'I'll return to a country free of terrorism' says
President Rajapaksa
"Our economic prosperity must essentially rest upon
global peace and stability. Terrorism has for decades denied us this
right. All eleven countries gathered here today have suffered the
effects of terrorism, some more than others. Terrorism has raised its
ugly head in different forms from time to time and destroyed all
development initiatives in most of our countries", said H.E the
President addressing the G-11 Summit at Jordan today (May 16).
"Many in the world believed that the LTTE is
invincible, but, I am proud to announce at this august gathering that my
government with the total commitment of our Armed Forces, has in an
unprecedented humanitarian operation, finally defeated the LTTE
militarily. I will be going back to a country that has been totally
freed from the barbaric acts of the LTTE. This freedom comes after 30
long years", he further asserted.
Full text of the President's address at the G-11 Summit on 16th May,
2009.
Your Excellency Nader Dahabi, Prime Minister of Jordan
Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
At the outset let me thank His Majesty King Abdullah
the Second and the Government of Jordan for the warm hospitality
accorded to me and my delegation. I must also say how pleased I am about
the firm stand taken by His Majesty and his government in relation to
the State of Palestine. It is heartening to note that peace and
development in the Middle Eastern region is becoming a priority.
Excellencies,
I am happy to observe that the G11 has made
significant progress since its beginning. As the world's only grouping
of lower middle income countries, it has succeeded in becoming a global
partnership to address our common challenges.
We need targeted help from the industrialized
countries to achieve our developmental goals. But at the same time we
need to safeguard our own space, to apply creative and homegrown methods
in achieving our growth targets. Any reforms need to be adjusted to our
needs on the ground, and be implemented at our own pace.
Excellencies,
The Ten Year Development Policy Framework of my
government, 'Mahinda Chinthana', envisages addressing global challenges
with homegrown solutions. Our approach integrates the positive
attributes of market economic policies with our own domestic
aspirations. It focuses on developing the rural economy, supporting
domestic enterprise including the SME sector, safeguarding our
agriculture, achieving food security, while encouraging an export
economy driven by the private sector.
However, we must recognize that we cannot achieve
economic prosperity by ourselves. We need facilitated access to
industrialized markets. We need to diversify our export bases from
traditional to value-added products. We need greater flows of FDI. We
need cutting edge technology and research and development capability. We
also need assistance to develop our infrastructure.
These needs can only be attained with the support of
the industrialised world. It is indeed timely that we have acknowledged
this and have thus built a partnership with the global north, in the
form of our dialogue with the G8. I look forward to the further
consolidation of this partnership to foster bridges of future
cooperation.
All this, Excellencies, we need to place in the
context of the global economy which today is undergoing an enormous
crisis, as never before. The impact of the crisis on our developing
economies dependent on industrialized markets may be devastating.
There is no single formula to address this crisis. It
is no longer sufficient to look at north-south cooperation or advocate
sound monetary policies and good governance as the way out of the
crisis. Indeed, we need the help of our developed partners. But we also
need to strengthen south-south cooperation through new and innovative
means. I am hopeful that the G11 Framework Agreement signed by our
Ministers today will pave the way for the consolidation of such
cooperation.
Excellencies, the misery brought upon my country by
'the most ruthless terrorist organization in the world' has little
parallel elsewhere. During the last thirty years, the LTTE have
massacred tens of thousands of innocent civilians, and also targeted our
economy in the belief that destroying our economy will ensure achieving
of its evil goals. Having resorted to most ruthless means of destroying
human life, the LTTE, through its malicious propaganda machinery, have
projected itself as a liberation movement. The world at large must not
be deceived by its distorted propaganda.
Many in the world believed that the LTTE is
invincible, but, I am proud to announce at this august gathering that my
government with the total commitment of our Armed Forces, has in an
unprecedented humanitarian operation, finally defeated the LTTE
militarily. I will be going back to a country that has been totally
freed from the barbaric acts of the LTTE. This freedom comes after 30
long years. My government's precise and well coordinated humanitarian
operation has so far succeeded in rescuing over 210,000 civilians who
were being used as human shields by the LTTE.
The defeat of the LTTE on the ground heralds a new era
in Sri Lanka. It provides all Sri Lankans with a brand new opportunity
for peace and development. The liberation of regions hitherto controlled
by the LTTE, which amounted to a fourth of Sri Lanka's land mass, paves
the way for democracy to root itself and development to march ahead
after decades of conflict. Efforts are already underway to complement
the humanitarian mission with a political solution.
History has taught us that solutions externally
prescribed, with little understanding of the complexity of the problem
on the ground, are prone to failure. My government is therefore firmly
committed to seeking a homegrown solution acceptable to all communities
living in Sri Lanka.
Terrorism is a mutating menace. Old theories on
counter-terrorism need to be constantly modified to effectively combat
modern day terrorism. Despite the LTTE's defeat on the ground, it could
well continue to sustain itself overseas. Our timely action must
therefore ensure that the LTTE and other like-minded terrorist groups do
not continue to circumvent the law by indulging in illegal operations,
through various front organizations located overseas.
Developed and developing countries must recognize this
fact and continue to support each other to eliminate terrorism from the
face of this earth. We leaders must not leave this menace to torment our
children and the future generations. Terrorism in all its forms must be
eliminated and not allow it to destroy the democratic and peaceful way
of life of all our people. It is worthwhile reminding ourselves over and
over again that there are no good terrorists and bad terrorists.
Terrorism anywhere is terrorism and should be treated in the manner it
deserves.
In this context, I wish to mention that the UN and its
affiliated organizations should understand the suffering of the people
in countries affected by terrorism and pro-actively support legitimately
elected governments to eradicate this menace. Pressure to contain
military operations when terrorism is being eliminated can be very
frustrating as terrorists through such interventions will get another
lease of life. Countries that are successfully progressing to eliminate
terrorism must be encouraged through assistance for purposes of
development by international lending institutions without being 'put on
hold'.
I am happy to observe that the need to combat
terrorism comprises an important element of the G11 White Paper. We must
work closely with the G8 to have co-ordinated and concerted global
action in combating terrorism in all its manifestations. Enactment of
appropriate legislation and intelligence sharing must comprise the core
of this exercise.
Excellencies, we embarked nearly three years ago on
the G-11 venture, driven by a sense of idealism. Some of our goals have
been realized, while others remain. It is by collective effort and
dedication that all our objectives could be achieved, for ultimately,
our peoples would be the greatest beneficiaries. We could do no less.
Thank you. |
