‘Our aim was to liberate our Tamil people from the clutches of the LTTE’ President

Mahinda Rajapaksha, Sri Lanka

“The war against the LTTE is not a war against Tamil people; Our aim was to liberate our Tamil people from the clutches of the LTTE; Our heroic forces have sacrificed their lives to protect Tamil civilians; The victory we have gained by defeating LTTE is the victory of this nation and the victory of all people living in this country. Protecting the Tamil speaking people of this country is my responsibility. That is my duty. All the people of this country should live in safety without fear and suspicion. All should live with equal rights. That is my aim. Let us all get together and build up this nation”, said H.E the President and Commander-in- Chief, Mahinda Rajapaksa delivering the opening address at the historic Parliamentary fourth session today (May 19). 2347708

“As you already know our Motherland has been completely freed from the clutches of separatist terrorism. From now on it is only the laws enacted by this sovereign Parliament that will be that will be in force in every inch of Sri Lanka”, the President further said.

Full text of the address His Excellency President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the ceremonial opening of Parliament, Sri Jayawardhanapura – Kotte, May 19, 2009.

I declare open this fourth session of Parliament at a time the people of our country, as well as the entire world are celebrating a great victory.

I address this session of Parliament at the historic occasion when the hopes and expectations of the Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher, Malay and all people of our country for several decades, to see a Sri Lanka that is free of murderous terrorism, have been realized.

Friends, (In Tamil)

This is our country

This is our mother land

We should live in this country as children of one mother No differences of race, caste and religion should prevail here Over the last thirty years, the LTTE has killed many people Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslims – many have been killed The war against the LTTE is not a war against Tamil people Our aim was to liberate our Tamil people from the clutches of the LTTE Our heroic forces have sacrificed their lives to protect Tamil civilians The victory we have gained by defeating LTTE is the victory of this nation, and the victory of all people living in this country.

Protecting the Tamil speaking people of this country is my responsibility That is my duty

All the people of this country should live in safety without fear and suspicion

All should live with equal rights That is my aim

Let us all get together and build up this nation (Tamil ends) .

For almost three decades the laws enacted by this legislature were not in force in almost one-third of our land.

When I won the Presidential Election in 2005 there were LTTE police stations in the North and East. There were Tiger courts. What was missing was only a Tiger parliament. Today we have finished all that forever.

Today, this session of Parliament opens in a country where the writ of this august legislature spreads equally throughout the 65, 332 sq. km of territory of Sri Lanka.

Hon. Speaker

This will give you great cause for satisfaction. The 225 Hon. Members of this House have cause for great satisfaction about this. The entire population of the country can enjoy that satisfaction. All sections of the people; and all political parties that contributed to my victory in the Presidential Election in 2005 can share this satisfaction.

Hon. Speaker

It is necessary to recall at this time the statements in the historic Mahinda Chinthana that policy statement that was placed before the people three years ago. “The freedom of our country is supreme. I will not permit any separatism. I will also not permit anyone to destroy democracy in our country …I will respect all ethnic and religious identities, refrain from using force against anyone and build a new society that protects individuals and social freedoms” This is the objective of the Mahinda Chinthana.

Hon. Speaker

It is necessary on this historic occasion to inquire as to how it was possible to obtain the proud victory we have achieved today by defeating the world’s most ruthless terrorist organization.

We are a country with a long history where we saw the reign of 182 kings who rules with pride and honour for that extended more than 2,500 years. This is a country where kings such as Dutugemunu, Valagamba, Dhatusena and Vijayabahu defeated enemy invasions and ensured our freedom.

As much as Mother Lanka fought against invaders such as Datiya, Pitiya, Palayamara, Siva and Elara in the past, we have the experience of having fought the Portuguese, Dutch and British who established empires in the world. As much as the great kings such as Mayadunne, Rajasingha I and Vimaladharmasuriya, it is necessary to also recall the great heroes such as Keppettipola and Puran Appu who fought with such valour against imperialism.

In looking at this unconquerable history there is a common factor we can see. It is the inability of any external enemy to subdue this country as long as those to whom this is the motherland stand united. That is the truth. Another common factor we can see is the inability to establish any savage or dictatorial regime on this land. In the history of my motherland, the people have always risen undefeated against any arbitrary, savage or brutal rule.

I must express my gratitude here to those heroes of our past who have given us the strength and courage to fight against savage invaders and enemies not only today, but in the future too.

Hon. Speaker

The LTTE terrorists began the march to own half of this country, having assassinated the Mayor of Jaffna in 1975, and began their journey to divide the country into two. At that time the terrorists did not hold a single inch of land in the entire north and east.

When the people handed over this country to me the LTTE had control over 15,000 sq. km or one-fourth of the territory of this country, and two- thirds of its coastline.

It was not only territory that we lost during that period. The nation lost several thousand lives and much property and assets. Hundreds of religious dignitaries, as well as national leaders such as R. Premadasa and Rajiv Gandhi, and great ministers such as Lakshman Kadirgamar, Gamini Dissanayake, Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and AHM Ashroff were lost to us.

By the last Presidential Election terrorists had gone much further than anyone had believed possible. As a massive international organization, they had established an unmatched that no other organization in the world enjoyed.

They had acquired ships, aircraft, submarines, and the most advanced weaponry in the world. They controlled city administrations, international frauds and scams, banks, web sites and radio stations, and had also issued currency.

There is no one yet able to fully measure their assets. The word had so far not seen such a powerful and large organization. The biggest danger was that the north and east of this country were brought together and gifted through a deed of peace to this destructive terrorist organization.

As result, in 2005 what we took over was a country with grave challenges. Not only in the jungles of Thoppigala or the Vanni, the shadow of terrorism was also cast on all political activity in the country. You are aware that the Norochcholai Power project was due to be established several decades before this. But the construction of this power plant was delayed because of thinking of the fear that the location of this power project would some day come under the control of the terrorists. These are bitter truths to the nation. My Motherland has had to face even more bitter realities.

