Full text of the oration titled 'Future Challenges Facing Sri Lanka:
Security, Reconciliation and Development' delivered by Mr.Gotabaya
Rajapaksa:
"I feel both proud and privileged to have been invited
to deliver this year's Olcott Oration. This oration is one of the annual
events organised to commemorate the founder of Ananda College, Colonel
Henry Steele Olcott. As a result of Col. Olcott's vision to promote the
English medium instruction of Buddhist students, Ananda College began
its historic journey as the Buddhist English Schoolin Maliban Street, in
1886, under the able stewardship of Mr. C.W. Leadbeater. The founding of
this school can be considered a key milestone in the nationalist revival
that introduced our cultural values into the formal education system
despite colonial rule. This revival was influential in our struggle for
independence, and, considering the role of Ananda in moulding many of
the key individuals in recent events, one could even say that it was
instrumental in the recent national victory over terrorism.
As a result of this victory, I stand before you today
at a pivotal stage in our country's history. Sri Lanka is emerging from
the shadow of a terrorist war that affected every part of our lives for
decades. During those years, a deep-seated sense of uncertainty affected
our prosperity, our economy, and even our social and cultural values.
There was an inescapable veil of fear cast over our day-to-day lives.
Following the defeat of the LTTE and the elimination of its core
leadership during our historic military success earlier this year, this
sense of unease and this veil of fear have finally begun to lift.
With the dawning of peace, Sri Lanka has a historic
opportunity to consolidate the security of the nation; to heal old
wounds and strengthen ties between the communities; and to revive our
economy and recapture the decades of lost opportunity. When we reflect
on the years that terrorism plagued our nation, it's important to
realise that the true victory is not just in defeating the LTTE, but in
regaining what we have lost, passing down the benefit of peace to all
our citizens, and guiding our nation to its proper place in the world.
Instead of falling into the traps of complacency, petty rivalry, and
divisive politics that have so often been our downfall, we must unite as
a nation and build a better future together. It is only then that the
true reward of our victory over terrorism will be fully realised.
"We have several challenges ahead of us today. We need
to ensure that our country is secure from all future threats.
Consolidating the peace that was achieved after so much sacrifice has to
be a key priority. Similarly, we must use the window of opportunity
granted by the end of terrorism to ensure reconciliation between our
communities. Together with these goals, we must also engineer an
economic revival that uplifts the standard of living of all our people.
These challenges of security, reconciliation and development must be our
focus from now on.
Although the LTTE has been defeated, it is important
to note that it is mainly the military wing that has been dismantled.
Their vast international network of sympathisers and criminal associates
who funded and facilitated their separatist ambitions, as well as some
of their military cadres, are still operating outside Sri Lanka. It is
only when these elements have also been defeated that we can claim to
have truly secured our nation. To prevent the LTTE raising its head
again, we should act now and act decisively to bring about their defeat.
Bringing about the permanent defeat of separatism
remains a top priority of His Excellency the President and the
Government of Sri Lanka. Several initiatives have been taken in this
regard. These include the strengthening of relationships with key
foreign nations and the collaboration of our intelligence services with
their counterparts in other parts of the world. These efforts enabled us
to capture Kumaran Pathmanadan, the newly appointed leader of the LTTE,
within two months of the defeat of the terrorists in Sri Lanka. We need
to continue these initiatives if we are to destroy the LTTE's
international network and ensure the confiscation of their assets.
From the very beginning, strengthening relationships
with our key allies remained a top priority of His Excellency the
President. The relationship developed over the past four years with our
closest ally, India helped us in many ways in our war against terrorism.
Having their support greatly helped reduce the pressure mounted by other
nations, which allowed us to proceed with our humanitarian operations
unhindered. It is very important that we strengthen this key
relationship even further in the years to come.
Significant support was also received from other key
allies due to the efforts of His Excellency the President and the
Government to strengthen our longstanding bilateral ties. They, too,
helped us withstand the pressure being directed by the international
community to leave the war unfinished. These countries also provided us
vital material assistance towards the war effort, when barriers were put
in place that prevented our obtaining military hardware from our western
allies.
Although it had been virtually ignored in the past,
South East Asia was another region we focused on. The close ties we
developed with this important region helped us counter and obstuct the
LTTE's activities there. However, there is still a lot more to be done,
and developing these relationships even further will be vital to our
efforts to permanently dismantle the LTTE's international network.
If this task is to be achieved successfully, we also
need to focus on countering the propaganda offensives still being
launched by LTTE sympathisers around the world. This propaganda effort,
together with the petty electoral politics of key western states, has
distorted the view some counties have of our war against terrorism. It
is essential that the west understands that Sri Lanka's war against
terrorism is little different from theirs; the LTTE used many of the
same networks as other international terrorist groups; they perfected
the use of suicide attacks as a tactical tool; they operated extortion
networks in other nations to fund their separatist ambitions. When taken
together with their complete disregard for the lives of innocent
civilians, it should be clear that there is little philosophical
difference between terrorist groups the world over. Instead of accepting
the propaganda offensive of terrorist sympathisers in their corridors of
power, the countries that are still mounting pressure on Sri Lankashould
understand that we all face similar challenges. Instead of criticizing
our success, they should learn from it.
