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By PTI - COLOMBO
16th August 2012 09:15 AM
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa today cautioned that separatist elements in the country have not given up yet, in a veiled reference to the Tamil Eelam supporters' conference held in Chennai recently.
"Though we have ended terrorism, there is lot more remaining to be done. Forty years ago they passed a resolution seeking separation of the country. The conference held recently also boosts Eelam demand," Rajapaksa told a gathering at Kuruvita, a south western town.
Eelam is the separate Tamil state which the LTTE fought to set up in a bitter military battle over three decades.
Rajapaksa said the whole country needs to unite so as not to let those seeking separation gain momentum.
He was critical of the leader of the Left Front Wickremabahu Karunaratne for attending the DMK called TESO conference, although he did not name him directly.
He said patriotic Sri Lankans should not go overseas and criticise the nation.
Copyright © 2012 The New Indian Express. All rights reserved.
Comments(4)
The most unfortunate thing is what the President understand as `separatism`is actually the only way to try to re-unite with the Tamil minority in Sri Lanka who are already very hurt over what the Government did during the war.Wars separate communities,but recognising their rights will never lead to separation.In Quebec the state language in French,and not English which is the majority language.But in the referandom held the people in Quebec voted for not wanting to seperate.
Posted by Champika Ratnayake at 08/16/2012 14:00 Reply to this Report abuse
Canada is correct and it is best to be followed. We need drastic changes in the constitution that would empower each and everyone of the people to participate in the governance of the country - not merely the .01%. Grant them the Right To Information of all matters connected to governance of the country,. the best political solution or system of governance to address the problems faced by various sections of the Sri Lankan society - particularly the poor, the politically weak and the various categories of “minorities” who do not carry any “political weight” - would be to DILUTE the powers of all elected representatives of the people by separating the various powers usurped in by the present Parliament and by horizontally empowering different sets of people’s representatives elected on different area basis to administer the different sets of the separated powers at different locations. So, try to UNITE THE COUNTRY BY RESPECTING THE DIGNITY OF EACH AND EVERY CITIZEN IN THE COUNTRY
Posted by Sie.Kathieravealu at 08/16/2012 19:08 Reply to this Report abuse
I have every right to criticise a government which has done so much harm to my beloved country, where evrer I go. Elam is the name given to the homeland of the Tamil people. It is Sinhala chauvinists like Mahinda, who are pushing Tamil people to sperate. My effort like othrs who accept autonomy of Elam, is to unite the country by voluntry decision of the Tamil people.
Posted by Dr Vickramabahu at 08/16/2012 14:21 Reply to this Report abuse
Thank you, Dr Vickramabahu. Tamils have been indebted to your efforts to get justice for them for a very long time.
Posted by Tamil at 08/23/2012 15:20 Reply to this Report abuse