The terrorists worked continuously to mark the area that should belong to them on the map of Sri Lanka and establish the Eelam state. But the terrorists had created a situation under which there was even fear to respect the principle of the unitary state that has been established in our Constitution.

Even the powerful countries of the world showed fear before the terrorists; some countries were shaken and went on their knees in the face of terror.

Our people began to face a defeatist mentality, whether we could face up to a problem that many countries in the world the world did not seem able to face. Terrorism is like a venomous serpent that draws the most dangerous qualities from politics, economics, science and all subjects in the world.

What terrorism draws from politics is racism. It builds an economy through drug trafficking. What it draws from technology is the manufacture of explosives. The defeat in Sri Lanka of the world’s most ruthless terrorist organization in the world that is made up of all these deadly qualities can be considered second to none.

Therefore, we did not attempt to respond to the terrorists in their own language. When the terrorists were calling for war, we responded with a humanitarian operation. Our troops went to this operation carrying a gun in one hand, the Human Rights Charter in the other, hostages on their shoulders, and the love of their children in their hearts.

That was an incomparable chapter in the history of war. It is truly a miracle to go to a battlefield where civilians have bee turned into human bombs, and carry on the battle without shedding the blood of civilians. It is a great skill to face up to the heaviest monsoon rains and major floods and not retreat a single step. It needs the ability of a Vishvakarma to defeat battle tanks and artillery with small arms.

There was no school of war in the word that could face up to the savage military strategies used by the terrorists of the LTTE. The world had not seen military sciences able to face a combination of land mines, claymore mines, small suicide vessels, light aircraft that can evade radar, and suicide killer jackets.

Through thirty years the Security Forces of Sri Lanka were compelled to find ways and means to face up to all this. By the end of its successful march the Security Forces of Sri Lanka had become the most disciplined and capable military in the world.

Our security forces were able to defeat the most ruthless terrorists in the world due to their strict discipline, commitment, and creative use of military strategy.

Hon. Speaker

What is it that we have now acquired having defeated the most ruthless terrorists of the world?

What we now have is another powerful challenge in the world.

The Tamil people who have a great history are today in a tragic and helpless state due to the terrorists of the LTTE. When did it ever happen in the history of the Tamil people that parents forced their young daughters to get pregnant to save them from being dragged into war? Who was it that brought Tamil children who are protected by the Goddess Pattini to this fate? Who was it that abandoned in tents the Tamil people who worshipped the Deity Ganesh at Kataragama, and cared for their health with the antiseptic qualities of saffron water and margosa leaves?

Hon. Speaker

It is the LTTE that has put the Tamil community to their lowest position in history. Those who raised their voices for the protection of the terrorists, and all those who helped the terrorists should now fall at the feet of these Tamil mothers and seek their pardon. Those who live abroad and supported the terrorists with funds, if they have any love for their own people, should not help terrorism again.

The day is not far when the hearts and feelings of the mothers and daughters who have today been rendered helpless became the collective conscience of the Tamil people. Their hearts are now with us who liberated from the slavery they had been forced into. Facing up to and winning this challenge is like building a strong bridge over Eelam. What was seen in the past days at Pudumathalan area should forever remain seared in the minds of the Tamil people.

Hon. Speaker

The defeat of the LTTE and the breakdown of their armed strength will never be the defeat of the Tamil people of this country. What have the Tamil people inherited from the gun that was used to assassinate Alfred Duraiyappah to the armed tanks used to attack the innocent Tamil people who were fleeing Pudumathalan, and all other weapons of the LTTE?

What was the LTTE able to win for the Tamil people from the force of its arms? The complete defeat of the LTTE is an even greater victory for the Tamil people.

Hon. Speaker

The Tamil people were never a people who had faith or trust in weapons. It would be sufficient for them to know of just one incident that took place when the LTTE was powerful.

One clause in the Indo-Lanka Accord was that the LTTE should hand over its weapons to the army. When the LTTER announced to the people of Jaffna that it would be handing over its weapons, they received a resounding cheer and applause from the people. The LTTE was also surprised by this response. It is, therefore clear that the Tamil people are not a people who like to bear weapons.

Mr. Speaker

At this victorious moment, it is necessary for us to state with great responsibility, that we do not accept a military solution as the final solution. Similarly, when we see the sad faces of the people who have been fleeing from the Puthumathalan area, we can realize that a document offered on a tray as a political solution could also not be the final solution. Therefore, the responsibility that we accept after freeing the Tamil people from the LTTE is a responsibility that no government in the history of Sri Lanka has accepted.

When we accept the responsibility for the people who have been liberated, we receive many proposals from various countries and institutions. They ask us to look after our own Tamil people well.

Hon. Speaker

All the people in the country from Dondra Head to Point Pedro are our own people.

The government saw to it that we did not shirk our responsibilities even to the people who were under the yoke of the LTTE. In brief, the terrorist leader who was killed yesterday, until that time had his meals with the food and drink that the government supplied.

Mr. Speaker

We are a country with unique precedents. According to the tradition established by kings such as Dutugemunu, we should respect even the enemy that has surrendered or been killed in combat. That is a quality of greatness that is found not only with the government, but also with the people of this country.

This is a country with a people who when thousands lost their homes and were made destitute from the Tsunami, took care of all those people, not letting even a single victim go hungry for even one meal. We who are schooled in the Buddhist tradition of loving kindness and compassion, and nurtured in the Hindu, Islam and Christian traditions, do not need to be taught how we should treat and care for the innocent and helpless. We shall resettle all those who have been freed from being hostages in very welcome surroundings. People who have not had electricity and not seen modern roads will be resettled in environments complete with all facilities. I ask you to compare the living conditions of the people in the East three years ago with what it is today.

