Dear Children, and
Friends
It is now a little over one year
since you elected me as President of our country. When
I was given in charge of the country, what you expected
of me was the defence of our motherland. I am aware
that more than one year ago, it is with the greatest
confidence that you entrusted me with the responsibility
of protecting our beloved motherland, and not being
subdued by whatever forces that sought to divide it.
What satisfies me most about the past year is the ability
of our government to gradually extricate our country
from the great betrayal it was facing.
While realizing the importance of
this moment to all of you in the Sri Lankan nation,
I have decided to address you today to assure you of
living up to the trust placed in me as the custodian
of the Sri Lankan State.
Although Sri Lanka is geographically
small, and the Sri Lankan nation is numerically small,
throughout history we have been regarded with pride
and respect in the world. However, it is also a fact
that the greatness our nation had over the centuries
has been challenged by the threats it faced from the
latter part of the 1970s and the beginning of the 1980s.
The countrywide movement of violence
by the LTTE that began in 1975 with assassination of
Mr. Alfred Duraiyappah, the distinguished Mayor of Jaffna
and great humanist who stood resolutely for Sinhala
Tamil unity, has by now brought immeasurable, humiliation,
damage and discredit to the nation, in a manner that
is both serious and gravely criminal.
We cannot forget how this honoured
motherland of ours was made a graveyard in the eyes
of the world with the assassinations of our former President
Ranasinghe Premadasa, and respected politicians such
as Defence Minister Ranjan Wijeratne, Leader of the
Opposition Gamini Dissanayake, Minister of National
Security Lalith Athulathmudali, and the statesman par
excellence former Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar
who took the voice of the Sri Lankan Tamils to the world,
and also a large number of other national leaders; and
the many thousand heroes of war among whom were Denzil
Kobbekaduwa, Wijaya Wimalaratne, Parami Kulatunga; prominent
Tamil leaders such as Appapillai Amirthalangam, Neelan
Tiruchelvam, Yogeswaran, Pararajasingham and Raviraj,
and also the destruction of the economic nerve centres
such as the Katunayake Airport and Central Bank.
Besides all this the massacre of
bhikkus at Arantalawa and devotees at the Sri Maha Bodhi,
the attack and killings at the Dalada Maligawa, the
killings at Pettah comprise a series of killings that
still make Sri
Lankans shudder, and have entered world history as the
inexcusable crimes of brutal terrorism.
Beginning with Prime Minister Sirimavo
Bandaranaike, all leaders from President J. R. Jayewardene
to President Chandrika Kumaratunga sought to face up
to this grave threat to the nation and bring peace to
our motherland. Similarly, my effort as your Head of
State is to build a peaceful Sri Lanka where the Sinhala,
Tamil and Muslim people can live as brothers. I have
described this effort as a New Sri Lanka.
Friends, how has the LTTE responded
to the efforts of these leaders of various parties to
achieve peace through three decades?
The LTTE that assassinated the Indian
Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, who gave his utmost towards
peace in Sri Lanka, continued to assassinate all leaders
who extended their hands for peace; or attempted to
assassinate them. Meanwhile, in an attempt to show the
world that it had abandoned its
expectations for Eelam, it came to the negotiating table
giving the impression that it was seeking another objective.
On the other hand, it continued to organize the battlefield
as it wished.
I became the custodian of this country
on November 19 last year through the mandate given by
you. Just two weeks after that, in the absence of any
provocation or any reasonable grounds, six soldiers
were killed on December 6. In this manner, until the
attempt to assassinate the Army Commander
inside Army Headquarters on April 25, 142 of our soldiers
and policemen were killed. This was done without any
provocation. As the Government and a member of the world
community we were patient in the face of all this. We
were restrained in the face of all these atrocities,
in the cause of peace.
When some were asking whether “Mahinda had no
spine” I remained totally committed to peace.
What I told you then was that I would resolve this even
by meeting Prabhakaran face to face, and asked that
you remain calm.
It was only when they came into Army
Headquarters and attempted to assassinate the Army Commander
that we decided we cannot succeed in our task unless
we respond to the LTTE in the language it understands.
After this when they blocked the
Mavil Aru anicut, destroying thousands of acres of paddy
and driving people in the Eastern Province to death
without drinking water, we carried out a limited operation
to save those people.
Similarly, you will recall that when
our troops were tied down at Mavil Aru they boasted
of capturing Jaffna within four days and attacked our
Forward Defence Lines at Muhamalai.
However my dear friends, amidst all
its atrocities and savagery we as a responsible government
decided to give ear the LTTE. Accordingly, in February
22 this year we met them at Geneva. The outcome was
that they abandoned the talks raising an issue that
had no direct relevance to the
North East crisis.
Meanwhile, you will also recall how
without any reasonable cause, and against all norms
of civilization, a bus was bombed at Kebetigollawa killing
and injuring a large number of innocent civilians, in
a tragedy that shook the very earth.
