MR responds to world concerns

4 February 2010 11:08 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 63 Bookmark

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President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in an opinion piece written for the Wall Street Journal, called on the international community to support the government as it looks at building a peaceful and successful Sri Lanka.

He also said that his victory at the January 26 Presidential election was merely the start for Sri Lanka and now he will seek to work to make the nation stronger and more able to succeed in today's globalized world.

“I know that there are some people and policy makers abroad who have criticized what we did to bring an end to violence and terrorism. They said our measures threatened the people and undermined democracy. This election has shown that the reality is very different. The people of Sri Lanka, democratically and very clearly, have shown that they are free of threats, fear and terrorism, and that they want to embrace the future that could only be achieved through the decisive measures taken last year,” President Rajapaksa said in his opinion piece.

Comments - 63

Friday, 05 February 2010 05:44 AM

delivered what? the country is more divided than ever...the war may have ended but we have no peace nor freedom.

3 1

Thursday, 04 February 2010 04:44 PM

oh man!!! you are hilarious! :D

21 13

Thursday, 04 February 2010 04:46 PM

the president you are most corruption.then your cabinet ministers, the election is a fake.

12 22

Thursday, 04 February 2010 04:46 PM

what are you talking about? as if this is a prison for tamils or smthing,

2 14

Thursday, 04 February 2010 04:57 PM

In case you didn't know, they are free, so are everyone else in this country.

11 11

Thursday, 04 February 2010 05:08 PM

JAYA VEWA MR. PRESIDENT, YOU HAVE VISION & MISSION FOR THE NEXT DECADE.

25 13

Thursday, 04 February 2010 08:10 PM

Will be accepted only by Iran, China, Burma, Pakistan and Libya and to some extent Sonia (the Italian woman), but not by others.

9 14

Thursday, 04 February 2010 08:46 PM

MAY THE 'TRIPLE-GEM' BLESS YOU AND YOUR COUNTRYMEN ! ! ! You may be not be perfect, BUT you are the best we have ever had Sir ! 'Hats-off' to you and your brothers ! I will be happier if your sons too, follow in your path !

20 7

Thursday, 04 February 2010 08:48 PM

He should first implement the 17th Amendment!

10 12

Thursday, 04 February 2010 09:03 PM

Please be a statesman and not a politician: then, the world will worship you!

5 12

Thursday, 04 February 2010 09:15 PM

Dear Mr. President, you steered this country through a difficult period and you deserved your chance to concentrate on its development - now you have got it, to take the country to the next level!

26 11

Thursday, 04 February 2010 09:36 PM

MR has delivered, in his first term, as promised ... So, let him do so in this term, as well!

34 26

Thursday, 04 February 2010 09:57 PM

I can't beleive how on earth our politicians can say that they can make Sri Lanka, like Singapore, in 5 - 10 years time.

16 23

Friday, 05 February 2010 05:23 AM

Selva,

open you eyes , already free dear. But, as long as you keep conflict/grudge in your mind < NEVER for you. !!!!!! be a good Tamilian like most of others.

0 1

Friday, 05 February 2010 05:32 AM

Haha!, so now U R begging to the INTERNATIONAL CONSPIRATORS

0 0

Friday, 05 February 2010 05:43 AM

it is OUR country. tamils and sinhalese and everyone else.

0 2

Thursday, 04 February 2010 04:29 PM

sorry to say u will be disappointed in next few years

24 40

Friday, 05 February 2010 05:45 AM

i hope you're being sarcaastic

0 1

Friday, 05 February 2010 06:12 AM

Yes, My greatest president you are capable of doing this and you shout keep good people close to you.

0 1

Friday, 05 February 2010 06:22 AM

Excellent concept, Mr. President. Oh, and did you know that there are fifteen cabinet ministers for a population of five million?! A proportion of one minister to 333000 persons! How many do WE have??!! Also, they have no Provincial Councils, no "cathers" to waste public funds and kill innocent people with their (publicly funded) vehicles.

TRY TO BRING real CHANGE.

0 0

Friday, 05 February 2010 06:30 AM

Rajan my friend
A place is for peacefull living not for sharing

0 2

Friday, 05 February 2010 06:50 AM

BECOZ OF YOU SIR WE ARE FREE. PEOPLE WHO HAVE WESTERN BACKGROUN DON'T LIKE YOU. BUT RURAL MASS ALWAYS WITH YOU. LOT OF PEOPLE WORSHIP AMERICA & WESTERN WORLD. KEEP YOUR GOOD WORK.SOME SRI LANKAN ARE SO JELOUS ABOUT YOUR VICTORY.

1 1

Friday, 05 February 2010 06:58 AM

Giving power sharing according to any ethnicity or religion will not solve anything but influence separatism. Sri Lanka should be one country one rule with War is ugly and inhumane. If you fought a humane war, you will end up in the loosing side.