Although we engaged in a massive struggle to defeat terrorism, we did not make that a cause to delay development and welfare services. We launched development projects throughout the country that had been ignored for 30 years. We created new employment. They were not confined to the South. While carrying out massive humanitarian operations in the North, the Vanni and the East, we were also engaged in development work in those areas.

At no time since independence have the development work now being done in the East and Mannar been undertaken. A Presidential Task Force has already been appointed to expedite development work in the Vanni and the North. As much as we defeated deadly terrorism and freed the innocent people held by terror, we are committed to carry out accelerated development in the areas that were under terrorism, within the next three years. While bringing the lives of the people within a democratic political structure, the government will also provide education and health facilities, and launch the Northern Spring by providing the infrastructure such as irrigation, highways, electricity and such facilities necessary for the agriculture, fisheries and tourism sectors.

We have now removed terrorism, the biggest obstacle that the private sector in our country faced in participating in the Northern Spring. Therefore, the environment has now been created to carry out their investments and engage in business. I especially call on our business community to make a commitment to invest in the North and East of our country. What we need is not advice; but the cooperation to bring a better life to these people. I believe that the world community will also extend that cooperation to us.

I call on all who have left our motherland due to terrorism, especially the Tamil people, to return. I made this request when addressing an Independence commemoration event on an earlier occasion, too. Similarly, I call on our engineers, doctors, accountants and other professions living in various countries abroad, to return to your motherland and contribute to its development.

Mr. Speaker

It is necessary that we give to these people the freedoms that are the right of people in all others parts of our country. Similarly, it is necessary that the political solutions they need should be brought to closer to them faster than any country or government in the world would bring. However, it cannot be an imported solution. We do not have the time to be experimenting with the solutions suggested by other countries. Therefore, it is necessary that we find a solution that is our very own, of our own nation. It should be a solution acceptable to all sections of the people. We expect cooperation for it from the international community and not obstruction. Should the international community doubt our capability to find such a solution, when we have successfully overcome a challenge that that the world was unable to achieve? No. We can achieve this. I believe that the solution that we who respect valued the qualities of Mettha (loving kindness) Karuna (Compassion) Muditha (Rejoicing in others’ joy) and Upeksha (Equanimity) based on the philosophy of Buddhism can present, can bring both relief and an example to the world. Similarly, I seek the support of all political parties for that solution.

Mr. Speaker

We have removed the word minorities from our vocabulary three years ago. No longer are the Tamils, Muslims, Burghers, Malays and any others minorities. There are only two peoples in this country. One is the people that love this country. The other comprises the small groups that have no love for the land of their birth. Those who do not love the country are now a lesser group.

Mr. Speaker

This small group questions as to whose victory this is. Our answer to that is that this is not a victory by President Mahinda Rajapaksa alone. The people are gathering around the National Flag. What we have done is to make the people of this country line up behind the National Flag. Therefore, this victory belongs to the people so lined up behind the National Flag. It belongs to the mothers, fathers and wives who gave their children and husbands to the armed forces; to the people who thought not of their stomachs but of their country. The blood shed by those people have enriched the soil of our land.

Mr. Speaker

Remember this country was saved by the blood, eyes, limbs, flesh and lives of our young people. Thousands of our youth faced shells on their heads, land mines at their feet, bullets in their hearts and sacrificed their lives to protect this land. We cannot allow such a land be grabbed by thieves, fraudsters, and the corrupt. This land cannot be betrayed or allowed to be sold. We should pay tribute to the children of the motherland who protected it with such sacrifice, by ensuring peace, development and good governance in this country.

There are thousands of heroic troops who sacrifice their lives from 1980 buried in our motherland today. We remember all these heroic troops with respect. We show them our gratitude. On this special occasion, the parents, wife and children of Lt. Colonel Lalith Jayasinghe, brave officer of the Long Range Reconnaissance Unit who fought fearlessly and sacrificed his life are present here today. The immense gratitude of our nation goes out on this occasion to all parents who brought forth the heroic troops who sacrificed their lives, and to their wives who gave them strength to serve the motherland.

WE have among us today a large number of heroic troops whom suffer many disabilities since 1980. Lance Corporal Bandara, a heroic trooper who was injured twice in the northern humanitarian operation and returned to active duty, and later lost both his legs at Puthukudiruppu is also a participant at this historic occasion. I extend by gratitude him on this occasion, symbolic of the gratitude and honour extended to all disabled and heroic troops.

I also extend the honour and gratitude of the nation to Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the Chief of Defence Staff Air Chief Marshal Donald Perera, the Army Commander General Sarath Fonseka, Navy Commander Admiral Vasantha Karannagoda, Air Force Commander Air Chief Marshal Roshan Gunatilleke, as well as the Inspector General of Police Jayantha Wickremeratne, and the Director General of the Civil Defence Force Sarath Weerasekera, who worked tirelessly to give this great victory to the motherland.

All heroic troops who shouldered battle for freedom obtained great encouragement from their families. But for the help of the parents, brothers and sisters, wives, children and other family members of these heroes of war, we would not have been able to achieve any of these victories. Similarly, the blessings and encouragement from my wife Shiranthi, and my sons Namal, Yoshitha and Rohitha, as well as my brothers and sisters was a great strength to me. I thank all of them as I express the gratitude of the nation to the families of all families of our heroes of war.

Mr. Speaker

There is no era in before this when the international community has paid as much attention to my motherland as in the present times. When went to the front against terrorism with a firm determination, many foreign states made many requests of us.

But although we were able to listen to all these requests, we were not ale to implement all of them. That is because I was bound to make real the expectations offered by me and carry out the mandate given to me in 2005. This was also because we had because I considered the freedom and sovereignty of my motherland as being of more value than my life

Yet, I must state that the Sri Lankan nation will always remember the help given to our country by many countries.

