The Presidency

The fourth anniversary of assumption of office of President Mahinda Rajapaksa falls today. It is an opportune moment to review the progress of his presidency.

He assumed Presidency at a time when the country was threatened with separation despite a ceasefire that was on paper. The LTTE had withdrawn from talks and were preparing for the Fourth Eelam War.

In the meantime he had pledged during the elections to unite the country under one flag and fortify the unitary nature of the state. The task seemed almost impossible. On one hand, there was the ceasefire which prevented offensive operations by the Security Forces and on the other, there was tremendous pressure from the donor nations and external powers to engage the LTTE in talks.

President Rajapaksa moved cautiously but steadily. He did not stop talking peace. Actually he offered to negotiate with the LTTE. How the LTTE withdrew from talks and engaged the military in open combat and carried out dastardly bomb attacks on civilians and leaders are now history. Then the LTTE committed a serious blunder of closing the Mavil Aru sluice depriving the peasantry of water for cultivation and other needs.

At that moment the President decided to battle the LTTE and liberate the territory and people under the grip of the LTTE. And he never turned back until the objective was achieved. Thus he accomplished the impossible and united the country.

This is a signal historic victory. The victory, naturally was due to several factors including the sacrifices by the valiant Security Forces. That sacrifice, however, was not made in a vacuum. The Commander in Chief not only gave astute leadership to the war but also prepared the country and public opinion for it. Had it not been for the revival of nationalist and patriotic feelings among the population, the victory would have been more difficult to achieve. For the first time, there was an enthusiastic response from the youth to the call of the Security Forces to join their ranks.

There was another important factor. That was the management of foreign pressure that increased with the advance of the troops. President Rajapaksa was clever to cultivate friendly relations with many countries that came to our assistance when the country's traditional western allies hesitated. He also developed Indo-Sri Lanka relations to a height unprecedented, keeping India informed of all developments, allaying its fears and patiently listening to and addressing its concerns. Had it not been for the skill with which he handled the numerous pressures from foreign governments and UN agencies, the humanitarian operation to free territory in the North would have suffered the same fate as the Vadamarachchi operation decades ago.

Thus President Rajapaksa was able not only to fulfill his election pledge to unify the country but also to assert the sovereignty of the country against tremendous odds.

As a result, Sri Lanka stands as a dignified nation fiercely independent earning the respect of the majority of nations. This was amply demonstrated at the Human Rights Council of the United Nations where Sri Lanka could defeat an attempt by misguided powers to put Sri Lanka in the dock. Had they succeeded, the history of the war could have been different.

On this landmark occasion we see that most of the pledges in the Mahinda Chintana policy document have been fulfilled or are being fulfilled.

Several vital projects such as the Norochcholai coal power plant and the Upper Kotmale Project, which could not be begun for want of bold leadership, are today progressing satisfactorily due to the correct decisions taken by President Rajapaksa.

President Rajapaksa has also delivered on other promises such as the drive against drugs (Matata tita) and eliminating the criminal underworld.

Above all, he has started a massive development program despite severe economic constraints. At the recently concluded SLFP Annual Convention he promised that he would complete the development war just as he completed the war against terrorism. Coming from a leader who has delivered, his words carry weight. We could safely say that it was not empty rhetoric but a sincere and confident promise.

The first four years of the Presidency have been both benevolent and productive. There is no doubt that Sri Lanka could look to the future with hope and optimism. The dreams of the present generation are certainly realizable.