0 3

Friday, 05 February 2010 07:37 AM

Dear Sir,
Pl don't abolish Executive Presidency the country need it a true leader like you need it to show results. 17th amenment is not suitable for this country. Pl restore law & order to decipline the country. We can not go at least, on foot on the road, office culture, selfifhness, etc. I think you can show results since you have shown result crushing terror from this country. Over to you SIR. !!!!!! from BALA

0 1

Friday, 05 February 2010 07:40 AM

He's probably hiding under SF's sarong :)

1 0

Friday, 05 February 2010 07:43 AM

Do you know what is 17th ammendment or parroting the word?

0 1

Friday, 05 February 2010 09:30 AM

The way we kept our trust towards the process of eradicating terrorism we hope you will develop our country as you said. You are the greatest leader who live in this world. We are always with you . All the best.

0 0

Friday, 05 February 2010 10:04 AM

rajan, hatton is a part of this country. so how come you ask MR to "build YOUR country"? this is your country as well

0 1

Friday, 05 February 2010 10:09 AM

absolutely correct, no PIECE.. its PEACE and HARMONY :)

0 3

Friday, 05 February 2010 10:15 AM

MR. PRESIDENT. You are our hero.Lead the country in the proper path and we will follow you with full support. May the Tripple Jems Bless You. Karunasiri

0 0

Friday, 05 February 2010 10:22 AM

how wonderful if ranil and sf thought the same...

0 0

Friday, 05 February 2010 10:26 AM

Consensus politics will do the miracle; I'm worried another divisive election would divide and polarize the nation badly. The govt.should try to work with the Opposition to forge ahead instead of engineering defections. Moreover the priority should be to demilitarize without threat to the security of the nation. Waste and corruption should be fought with innerparty democracy which can be achieved reducing the preferential vote to one and it will show who is representing which constituency and who is getting preferences all over the district- it will dispel the minority communities' grievances and not to claim lion's share in the national list. Most of the national list parliamentarians are incapable or switch sides for positions and perks!

0 0

Thursday, 04 February 2010 01:59 PM

If you go for a meeting with the world leaders, the only thing they would ask is: Where is Prageeth Eknalingoda??

8 23

Thursday, 04 February 2010 11:45 AM

First of all give power sharing to TAMILS after that you talk about building your country.....

39 50

Thursday, 04 February 2010 11:52 AM

Dear President Sir,

Dont ever say that anyone can make this country like another Singapore. That is one thing that will never make happen, Better we go on with our own plan for our own people. I lived in Singapore and its too stressful to bring this country to that standard. Sorry sir!!! But thats the honest truth.

14 41

Thursday, 04 February 2010 12:06 PM

Mr president this the chance to prove to SL citizens and to the world that you are capable of handling not only the terrorism but also the devolopment of the country . SL citizens have that faith and they were brave enough to make a remarkable dicision electing you as presedent for the second time.
What we all need is a peaceful country and bring this country to the world as a devoloped country.
Honestly we all citizens in SL understand your goverment is not one of the cleanest in the past.Forget about past and try to unite all together put a halt for corruption and go ahead.That will be the best answer for everything.You need to gear up with a right team.
Mr president all the best we need results!!!

20 33

Thursday, 04 February 2010 12:06 PM

Of cours it looks lik that.but we have to wait and see.

8 25

Thursday, 04 February 2010 12:10 PM

what a wise leader we have

85 38

Thursday, 04 February 2010 12:20 PM

Mahinda is an affectionate lover with an empty pocket.

He is considered by Tamils as a person good at heart but incapable to put into practice what he preaches.

The International community take the view of researchers. Such researches take place many years after an event and they are soley for academic use.

A recorded "history is only a confused heap of facts". Even God cannot change it, they say.

Thereiore, the nternational community contributes towards making history of disaster, in case of Sri Lanka by its action or inaction. That is anybody's guess.

14 22

Thursday, 04 February 2010 12:32 PM

Sri Lanka’s war zones are tightly controlled. And without free access, it was impossible for any investigation to take place into the final months of the war. That 26-year war officially finished on 19 June, when the Sri Lankan army defeated the LTTE or Tamil Tigers in an area the government named the "no-fire zone". In all wars there are entirely different versions of the truth, but because the Sri Lankan army effectively sealed off this area most accounts and almost all of the images of what happened there came from the warring parties.

10 20

Thursday, 04 February 2010 12:41 PM

When is the War Crimes Tribunal opening ha ?