We will not forget that such assistance was given on behalf of world democracy. Ending terrorism in Sri Lanka means a victory for democracy in the world. Sri Lanka has now given a beginning to the ending of terrorism in the world.

Mr. Speaker

All this time what we had to tell the world was about our great, heroic and glorious history. But today we have brought about such greatness and heroism to present day Sri Lanka. Till now we gained strength to rise as a nation from the past built by our heroic ancestors. Today, as much as we have added a new pride and honour to that past, we have created an era of new strength for the future of our nation. In the future when our nation has to engage in a glorious and invincible struggle the achievements of this era will be recalled.

Mr. Speaker

Having defeated the most ruthless terrorists who made the world helpless, we rise today as invincible citizens; as a national with a great and imposing personality.

What we thought so far was that we could not achieve success in many things. After our fall in 1815, we were unable to revive that lost nation pride and dignity. But, today, we have achieved victory in a challenge that no other country has been able to overcome. It is the both your duty and mine to safeguard that dignity. It is the responsibility of us all.

As we have been victorious in the battle to defeat terrorism, we should also take to the required successful end the struggle to build our land. It is necessary for us to take the required clear decisions for this. We must now be ready to direct our motherland to that new era of national revival.

I must specially mention here that this great battle for national revival will be waged with the aim of raising the lives of the Tamil people who live in the North an East of our land, too.

In the past several decades those people did not have the right to a meaningful life. They were denied the right to life, the right to freedom, the right to development. I shall give all of that to those people. I accept that responsibility.

Hon. Speaker I do not believe that we have a right to be engaged in politics if we are unable to accept the responsibilities thrust upon us by time. I have accepted that responsibility. We have been victorious in facing one challenge. Time is now raising a new challenge before us. It is the challenge of building the motherland. From now all, everyone should change in keeping with the needs of facing up to that challenge, too. Just as I accepted the earlier challenge, I accept this new challenge too. In doing so, I look forward very much to the fullest cooperation of all Members of Parliament and Ministers, and of my dear people in our motherland.

AS a special mark of respect to the heroic troops who contributed to this great victory I hereby declare tomorrow as a national holiday.

Mr. Speaker

I value my motherland first, second and third. This should be so to you and to the entire nation. It is only our beloved motherland that we should all cherish and value.

May you be blessed by the Noble Triple Gem.

Motherland, National dignity – Defence Secretary

War heroes have won for us not only the Motherland but also National dignity, said Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa addressing a gathering of relatives of war heroes at the Regional Army Headquarters in Boossa, Galle on Tuesday. He expressed the gratitude of the President, the Government and his own to the war heroes for their contribution to the humanitarian operations.

The Defence Secretary told the relatives of the war heroes that the whole country has been freed from terrorism and all leaders of the LTTE have been destroyed. The value of the sacrifice made by the war heroes could be understood if we compare the magnitude of the loss of lives and property suffered by the country, he added. Prior to the humanitarian mission there were areas in the country where the Security Forces or the Police could not enter and the LTTE had amassed enormous military hardware including artillery, boats, submarines in those areas, he said.The strength of the terrorist could be measured by the stock of arms and ammunitions they had and from the international pressures that were exerted upon the Government on their behalf, the Defence Secretary explained.

The victory achieved by the Security Forces under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa was possible due to the sacrifices committed by the fallen war heroes, the Defence Secretary told their relatives. Though their loss cannot be replaced the best that could be done is consolidate the victory won, he added.

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LTTE Agents in Australia throw acid at two Sri Lankan students; Doctors say one might go on blind

[May 21 2009]

LTTE terror agents infuriated by the fall of their leader Prabhakaran in Sydney West, Australia, entered the house of two Sri Lankan students and threw acid at them. 

Prabhakaran’s body found – Army Chief

 

Commander of Sri Lanka Army General Sarath Fonseka has confirmed that the body of V.Prabhakaran, psychopathic leader of world’s most barbaric terrorist outfit Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) has been found short while ago (May 19). According to the defence sources, the LTTE leader who has ordered thousands of Tamil youth to give up their lives for him has tried to save his life until the last moment.

The 4th Vijayabahu Regiment(4 VIR) troops led by Lt. Colonel Rohitha Aluvihare under the 53 Division commanded by Major General Kamal Goonarathne, have found the bullet ridden body of the terrorist leader lying on the bank of the Nanthikadal lagoon. According to our defence correspondent at Wanni, the body has been positively  identified as Prabakaran’s by MP Vinayagamoorthi Muralitharan and Daya Master.

Ironically, Interpol wanted terrorist K. Padmanathan alias KP this morning told pro LTTE media that the LTTE leader was safe and sound. With the news appeared on media, thousands of Tamil civilians living in Colombo capital joined celebrations of the security forces’ victory saying that the curse placed on the Tamil population was finally removed.

My New Web Site

www.induwaralanka.lk

Mother

My Mother

 

Father

 

Kothapola

Budget thrust on development, welfare, local industry

Budget thrust on development, welfare, local industry

 

 

Uditha Kumarasinghe Irangika Range and Sandasen Marasinghe

VAT reduced to 12 per cent from 15 per cent

Ranaviru allowance increased upto Rs.5,000

Government servants Cost of Living rises to Rs.4,500

Pensioners to get extra Rs.560

Fertiliser subsidy to continue

Relief for electricity, water consumers

Cess on fridges, fans increased

Allowance for Samurdhi children

Kotte: President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday presented the fourth budget of his Government introducing a wide range of people’s friendly proposals aiming to bring down the cost of living burden and achieving long term economic benefits to the country including the development of local industries.

President Rajapaksa presenting his budget introduced proposals to immediately bring down the fuel prices, as widely expected by the public. The President said consideration will be given to make another reduction of fuel in the forthcoming months, if international oil prices stabilise at a lower level.