Even after that savage attack we
still decided to talk with the LTTE. At a time when
we were blamed for it by the country, we yet decided
to proceed to Geneva, for the second time. We were so
flexible being fully aware that peace was a very dear
commodity.
However, what was the response of
the LTTE? Having obtained all the facilities and privileges,
they went to Geneva and said they were not willing to
meet us. We were caught in an abundance of shame. Even
the international community was trapped. Yet we did
not decide to withdraw from
the Ceasefire Agreement or the talks. Although we did
not agree with the clause in the CFA defining the boundaries
of LTTE controlled areas, we did not take any steps
to go beyond those limits. I tell you with all responsibility
that we have at no time been on the offensive. What
we did was permit the LTTE’s spokesman to come
to Colombo for treatment for a heart ailment on humanitarian
grounds, when such a request was made. What country
or organization in the midst of war would act with such
humanity?
When Jaffna was under threat of heavy
attack, Tamil youth were abducted and innocent Tamil
people were in danger of being caught in the middle
of an unnecessary war, and when the LTTE sent message
through its web site asking that 50,000 coffins be readied
for the Sri Lankan troops, we decided to close the A9
at Muhamalai. We did not close the A9 in its entirety
but only at Muhamalai. Although this led to an instant
shortage of food throughout Jaffna, we have by now brought
this situation fully under control. In the last three
months we have sent 47,500 metric tons of food and medicine
to Jaffna. But, in the previous six months what had
been sent was a little less than 30,000 metric tons,
and there was no shortage of food then!
Meanwhile, over a hundred unarmed
members of the Navy on their way home on leave were
killed by the LTTE at Digampaney in Dambulla. This inhuman
act was perpetrated violating all accepted norms of
decency.
In the midst of all these unfavourable
conditions, as a people-friendly government we decided
to again go for talks with the LTTE. Accordingly our
delegation went to Geneva on October 8. What happened
was that as they have done throughout the past, they
abandoned the talks once again confirming
that the have no alternative other than the utopian
dream of Eelam. Having put aside the social, economic
and political issues that were at the core of the North
East crisis, they took up incidental matters to abandon
the talks. This is the well known tactic of the LTTE,
particularly meant to mislead the international community.
Further, how can it be possible to
justify the using of more than 20,000 innocent civilians
as human shields in the Vakarai area? Who can justify
the attacking and driving away of the lorries carrying
food for that area under the flag of the International
Red Cross and the World Health Organization? Is driving
innocent mothers and children into starvation in the
name of Tamil liberation a crime that one can bear?
Similarly, can the LTTE’s brutality
in disrupting the education of the Jaffna students,
what had never happened before, be ever condoned?
I am not prepared to belittle the
responsibility of State you have respectfully entrusted
to me, or compromise its sovereignty, in the face of
the LTTE’s inflexible terrorism. The entire world
should reject the LTTE’s policy of treating the
Ceasefire monitors as mere messengers.
Friends,
Taking all this into consideration,
our Government decided to reactivate provisions of the
Prevention of Terrorism Act to face this cruel and senseless
terrorism. We also have for the first time defined terrorism,
and brought in special provisions and regulations to
curb it. I wish to tell you that our Government took
this decision giving due consideration to all relevant
facts and making a deep study of the situation.
We have introduced the necessary
regulations today. These regulations have been promulgated
in keeping with the United Security Council Resolution
No. 1373 of 2001 adopted under Chapter 7 of the United
Nations Charter, under which it is obligatory to take
meaningful measures to prevent and suppress terrorism.
I ask you not to belittle this decision
as one taken in view of the failed attempt by the LTTE
on my brother, the Defence Secretary Gotabhaya’s
life.
There is a matter that you should
bear in mind. The LTTE attempted to kill Gotabhaya was
concurrent with their announcement about the Eelam state.
This is the first attack carried out after that announcement.
It is not Gotabhaya only who was attacked. They also
injured Foreign Secretary, Mr.
Palihakkara and killed security services personnel and
innocent civilians. Therefore, I ask you to think deeply
about this. I wish to specially request this of the
international community.
I also wish to make this an opportunity
to thank the United States of America and other countries
that have rejected outright the demand for a separate
state or the so-called Eelam, and also express my gratitude
to all foreign countries that fraternally stood with
Sri Lanka in support of our independence and unity through
several decades.
It is necessary to state here that
it is the primary task of all our foreign friends, committed
to safeguard the independence of Sri Lanka, to exert
the necessary pressures to defeat the LTTE’s firm
belief that liberation is brought about only by bloodshed.
The Cabinet of Ministers has decided
to implement the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism
Act as well as a large number of other regulations,
with effect from today. In the face of terrorism that
is engaged in playing a suicidal game with our lives
as well as the destiny of the Sri Lankan nation, we
cannot anymore be satisfied with a partial response.