35 35

Thursday, 04 February 2010 12:48 PM

Well said
West is full of hypocretes, interested in regime change when one disobeys their order, supports LTTE foe their votes.
Hell with the WEST
SL should get rid of their purports/agents like SF, RW & JVP

Srilanka is for Srilankans & it is not a colloney

46 42

Thursday, 04 February 2010 01:00 PM

In order to be the next Singapore in this region, the country needs PRIVATE investment and less GOVERNMENT. Already we have the dubious reputation of being the country with the highest ratio of state sector employees . Also when investors look at our position in the global corruption index, investors are not going to line up trying to invest in SL. Also increasingly foreign governments will be channelling their aid through INGO's/NGO's rather than through the SL government for obvious reasons. I am however glad that MR has understood that we cannot improve our standard of living by having close ties with only Mynmar, Iran, Vietnam & China,

9 45

Thursday, 04 February 2010 01:07 PM

Let your Bravo knows this Mr President.
Referring to the interview he had with BBC the day before, the Defence secretary who supposed to be very highly distinguised post in the country appeared to be very uncomfortable, loud, unconstructive and annoyed with questions he faced with.
It needs to have a charm, constructive and high diplomatic behaviour and answers with clarity.

13 67

Thursday, 04 February 2010 01:09 PM

MR is dreaming. There wont be piece in Srilanka as long as MR and his brothers run the country.

27 81

Thursday, 04 February 2010 01:15 PM

Rubbish "talks"....
Gen SF is our President.....

36 59

Thursday, 04 February 2010 01:28 PM

Dayan, I fully agree with you, he was like a cornered 'sinhaya' ! Why attack an innocent reporter when questions are raised in so many hearts!!!! These guys don't deserve any seat in the parliament.

14 51

Thursday, 04 February 2010 01:39 PM

A man with a very clear plan, vision & mission. Unstoppable, for him the sky is the limit. Jaya Wewa.

73 36

Thursday, 04 February 2010 11:38 AM

Mr.President,

We hope u will walk the talk.

8 42

Thursday, 04 February 2010 02:16 PM

Hope the Western World will realize the truth. We have a great leader, people oriented leader, common rural man's leader and leader who will stand by the country not bowing the head for any movement to derail the independence, peace and a unitary State for Sri Lanka. So, unfortunate that we have an opposition that has no premise and just making noise on falls opinions, no facts, no truth in their arguments.

36 16

Thursday, 04 February 2010 02:22 PM

Well said sir!!!!!!!!!!!!

36 17

Thursday, 04 February 2010 02:25 PM

Totally agreed.

13 29

Thursday, 04 February 2010 02:30 PM

Just before the election MR said they are plotting to overthrow his government. Is it to fool the masses...?

7 20

Thursday, 04 February 2010 02:56 PM

Its happy to hear MR's dream to reach like Singapore or better before dreaming he should fire the corrupted ministers and chairman's of the State sectors .

3 23

Thursday, 04 February 2010 02:57 PM

Louisa, I don't agree with your other words, but I do agree with the word 'Unstoppable'.

16 24

Thursday, 04 February 2010 03:03 PM

The way to develop this country is through the use of competent people as Ministers, Secretaries to Ministers and Corporation Heads. Not political cronies, uneducated politicians who have lost their elections or family members. That is the way ahead Mr President, no other way.

2 21

Thursday, 04 February 2010 03:04 PM

From the comments above, it is obvious what President said on May 20th (the day after Prabaharan was killed) is exactly true. i.e., THERE IS NO MINORITY OR MAJORITY IN SRI LANKA, BUT ONLY PATRIOTIC AND UNPATRIOTIC. Shame on you!

7 17

Thursday, 04 February 2010 03:08 PM

I am ashamed to see him acting like a thug in a village if US government see it, they will cancel his citizenship.

12 32

Thursday, 04 February 2010 03:10 PM

Louisa, you are correct the plan is so clean that nothing in it.

11 22

Thursday, 04 February 2010 03:19 PM

If u want to go forward & need ppl to invest in a big way you have to get rid of corruption in this country.We dont have to be a slave to the west but we need them cos they are our biggest trading partners.& u HAVE to improve press freedom in this country as well & be more democratic. We are getting far to pally with international pariahs such as Iran Libya & Myanmar. Come to think of it India is the only democratic country we have good relations with. So u have a long way to go if u are serious about taking us to the first world. Unless u change most of yr attitudes yr dreams for this country will remain just words.

2 18

Thursday, 04 February 2010 03:20 PM

you mean VICE LEADER.

22 58

Thursday, 04 February 2010 03:50 PM

Louisa, yes, but u need to add the following,

will do anything to be in power
saviour of the thugs (ministers)
will live with other peoples money
a very good actor
a magician to fool the masses.. etc. etc..

15 31

Thursday, 04 February 2010 03:59 PM

When free Tamils from srilanka

9 10

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