“The objectives of my proposals was to give every possible relief, that would benefit a majority of the society. Through the reduction of fuel prices, transport fares, electricity and water tariff, VAT and income tax and with the enhanced cost-of-living allowance granted to public servants and pensioners, the working class has been given greater relief.”

He proposed additional cess on imports of many items including refrigerators and garments to discourage imports and encourage local manufacture. “Our policy is to encourage local producers and production. As such, imposition of Cess, introduction of loan schemes and extension services were done to promote local production.”

“Mahinda Chinthana, Ten Year Horizon Development Framework is being widely implemented across the country. The humanitarian operation to relieve the country from the grip of terrorism has reached its final phase.

A democratic environment for a political solution in which the power of all people will be amply strengthened is emerging,” the President said, commencing the Budget speech.

Referring to the economy, he said the country’s GDP has grown by an average of seven percent. The per capita income which was US$ 1,000 in 2004 increased to US$ 2,000 this year. Unemployment was reduced to 500,000 from 800,000. We generated 300,000 new job opportunities. The rural income thereby increased since those who benefited most through these new job opportunities were the youth of such areas.

“We have taken measures to improve Government revenue which was Rs. 331 Billion in 2004 to Rs. 712 Billion this year. Revenue from Income Tax has registered a record improvement of Rs. 143 Billion. This is a favourable trend. We have managed to maintain a Revenue/GDP ratio of 16 per cent. This is despite many concessions provided for oil, essential commodities, raw material and investments,” he added.

As per Budget 2009, the reduction of the price of petrol will pass a benefit of around Rs.500 per month to over 1.6 million motorcycle users and Rs.1,200 to Rs.2,000 saving to all three wheeler and vehicle owners. The budget has also taken measures to reduce the electricity tariff with special attention to industries and the tourism sector due to come down price of furnace oil used for power generation.

The President presenting his budget speech introduced a series of measures for the welfare of the public servants. The budget has increased the cost of living allowance paid to the public servants up to Rs.4,500 with effect from January next year.

An additional provision of Rs.12,000 million has been allocated for this purpose. In addition, the budget has allocated Rs.3,000 million to rectify the salary anomalies in services such as judicial service, teachers service and principles service.

The budget has also proposed to increase the present Rs.3,000 festival advance available to public servants to Rs.5,000. The budget has also increased the Rs.1,000 advance paid to public servants to purchase school books for their children to Rs.2,500

.

In order to reduce the cost of living burden on the pensioners, Rs.1,440 cost of living allowance introduced to pensioners has been increased to Rs.2000 with a monthly increase of Rs.560.

Initiatives have also been taken by the budget to pay Rs.500 monthly incentive to the public servants who retire prior to becoming entitled to receive a pension. An additional allocation of Rs.3,000 million has been made for this purpose.

The President in his budget speech paying the highest tribute to soldiers by proposing to increase the monthly allowance to Rs.5,000. A sum of Rs.4,500 million has been allocated for this purpose.

The budget has also proposed to allocate Rs.3,500 million to commence the construction of few more Ranaviru Gammana with all facilities during the next year.

More than 350,000 electricity consumers and 150,000 water consumers will benefit from relief proposals in the Budget. Budget has allocated Rs.300 million for this relief.

The budget has proposed to give a monthly allowance of Rs.200 for the children between the ages of 1 to 5 of Samurdhi and low income estate families to reduce the cost of living of such families and promote the liquid milk consumption among their children. Rs.900 million has been allocated for this purpose.

The President in his budget also proposed to impose a Nation Building Tax as a social contribution towards the welfare of security forces and to rebuild communities and infrastructure facilities affected by terrorism.

In order to further encourage the local dairy farmers, the budget has increased the special commodity levy on imported milk powder imports from Rs.5 to Rs.15 per Kilo.e special commodity levy on imported sugar from Rs.14 to Rs.16 per Kilo to encourage the local sugar industry and sugar cane cultivation.

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Our President

President Mahinda Rajapaksa

The fifth Executive President of Sri Lanka, Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Prime Minister, Member of Parliament, lawyer, human rights activist and trade unionist comes from a family with a long tradition in people-oriented politics. He was elected Executive President in the nation-wide election held in November 2005.

He succeeded his father DA Rajapaksa to Sri Lanka’s Parliament in 1970, showing the strong influence that his family has had for decades in Sri Lanka’s southern Hambantota District.

Voice to the people

He continued a tradition of pro-people politics initiated by his paternal uncle, DM Rajapaksa, known in his time as the Lion of Ruhuna (the traditional name for the southern region of Sri Lanka), who was elected to the State Council from Hambantota in the 1930s as a leader of the emerging movement against British colonial rule, giving voice to the largely impoverished rural peasants of the South. He wore an earthy brown shawl, the colour of kurakkan (a type of maize) cultivated by the rural masses, whose cause he championed throughout his life, till his sudden death in 1945.

Rural leadership

The mantle of the southern rural leadership and earthy brown shawl of protest and hope came to his brother DA Rajapaksa, himself a politician well-known for his integrity, courage and perseverance in the face of many odds, especially for those who worked for the cause of the rural poor. In the by-election in 1945 he succeeded his brother in the Second State Council and was included in the Council’s Committee on Agriculture and Land, prior to independence from the British in 1947. With his interest in the needs of the landless peasants and the development of agriculture, DA Rajapaksa pushed through a 99-year lease scheme to transfer crown land to landless peasants in five acre plots. For the middle income earners, land extending from 10 to 50 acres was alienated in the same manner; measures that gave a boost to rice and coconut cultivations in the south of Sri Lanka.

