Colombo (AsiaNews) – At a ceremony marking the recapture of the eastern part of the island nation from Tamil Tigers, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa invited the country to build together a lasting peace.
“My dear friends who speak the Tamil language,” said the president, “I know that you value peace more than a war waged even on the most reasonable grounds. [. . .] Therefore, I express my deepest regrets for that tearful history which was thrust upon you. [. . .] Our immediate priority is establishing civil administration in the eastern area. We will develop infrastructure facilities, health, education and welfare measures.”
Taking advantage of the occasion the president launched a new programme—Neganahira Navodaya or ‘New Dawn in the East’—for the rebuilding of the region.
He further announced that local elections would be held later so that the population “can elect their own representatives,” a democratic right “stifled by the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Ealam),” he said
Rajapaksa called the recapture of the region an “historic” event after being under rebel control for a long time
He urged Tamil Tigers to understand and accept that “it is not possible to bring liberation to the Tamil people through guns, bombs and cyanide capsules. What they destroy is the future of Tamil children. They destroy the future of the children of our country. What they demolish is their own culture.”
Finally, he noted that it “is now up to the Tigers to decide on whether peace or more war will follow,” adding that he hoped that the northern part of the country will also be wrested away from rebel control.
President Rajapaksa also rejected all responsibility for the war.
For their part Tamil rebels announced that they would continue attacking economic and military targets.