Strengthening our relationships with these countries
and countering the efforts of the pro-terrorist lobbies there, is a
significant challenge facing our nation today. This financial network of
the LTTE was allowed to operate in some of these countries for far too
long, and the funds they raised allowed the terrorists to equip
themselves with large stockpiles of sophisticated weaponry-stockpiles
that are still being discovered in our clearing operations today.
Although we will make sure that the LTTE cannot raise its head again in
Sri Lankathe continued existence of these financial networks is a danger
to our country. Persuading western countries that they must help Sri
Lanka more meaningfully to combat this threat requires us to unite as a
nation and speak with one voice, instead of being weakened and divided
by petty considerations.
In addition to taking care of the external threats
that could arise from the LTTE's international network, the challenge of
ensuring our security includes our taking preventative measures within
Sri Lanka. The capabilities of our Defence Forces need to be further
strengthened by maintaining high standards of professionalism and
sophistication so that our service personnel can carry out their duties
even more effectively. The surveillance and rapid response capabilities
of the Sri Lanka Navy have to be enhanced to protect our entire
coastline and make sure that no arms or personnel can infiltrate our
territory. A key area that needed attention during the course of our
operations, our intelligence services, needs to be further strengthened
as we seek out and dismantle the LTTE's network within Sri Lanka. It is
also very important that the terrorist cadres who surrendered or were
detained are rehabilitated so that their thinking changes and they see
the propaganda they were fed by the LTTE for the lies they were. This
rehabilitation will allow them to re-enter society as productive
citizens in the long term.
Finally, we need to make sure that the unsafe areas in
the North are cleared swiftly, and that the former victims of the LTTE's
regime are resettled in their villages as soon as possible. Once
normalcy returns, and these people see the far higher quality of life
and opportunities available to them following the LTTE's defeat, we will
be able to win their hearts and minds. This is a critical challenge that
needs to be successfully met if we are to fully secure the peace we have
won. Reconciliation between the communities is vital, as is the
establishment of a democratic framework and institutions in those areas
formerly under the LTTE's occupation.
There is a lot of agitation in the international
community as well as within Sri Lankaregarding the situation of the
internally displaced. This range from well-meaning concern to absurd
conspiracy theories directed against the Government by pro-LTTE
lobbyists in the west. I want to make it very clear that we are doing
the best we can to speed up the processes involved. However, it would be
an irresponsible act to resettle the IDPs in unsafe areas. When the LTTE
defeated, they strewed landmines over vast areas, hoping to make them
unsafe for years if not decades. Through the concentrated effort of the
Government together with assistance from allied nations, we are
confident that these areas can be de-mined and made safe for people much
sooner than that. As more areas are cleared, the displaced will be
resettled in their towns and villages; already almost half the IDPs have
been sent back.
There are other responsibilities of the Government
involved here, apart from mine clearing and resettlement. During the
last three decades, although the Government continued to provide normal
services including electricity, water, health and education to the
North, there was not enough development there. The LTTE did not use
these resources properly, and the Non Governmental Organisations that
were supposed to be engaged in development work were ineffective. As a
result, the infrastructure of this region, including its road networks,
electricity grids, telecommunication networks, irrigation channels etc.
are underdeveloped. A lot of attention needs to be paid to upgrading
this infrastructure if the region is to prosper. Agriculture, which has
been ignored for so long despite its high potential, is another area
that needs a great deal of work. Therefore, together with our demining
programmes, these efforts to develop infrastructure, facilitate economic
growth and raise the standard of living in this region are of the utmost
importance.
There is another pressing requirement that needs to be
discussed as far as the liberated areas are concerned, and that is the
return of democracy. Under the LTTE's occupation, the people in these
areas lived under a brutal fascist dictatorship. Their lives were not
their own. They had no freedom. Their children -- often as young as
thirteen or fourteen -- were abducted from their classrooms, conscripted
as soldiers, and robbed of their innocence. No one had the ability to
protest. The people could not speak freely, and they had no one to speak
up on their behalf. Over the years, most of the moderate Tamil voices,
most of the progressives and the humanists, had been silenced by the
LTTE. The parallel state that it tried so hard to display, with its
so-called judicial system and its so-called police force, was an
illusion designed to hide the brutality of their de facto rule. To usher
the victims of the LTTE to a true democracy is another critical
challenge for the Government today. Facing it successfully will be
essential as far as both reconciliation and national security are
concerned.
Some of those looking at the present situation in Sri
Lanka are quick to criticize the Government for not acting quickly
enough. They expect change to happen overnight, and they ignore the hard
facts of reality that have always shown us that true change is only
possible with wise planning, diligence, hard work, and time.