Elected to Parliament from the Beliatta electorate of the Hambantota District in the first Parliament of 1947, he was a member of the governing party, the United National Party (UNP), till in 1951 he crossed over to the Opposition on matters of policy, together with the late SWRD Bandaranaike, which led to forming of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) that gave weight to Social Democratic policies. He was re-elected to Parliament from the SLFP in 1952 and 1956 after which election Mr. Bandaranaike was elected Prime Minister of an SLFP-led Government. Mr. Rajapaksa was appointed the Minister of Agriculture and Lands in 1959. He was defeated in the parliamentary election held in March 1960 following the assassination of Prime Minister Bandaranaike in September 1959. In the next general election held soon after in July 1960 he was re-elected from Beliatta from the SLFP then led by Mr. Bandaranaike’s wife Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike. He was appointed Deputy Chairman of Committees in Parliament and subsequently Deputy Speaker. When the SLFP lost to the UNP in 1965, political fortune changed again and he was defeated.

Mahinda – The early years

Mahinda Rajapaksa, the second son in a family of six brothers and three sisters, was born in Weeraketiya in Sri Lanka’s Deep South, on November 18, 1945, and was brought up from his early years in keeping with Sinhala-Buddhist tradition. Family tradition was also seen with his first schooling at Richmond College, in the southern city of Galle, where his father and uncle, and cousins who also entered politics, were first schooled. His education was later shifted to Nalanda College and Thurstan College in Colombo. He later studied law at the Colombo Law College, and qualified as an Attorney-at-Law. He took oaths as an Attorney-at-Law in November 1977, and has evinced a keen interest in human rights aspects of law. Throughout his student days he continued his links with the peasants of the south, and was no stranger to the paddy fields and the agricultural livelihoods of the people. With Sri Lanka having a strong leftwing movement at the time of his student days in Colombo, Mahinda also participated in many of the leftwing and radical protest and agitation movements.

He was 24 years, when first elected to Parliament as an SLFP member, from the Beliatta electorate in 1970. He was then the youngest Member of Parliament and represented the same electorate his father did from his first election 1947 and several subsequent polls till his death in 1965. He practiced law mainly in the southern town of Tangalle from 1977 to 1994 which kept him closely in touch with the people and their needs, and also the development needs of the southern region, until his appointment as a Minister in 1994. He lost his parliamentary seat in the landslide victory of the UNP in 1977. In the parliamentary election that followed in 1989 (after the UNP had extended its term by six years through a questionable referendum) he was re-elected to Parliament from the Hambantota District under proportional representation, and held this position until he bade farewell to Parliament as Executive President in November 2005.

Loyalty and politics

Loyalty to principle and party has been the hallmark of Mahinda Rajapaksa’s political philosophy. In this he followed the example set by his father, especially in the loyalty he showed to the SLFP which he helped found and to the late SWRD Bandaranaike and Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike whose leadership and politics he accepted. Mahinda Rajapaksa too was deeply loyal to Mrs. Bandaranaike and the SLFP. His loyalty and attachment to the SLFP, which was responsible for the ups and downs in his politics, just like his father’s, has remained from the time he was a youth activist of the party as a student, and throughout his political life as Member of Parliament, Cabinet Minister, Prime Minister and now as the country’s President.

It is this loyalty that saw him chosen as Prime Minister after the General Election of April 2004, when the United People’s Freedom Alliance, a coalition led by the SLFP, won a majority in Parliament. He had by then risen to the position of senior Vice President of the SLFP. Loyalty to party also saw him chosen as the SLFP’s presidential nominee in November 2005.

A Man for Rights

From the beginning of his career, Rajapaksa adopted a centre-left political stance, identifying himself with labour rights and becoming a champion of human rights. He was a leading member of the Parliamentarians for Human Rights, and in the days of grave human rights violations under the UNP government in 1988/89 took the lead in agitating in defence of human rights, taking the issue before the international community.

He came into prominence as a leader, together with Dr. Manorani Saravanamuttu, of the Mothers Front, which organized the mothers of the “disappeared” in what was described as the white terror of 1988-90. The Visva Bharati University of Calcutta in India conferred on him the title Professor Emeritus for his record on human rights. He played a major role in mobilizing people’s action against the then government, especially in defence of the democratic rights of the people that were being gravely endangered. Among the campaigns he led was the hugely successful “Paada Yaathra” – a pilgrimage of protest on foot from Colombo to the southern shrine of Kataragama, which saw massive participation by the people; he also took the lead in organizing several other public protest campaigns which laid the groundwork for the defeat of the UNP government in the General Election in August 1994, and the later election of Mrs. Chandrika Kumaratunga of the SLFP as the fourth Executive President in November the same year.

Rajapaksa was Minister for Labour & Vocational Training and of Fisheries in President Kumaratunga’s Cabinet from 1994 to 2001. He brought his experience in trade union activities to good use as Minister of Labour and helped settle many a labour dispute both in the public and private sectors. His close understanding of issues involving the working people helped in the preparation of the Workers’ Charter, presented to the Government of President Kumaratunga. He brought a new lease of life to the field of Vocational Training by establishing the Vocational Training Authority with over 300 training centres at the village level.

As the Minister of Fisheries he started a University for Oceanography and established a Coastal Guard Unit. He also took the initiative in launching housing schemes for the fishing communities in the country, which has seen the building of the largest number of housing units so far for any single economic sector in the country, other than the traditional housing arrangements in the plantation sector.

He also held the portfolio of the Ports and Shipping in addition to Fisheries, for three months, and in this period initiated work for the construction of a new harbour at Hambantota, which is one of the most important measures in economic and infrastructure development in the country. The work on this was stalled for some time, and has now been resumed after his election as Executive President.
From the time he was chosen Prime Minister in April 2004 till his election as President 19 months later he also held the portfolio of Highways, which saw him take a keen interest in the development of the country’s roads. This experience made him introduce the concept of Maga Neguma, focusing on the development of roads and highways, in his manifesto for the Presidential Election. As President he pursues road and highways development as an important aspect of government policy.

He has been the President of the Sri Lankan Committee for Solidarity with Palestine for the past 25 years, until his election as Executive President, and has always maintained a close interest in finding a peaceful solution to the Middle East problem within the framework of a sovereign Palestinian state.

