By Charles.S.Perera

There are twoƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  candidates for the Presidential Elections scheduled for the 26^th Janurary, 2010.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  One is the incumbent President Mahinda Rajapakse, and the other the retired Commander of the Sri Lanka ArmyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sarath Fonseka .ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sarath FonsekaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  is a last minute candidate chosen by Ranil Wickramasinghe of the UNP, as their was no suitable man among the members of the UNP, who is respectableƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and popular enough to be nominatedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  for the highest office.

Ranil Wickramasinghe formed an ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ alliance ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ with three ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ other politically bankrupt Parties who have neither the political base norƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the people ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  recognizable statureƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to be nominatedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  as a candidateƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  for the Presidential election. They therefore, ropedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  inƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  with the help of theirƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  political friends of the foreign governments seeking to politicallyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  destabilizeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sri Lanka, the retired Army Commnder Sarath Fonseka to be their common candidate to contest the Presidential election.

The incumbent President Mahinda Rajapakse, whoƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  within three years of his taking officeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  harnessed the services ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of a formidableƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  combination of dependable persons such as one of his own brothers a military man of experience, a very cleverƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  military strategist, and equally clever naval and air force commanders, to carry out the military offencesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  against the terrorists ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ who had built a considerable military force, even better than that of the government, duringƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  nearly thirty years of a disastrousƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  rein of terror.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

The Sri Lanka ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Armed Forces were given aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  free hand to carryout its military offences against the terrorists without any interference by the government.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The President Mahinda Rajapakse himself took charge ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  keeping in checkƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the foreign interventionist governmentsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  from interfering into theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  military offensive against the terrorists, until the Government Armed forces completely annihilated the ruthless group of terrorists.

No one could dispute the enormous role the incumbent President Mahinda Rajapakse playedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  elimination of terrorism from Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  There had been many Presidents in Sri Lanka, as well as braveƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Army Commanders duringƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the three decades of terrorism, but none of them were able toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  end terrorism, as ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ those several PresidentsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  did not have the fortitude to stand by their conviction, andƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  determination to end terrorism.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

Therefore, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ no person with even the leastƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  intelligence couldƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  denyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  that it is ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to the President Mahinda Rajapakse, that we oweƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  our gratitude for the complete annihilation of terrorism in Sri Lanka.

But the Common Presidential Candidate Sarath Fonseka , claims he alone is responsible for the defeat of terrorism, and continues with absurd declarations whichƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  show, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ that he thoughƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  a very great ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ military strategists and contributed immensely ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for the defeat of terrorism in the performance of his functions as the Commander of the Army,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  is sadly not suitable to lead the nation as its President.

His claim that he alone was responsible for theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  defeat of the terrorists, is an affrontƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  to the Commanders of the Naval and Air Forces,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and numerous others who paidƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the highest prize to make theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  war against the terrorists a success.

Sarath Fonseka is a self-centered man goaded by pride, and blinded by fury. Therefore,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  heƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  does not realize that evenƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the battle against the terrorists, asƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ any enterprise,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  was a shared responsibility. Can such a man leadƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the Nation as itsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  President ?

Therefore, the only choice the people have, if they were to intelligently evaluate the period after the 2005 Presidential elections, notwithstanding the call for eradication of corruption and put an end to the government by a family etc; is to vote for the incumbent President Mahinda Rajapakse to continue his development projects in the peaceful climate he has brought to the people of Sri Lanka.

The people in Jaffna recently celebrated the Thaipongal, without fear,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in peace, and happiness,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  for the first time after thirty years of suffering under uncertainƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  condition of living with terrorism.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  So were the Tamil population in the east, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ who are witnessing today an unparalleled ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ developmentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  of the infrastructure, the roads, bridges , towns and villages, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ schools, hospitals, markets, and houses.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

The people who suffered most during the three decades of terrorism were the people in the North and East. They are being compensated for what they were deprived ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in the past, having been forced to ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ live with terrorism in their midst.

Some of the Sinhala voters , who have not suffered as muchƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  as the Tamils in the North and East fromƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the presence ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the scourge of terrorism amongst them, swayed by an avalanche of anti Mahinda Rajapakse propaganda, fail to see the reality of the end of terrorism, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ despite the fact that ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ it ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ was their very sons who sacrificed their lives to deliver Sri Lanka their motherland from the ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ disastrous cancer of terrorism that prevailed for nearly thirty years.

I was watching a television programƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in whichƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  a man somewhere in Colombo was askedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  what he thinks of the Presidential elections and what he expects.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  He spoke pretentiously that he is a socialist, but nevertheless, he ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ saidƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  he thinksƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  from what he had seen that there should be a change.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  What did this foolish SinhalaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  individual ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ reallyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  understand by ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- a change ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- ?ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

The President Mahinda Rajapakse who was electedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the President ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sri Lanka in 2005, had in three years ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ brought about the greatest ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- changeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ in Sri Lanka, that none had seen since the independence, or at least from what it had been during the last thirty years.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

These are the foolish SinhalaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  people who getƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  swayed byƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  words, without ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ taking time , with whatever intelligence they have, to reflect.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  These are also people who have not suffered as much as the Tamils in the North and East, orƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  have had no one of their kith or kin blown up by a terrorist bomb.