A good example of what is possible is the Eastern
Province. At that time it was liberated, despite the clear intention of
the Government to return it to normalcy as soon as possible, there were
complaints by the diaspora and the international community that not
enough was being done soon enough. There were over a hundred and fifty
thousand internally displaced people waiting to be resettled. There were
armed paramilitary groups on the streets and there was talk of children
being conscripted by them. There were complaints regarding restrictions
on fishing, and complaints about restrictions on movement. There were
allegations of abductions and human rights violations. There was
criticism saying there weren't enough policemen who could speak Tamil in
the region. All this was just two years ago. But if you go to the
Eastern Province today, as thousands of local and foreign tourists do on
a daily basis, you will see that each and every one of these problems
have been overcome.
All the paramilitary groups carrying weapons have been
disarmed; they no longer have military offices in the towns or armed
personnel on the streets. Instead, encouraged by His Excellency the
President's determination to restore democracy as soon as possible, they
are working towards a better tomorrow through peaceful, democratic
means. Their military offices have become political offices; several
former cadres are representatives of various local political
organisations; and there is representation through the offices of the
Chief Minister, the Provincial Council, Local Government and Municipal
authorities. The child conscripts have been handed over to UNICEF and
are now being rehabilitated. There are no more complaints of abductions
or human rights violations; the Sri Lanka Police and the Defence Forces
have restored law and order. Tamil speaking policemen have been
recruited, trained, and are now active in the police stations. Freedom
of movement has been established; people go about their day-to-day lives
without fear. Even the security checkpoints and roadblocks have been
reduced to a minimal level.
In addition to overcoming the problems that existed,
the Government has worked very hard to bring about economic development
in the East. The infrastructure has improved tremendously: there are
brand new roads, bridges and communication networks; there is proper
electricity, water supply, drainage and sewerage. The Government has
helped the fisheries industry, even assisting the fishermen to buy
boats; it has launched important initiatives to develop agriculture.
Very recently, His Excellency the President opened a large school in
Vakarai, built with the help of UNICEF. Normalisation has not only set
in but the Eastern Province has transformed into a vibrant part of Sri
Lanka rich with the promise of future growth. All of this was achieved
in just two years. That is the track record of our Government, and
examining this, instead of engaging in wild speculation should be the
order of the day.
We are confident that the same result can be obtained
in the North, and that reconciliation and national unity will be
achieved in due course. Admittedly, there is still a lot that needs to
be done to heal the wounds of the past and regain the trust that has
been shaken, and we are aware that progress will not always be smooth.
But we can be encouraged by the progress made in terms of national
reconciliation in the South over the last several years; particularly in
the Western Province and in Colombo, which is a shining example of
communal harmony.
Despite all the propaganda to the contrary by the LTTE
and the separatist forces, the majority of Tamils in Sri Lanka live
outside the North and East. Colombo is a thriving multicultural
commercial hub where all the communities live in harmony; it has a large
Tamil population that has produced many of Sri Lanka's leading
professionals and businessmen. They lead lives of distinction in a
supportive multicultural environment where there is no communal tension.
We are very confident that this multicultural harmony can be achieved
throughout all of Sri Lanka. As our nation emerges from the shadow of
terrorism into the bright light of peace and prosperity, this is the
reality that will prevail.
Another very important step remains to be taken as we
embark on this journey. That is the revival of our economy on a scale
that enables our prosperity through rapid growth and development; a
resurgence that uplifts the standards of living of each and every Sri
Lankan. It is vital that the rural masses as well as the urban populace
reap the full benefit of the pence we have achieved; economic
development must reach every city, town and village. The Government is
doing its part by developing the infrastructure and the facilities that
are needed for this resurgence to take place. It is also investing in
areas where the private sector has not yet ventured. The domestic
private sector, from small businesses and entrepreneurs to large
diversified groups, must invest in all sectors of our economy. The
recent instruction of His Excellency the President for the State Banks
to lower interest rates is another step towards encouraging investment
and facilitating this revival. We also need to invite the tourists back
and bring in foreign investment. We need our educated expatriates, who
leftSri Lankayears ago to seek prosperity elsewhere, to return and work
for the betterment of their motherland.
For these things to happen, it is essential that we
all unite at this pivotal stage in our history, and speak with one voice
to say that the uncertainty is no more; to say that we are safe; to say
that we are ready to create a bright and prosperous future for all our
people, irrespective of race, religion or politics. I said at the start
of this speech that the true victory against terrorism is not just the
defeat of the LTTE, but reaping the true rewards of peace by recapturing
what was lost during the conflict. Making maximum use of peace to unite
as a nation, to bring about the development and prosperity that this
country richly deserves, and to reap the rewards of peace, is the
responsibility of all our citizens. That is why, in closing, I wish to
invite all patriotic Sri Lankans to come together, to put their
differences aside, and work towards this resurgence as one people. This
is our duty to our motherland, and we must not let her down." |