Rise to Presidency

Mahinda Rajapaksa had no sudden rise to the Presidency of Sri Lanka. He has come through many decades of work with and for the people, demonstrating an unfailing loyalty to his political party and its leadership, and boldly facing the rough and tumble of politics. After the ministerial position he held in Government, when the SLFP again went into Opposition following electoral defeat in December 2001, in March 2002 he was elected Leader of the Opposition, bringing to that office his many years of parliamentary experience, both in Government and Opposition.

After the General Elections of April 2004 in which the United People’s Freedom Alliance emerged winner, he was appointed the country’s 13th Prime Minister on April 6, 2004, in the Government headed by President Chandrika Kumaratunga, and was a key political organizer for the SLFP and its allies at a time of increased political rivalry.

When the Presidential Election was brought forward by one year to November 2005 by order of the Supreme Court, Mahinda Rajapaksa, then a senior Vice President of the party, was chosen as the presidential candidate of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party for the election held on 17 November 2005. His candidature was later approved by 25 political parties and people’s movements. His election came with support from all sections of the Sri Lankan polity, and was a more significant achievement as he had to wade against undercurrents of opposition from sections of the very political party, the SLFP, to which he had been loyal from the time he entered parliamentary politics in 1970. It was an opposition that came from a fear of the loss of family control over the leadership of the party.

He was sworn in as the fifth Executive President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka on the 19th of November 2005, after being elected President with a majority that endorsed his manifesto in a closely contested, peaceful, free and fair election.

In acceptance of his commitment to the SLFP, and his loyalty to it in times of success and defeat, he was elected President of the party, of which his father was a co-founder, on June 29, 2006.

SAARC

A person with a strong commitment to South Asian solidarity, he was elected Chairman of the eight-member South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) at the 15th SAARC Summit held in Colombo in August 2008, taking over the Chair of SAARC from India.

The Presidency

Mahinda Rajapaksa won the Presidency of Sri Lanka on a wide-ranging policy, which was largely people-oriented and was laid out in the “Mahinda Chinthana” – The Thinking of Mahinda – which promised the advance of democracy, and a commitment to a negotiated solution to the long standing ethnic conflict, exacerbated by separatist terrorism; it offered social democratic approaches to economic and social issues, the continuance of social welfare policies such as free education and free health, and end to privatization of the State sector, a huge commitment to infrastructure development, strengthening of the rural sector of the economy, protection of the environment and the upholding of traditional values such as the humane treatment of animals.

He went through a most trying period in the first five months since his election, with the separatist Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) launching attacks on the security forces and civilians from barely two weeks after his election. From early December 2005 till mid-April 2006, President Rajapaksa showed considerable patience and forbearance, for which he won international admiration, in the face of provocative violence by the LTTE that killed nearly 600. He allowed limited attacks on LTTE positions only after it carried out a failed suicide-bomb attack to assassinate the Army Commander in April 2006. He demonstrated his commitment to peace and negotiation by re-opening the talks with the LTTE, which it had unilaterally walked away from in April 2003, but the LTTE did not reciprocate his moves for peace.

President Rajapaksa did not hesitate to take a determined stand on behalf of the people, when the LTTE closed down an important sluice gate at Mavil Aru in the East, cutting off water for drinking, agriculture and livelihood for nearly 50,000 people of all communities, leading to the danger of a major humanitarian crisis, in mid-2006. He used the security forces to re-open the sluice gate at Mavil Aru. From then on the security forces have proceeded to clear the LTTE from other areas of the East such as Mutur and Sampur, strengthened the protection to the Trincomalee Harbour, and has finally liberated the entire Eastern Province from the LTTE. He has now initiated an accelerated programme of development for the East, which is expected to lead to considerable economic activity there, and also restore democratic elections and institutions in the region.

All Party

President Rajapaksa remains committed to a negotiated political solution to the crisis of power sharing in the country, and in a major policy initiative has appointed an All Party Representative Committee to work out a consensus solution on methods of power sharing and necessary constitutional reform in the country.

He has initiated several major infrastructure development projects, among which are the construction of the new harbour and international airport at Hambantota, at least four new highways linking the major cities of the country, a coal-fired thermal power station at Norochcholai in the North Western Province, a multi-fuel thermal power station at Kerawalapitiya in the Western Gampaha District and a hydro-power station at Upper Kotmale in the central hills.

The Government is paying keen attention to strengthening the rural economy with increased incentives to cultivators and the search for new markets for their produce. The development of Small and Medium Enterprises also receives considerable importance under the economic policies of the Rajapaksa presidency.

IT initiatives

New initiatives have been launched to take computer literacy and Information Technology to the rural sector and also bring a major enhancement of IT knowledge and capability in the country, and its use in governance. The Nenasala, a brand name in Rural IT Centres, was conceptualized by President Rajapaksa during his tenure as Prime Minister and to date 400 such centres have been opened in the rural and semi-urban areas. The expansion of telecommunication facilities in the country is being encouraged with the numbers of fixed-line and mobile phone users showing a rapid rise since December 2005.

In keeping with the Mahinda Chinthana, in the social sphere, the Rajapaksa administration has introduced policies to curb addiction to tobacco and alcohol, and also prevent substance abuse and drug addiction. In a major initiative in humanitarian policy, President Rajapaksa has ordered a stop to the killing of dogs for rabies eradication, carried out under British colonial law, and initiated the introduction of modern, humane and scientific methods of rabies control recommended by the World Health Organization. A new law on the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has completed the drafting stage. The Government is also carrying on an important programme to improve animal husbandry in the country, with the expectation of achieving self-sufficiency in milk production in the medium term.

President Rajapaksa follows a pragmatic foreign policy with a commitment to the principles of Non-Alignment, and the maintenance of friendly relations with all countries, strongly supportive of the United Nations and its initiatives for development and progress, and seeking international cooperation in the fight against terror both in Sri Lanka and elsewhere.

