| by Dharma Sri Abeyratne
Courtesy: Daily News
Courtesy: Daily News
( October 13, 2014, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that he will never hesitate to abolish the Executive Presidency if the TNA and Tamil Diaspora were ready to stop working for separatism and the establishment of Eelam.
The President said that there is no other person other than him to abolish or change the Executive Presidency. “But the very people, who talk loud about abolishing the Executive Presidency are in truth reluctant to abolish it.”
President Rajapaksa was addressing a gathering at a ceremony to offer 20,000 land deeds, and the ownership of gold jewellery in Kilinochchi yesterday. “No sooner the TNA and the diaspora are willing to abandon their separatist agenda, I will be ready to abolish the Executive Presidency,” the President asserted.
President Rajapaksa noted that thousands of valuable lives were lost during the 30 years of terrorism. The government liberated the country in 2009 so as to establish peace and harmony for all communities to live in a peaceful country without fear and suspicion.
“During the LTTE terror period you had to mortgage your gold jewellery at LTTE banks. As a result of terrorism, the lives of your kith and kin were lost. You lost your relatives and friends. You lost your resources and your children were deprived of education. Therefore, the government was duty bound to protect and safeguard you all from terrorism. The government engaged in liberating the country from the clutches of terrorism so as to protect all communities and to create a peaceful atmosphere,” he said. President Rajapaksa said everyone is aware that the humanitarian operation was launched to liberate the country and not against Tamil people.
“It was entirely launched against terrorism. As a result of liberating you from terrorism, you all are living peacefully and happily in a brotherly manner. Besides, the entire country has been placed on a rapid development track after 2009. The Northern province is not an exception since everyone is experiencing peace dividends now,” he said. “There were thousands of landmines in these areas. You had to live in fear. But now you enjoy freedom and peace. Today we gave you not only the ownership of lands which were forcibly taken by the LTTE but also the ownership of your gold jewellery mortgaged at LTTE banks,” the President said.
He said the government integrated over 12,000 youths who worked as LTTE cadres into the society.
“Besides, 560 children who were LTTE child soldiers were handed over to their parents.
The government allocates millions of funds for infrastructure and other development activities in the Northern province. But the provincial administration have not utilised those funds for the betterment of the people and the Province. Of the allocation, the Northern province administration have not used more than 10 percent,” the President said. He urged the people in the Northern Province to ask the provincial political authority to utilise the funds allocated for the development of the province.
The government has allocated over Rs. 33,000 million for irrigation, transport, health, education and other key fields.
 President Mahinda Rajapaksa said ...){kind=link}