Yet these foolish Sinhala people could still be left to sink in their dirty puddlesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  of imbecility , but we cannot expect thisƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  from the Tamils, at least those in the North and the of East, to forsakeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the President Mahinda Rajapakse , for an illusive ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…- changeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚ .ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Because these Tamils were deliveredƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  from the worst of sufferingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  under the iron boots of terrorism,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  by none other thanƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the President MahindaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Rajapakse. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

There is a saying that the worms living in the faecal matter are quite content in their situation.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Therefore, there may still be ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ some of those Tamils who suffered under the jack boots of ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ terrorists , yet hoping for the division of Sri Lanka to set up aƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Tamil Eelam separate from the Sinhala.

A journalist visiting JaffnaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  on the day of the Thaipongal, wrote eloquently of what he witnessedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  as follows: ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-…………..it was a special sunƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  that marked the dawn ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  a New Year and more importantly, a new era full of hopes, evaporatingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  endless worries ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  decades long war .ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Of course it wasƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  a special day for the Tamil Community, because it was January 14ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦..In JaffnaƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the situation was even moreƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  exiting. ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ Happy faces with smiles pouringƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  out like milk spillingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  over the pongal pot, bore witness to theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  dramatic changesƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  over the last few monthsƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚¦.ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚

Both Jaffna and East are seeingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  unprecedented development,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  remarkably so after the elimination of terrorism on the 18 May,2009.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  IDPs in camps brought to safety by the soldiers ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the Sinhala Army are being rapidlyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  rehabilitated in their former homes abandonedƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  at the behest of the cruel terrorists who took them away to be kept as their human shield.

TheƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Tamil peopleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  in the North and East are once again free and happy .ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  TheyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  can move freely. They are no more isolated from the rest of the country, as A9 road has been reopened and buses ply regularly from Kandy, and train services have commenced ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ from Colombo.

All thatƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  and a bright hope for the future have come about, more significantly to the Tamil peopleƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  of the North East, becauseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  of the PresidentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Mahinda Rajapakse. It ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ is a real change that has been offered to ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ the Tamil people.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Therefore these Tamil people ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ should not have that same ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ foolish thought of the Sinhala man who does not see theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ dawn of hope in the North and East , and crave for another ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ…-changeƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”š‚, perhapsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  for the worst in voting for a Presidential Candidate other than theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  incumbent President Mahinda Rajapakse.

The Tamil people of the North and East have above all a moral right to vote for the incumbent President, and no one else.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  If the Tamils would not vote for the President Mahinda Rajapakse they will be the most ungrateful Community that occupies Sri Lanka.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ 

The Sinhala Buddhist youth who died in the war against terrorism gave their lives,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  firstly to save their motherland from being divided , and secondlyƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  toƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  give the people in the North East,ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  harassed and made to suffer by the terrorists, the freedom to live their ordinary lives in peace and without fear. The Sinhala Buddhist soldiers were willing to give their lives for those objectives as they knew that they wereƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  beingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  lead by a patriotic President with the determination to end the threeƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  decades of terror, a President they loved, as much as they respected him.

If in this Presidential election the Tamils, specially thoseƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  of the North and East, were not to vote for the President Mahinda Rajapakse, they would prove themselves to be a people who do not love their motherland but desire its division to create for them a Tamil Eelam.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  A people who wants to be separated from the Sinhala, and will therefore earn ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ for ever, to put mildly , the wrath, distrust, and the dislike, ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sinhala people.

The Educated Tamils like Kumar David, Pakiasothy Saravanamuttu, Rajan Philip and the rest of the Tamil politicians, writers and journalists, should work not for the separation of the Tamils from the Sinhala, but for the reconciliationƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  of the two Communities.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  By their divisive verbiage of hatredƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  they become the enemies ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Sri Lanka, nauseating scums polluting the atmosphere of our motherland at last united under a single National Flag.

After the elimination of terrorism, which was the result of the determination of the PresidentƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Mahinda Rajapakse, there should be a change of attitude of all the people that populate Sri Lanka ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚ to take the same pathƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  towards progress and development as a one nation, united and undivided.

Sarath Fonseka was a great Commander ofƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  the Army, but his vision of the future as a trained soldierƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  is different from that of Mahinda Rajapakse.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  Mahinda Rajapakse isƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  a man of the soil who understands the desire of theƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  peace lovingƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  ordinary people.ƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  The person we wantƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  now to lead the nation for itsƒÆ’-¡ƒ”š‚  development and progress and a real change for Sri Lanka is none other than the incumbent President Mahinda Rajapakse.