The two budgets presented by the President, in his capacity as Minister of Finance were adopted in Parliament with overwhelming majorities, with most parties in Opposition too voting for them. Under his stewardship the economy of Sri Lanka has shown a growth on over 6% in 2006 and is expected to show over 7% growth in 2007.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa is married to Shiranthi Rajapaksa, a keen social worker who heads the Seva Vanitha Movement – a women’s service movement in the public sector, and takes a keen interest in issues of the rights of women and children, as well the advance of the humanitarian policies in the Mahinda Chinthana.

They have three sons. All of them are keen sportsmen and have represented their school St. Thomas’ College, Mt. Lavinia in Rugby. The eldest Namal, in addition to studies, is at present engaged in youth affairs, especially the participation of youth in development work; the second, Yoshitha has joined the Sri Lanka Navy and is undergoing training as a cadet officer at Dartmouth in the UK, and the third Rohitha is pursuing higher studies in the UK.

President Rajapaksa is himself a very keen sportsman. He represented his school in Athletics in Track events specializing in the 4 x 400 metres relay. When not restricted by the pressures of work and concerns of security he has always been present at the school rugby matches when his sons were playing, and was a frequent spectator at inter-club rugby games in Colombo and Kandy. A keen fan of both cricket and rugby, he follows the fortunes of the Sri Lanka cricket team and inter-club rugby with great interest, and offers much encouragement to Sri Lankan sportsmen and sportswomen.

www.president.gov.lk

CODE FOR THE USE OF THE NATIONAL FLAG

CODE FOR THE USE OF THE NATIONAL FLAG

The National Flag of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka

The Massage and Significance of The National Flag

                 RESPECT the National Flag and it will inspire you. This is the basic message of the National Flag. It is a message which should reach every Sri Lanka because the National Flag is a symbol of our mother-land, our Independence and the unity of our people. It is a symbol of our hopes and aspirations for the Nation’s future.

2.     Each of us has to think more deeply of the National Flag and what it means so that when we see a National Flag automatically our shoulders will straighten, our hearts lift and our thoughts go to our mother-land.

3.     Those who respond in this way to the National Flag are fortunate Sri Lankans. They have a duty to encourage others by their example to adopt the right attitude to the National Flag.

4.     Our earlier National Flag was the Royal Standard of the last King of Kandy. It had a lion in yellow holding a sword in its right forepaw, on a crimson back-ground. Four pinnacles or spires also in yellow are at the four corners with a border running right round. Our present National Flag is a part of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, promulgated on 7^th September, 1978. The Lion in yellow on a crimson background. has been retained. Four Bo leaves in yellow are at the four corners of the crimson back-grouTwo vertical stripes of saffron and green of equal size represent the minorities. The size of the stripes in relation to the entire flag is in the proportion 1 : 1 : 5. A yellow border runs round the flag. Detailed specifications of our present National Flag are given in the Sri Lanka Standard Specification for the National Flag of Sri Lanka SLS 693 : 1985 published by the Sri Lanka Standards Institution…

Sri Lanka National Anthem

______________________

Sri Lanka Matha, apa Sri Lanka,

Namo Namo Namo Namo Matha.

Sundara siri barini,

Surändi athi Sobamana Lanka

Dhanya dhanaya neka mal pala thuru piri, jaya bhoomiya ramya.

Apa hata säpa siri setha sadana, jee vanaye Matha!

Piliganu mana apa bhakti pooja,

Namo Namo Matha.

Apa Sri Lanka,

Namo Namo Namo Namo Matha,

apa Sri Lanka, Namo Namo Namo Namo Matha.

Obave apa vidya obamaya apa sathya obave apa shakti

apa hada thula bhakti oba apa aloke

apage anuprane oba apa jeevana ve

apa muktiya obave

Nava jeevana demine nithina apa

Pubudu karan matha

Gnana veerya vadavamina ragena yanu

mana jaya bhoomi kara

Eka mavekuge daru kala bavina

yamu yamu wee nopama

Prema vadamu sama bheda durara da Namo Namo Matha

 

 

ENGLISH TRANSLATION

Mother Lanka – we salute Thee!

Plenteous in prosperity, Thou,

Beauteous in grace and love,

Laden with corn and luscious fruit

And fragrant flowers of radiant hue,

Giver of life and all good things,

Our land of joy and victory,

Receive our grateful praise sublime,

Lanka! we worship Thee.

Thou gavest us Knowledge and Truth,

Thou art our strength and inward faith,

Our light divine and sentient being,

Breath of life and liberation.

Grant us, bondage free, inspiration.

Inspire us for ever.

In wisdom and strength renewed,

Ill-will, hatred, strife all ended,

In love enfolded, a mighty nation

Marching onward, all as one,

Lead us, Mother, to fullest freedom.

 

TAMIL LYRICS

Sri Lanka Thaayé, nam Sri Lanka,

Namo Namo Namo Namo Thaayé.

Nallelil poli Seeranee,

Nalangal yaavum Niraivaan mani Lanka

Gnaalam puhala vala vayal nathi malai malar narum solai kol Lanka.

Namathuru puhalidam ena olir vaai, namathuyire Thaayé!

Namathalai ninathadi mail vyththomé

Namo Namo Thaayé.

Nam Sri Lanka,

Namo Namo Namo Namo Thaayé,

Nam Sri Lanka,

Namo Namo Namo Namo Thaayé.

 

 

 

 

Having a Multimedia Projector Our School Opatha Maha Vidyalaya

The Story of the our MultiMedia projector

_______After Completing the special project of “having a multimedia projector” Success fully , we bought a multi media projector.
_______It was Started on 01.06.2008 and finished it within 14 days on 17.06.2008.
_______We had a raffle draw of lottery tickets. and It should be appreciated the dedication of the students and their parents.