We should make a firm commitment
not to allow anyone to take these new regulations lightly.
Whatever one’s status may be, supporting terrorism
is act of enmity towards both the country and the nation.
We are not ready to allow that. Similarly, there is
no room anymore to assist terrorism directly or indirectly,
and talk about democracy. This is because they use this
democratic space to design the destruction of the entire
society. The democracy that creates an opportunity for
terrorism is a joke. It is no simple joke but a deadly
joke. We already reddened our eyes through that joke.
Not only we; but the United States
and many other countries too, are facing the challenges
of terrorism today. Those countries do not confuse terrorism
with democracy. In whatever country it may function,
wearing whatever mask, terrorism remains the same. Therefore,
we have no path left but its total defeat. Hesitation
by us in the face of terrorism is to endanger the destiny
of the entire nation. I am not ready to commit that
error.
I also wish to make a request from
all our political parties and their leaderships. What
our government is facing is separatist terrorism which
is the common enemy of us all. It is the responsibility
of us all to face it jointly and defeat it. This is
not a thing that can be achieved by making allegations
and counter allegations against each other. I have already
demonstrated that I am a leader who is not ready to
kneel before terrorism, but a leader committed to safeguarding
the democratic rights of the Tamil
people. Therefore, in the name of the nation, I appeal
for the practical support of all of you to defeat these
challenges. By practical support I mean the support
that is not confined to words. It is support that is
extended to me and to my government. If instead, the
decision taken by us at this moment is not properly
implemented, its full benefit will go to terrorism.
Therefore, I call upon all political leaders
to assist us to overcome this challenge, by building
a genuine and practical unity for the sake of our motherland.
I, therefore, appeal to all members
of the Tamil community and all organizations that value
democracy not to have any fears about these regulations
that are effective from today. These regulations will
not
affect any rights in the workplace, field and university.
I will not allow the violation of human rights in any
manner through these regulations. These regulations
will only defeat the fascist thinking of the LTTE. What
these regulations will do is bring democratic politics
to the Tamil political arena.
Our government has taken this initial
step today, enabling me to discharge my basic responsibility
of defence of the State in terms of the powers vested
in me as Commander-in-Chief, at time when the Foreign
Minister of the country has been assassinated; the assassination
of the Army Commander
was attempted; the third ranking officer in the Army
was assassinated; when there was an attempt on the life
of the Defence Secretary, and when innocent civilians
are killed in large numbers.
These regulations will not be an
obstacle to our firm decision to provide a political
solution to the North East issue. We are committed to
it. You are aware that just now a special committee
comprising all political parties is preparing the relevant
proposals for this purpose. I have instructed that they
be placed before you very soon. As stated by me when
addressing you on the last Independence Commemoration
Day, I am firmly of the view that only by shedding more
tears for peace can we reduce the blood that is spilt
in war. Therefore, I wish to state that actions taken
by our government relating to the North East crisis
are based on this belief.
If, under whatever pressure the LTTE
honestly comes for talks with us, we have no need to
shut the door. But, it should be an honest move. We
believe that these new regulations will clear the path
for the LTTE to legally enter the democratic stream.
I trust that all international organizations will work
towards this end.
All steps that we take to build a
new Sri Lanka can be made a success only by defeating
this beastly terrorism. But, I will not allow the development
activities of the country to be weakened. As stated
in my speech on the first anniversary of my assuming
office, I am not ready to carry on the lament that the
North East crisis will weaken our development activities.
Similarly, I am not ready to make excuses before you
that this crisis is an obstacle in our pursuit of national
development. The anti-terrorist struggle and the development
of the country should be a parallel process.
We who introduced the politics of
brotherhood in place the politics of enmity to which
the country was accustomed, are able to do this. This
can be achieved by the coming together of the highest
aspirations among the blue, red and green hues in politics.
Therefore, at this decisive moment
I wish to make one request of you. I ask this of all
political parties, all media, and all people’s
organizations. You decide whether you should be with
a handful of terrorists or with the common man who is
in the majority. You must clearly choose between these
two sides. No one can represent both these sides at
any one time.
The new century waits for the day
when the Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Burghers all
join as one nation to fight together to defeat the challenges
of the future. I intend to dedicate my second year in
office to realizing this objective. My government and
I are ready to resolve all problems peacefully, because
we are neither terrorists nor savages. But one must
not mistake this for cowardice on our part.
We cannot move an inch forward other
than by defeating this cruel terrorism that is intertwined
with the common destiny of my country and the Sri Lankan
nation. I am happy to be able to be committed to this
task. I am happier still by the support extended to
us for this purpose by the entire nation. The mental
satisfaction from this alone would suffice to take our
lives forward. This is the lesson I have
been taught by my people and the history of my country.
May you all be blessed by the Noble
Triple Gem.
May all deities bless
you.
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