Rajapaksa speaks of development and peace. On the war: "Forget the past"
Colombo (AsiaNews) - "I am the president of the whole nation," "without development there can be no peace," we must forget the past and begin a new life. " A little more than three months after the thirty-year war with the Tamil Tigers, the Sri Lankan President, Mahinda Rajapaksa, is launching a "new battle" for the future of the country.
In a long interview with U.S. magazine Forbes the strong man of Colombo speaks of "permanent peace", "reconciliation" and seeks to restore international credibility overshadowed by allegations of war crimes and human rights violations committed during conflict. "I don’t divide the population into Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslim and middle class - says Rajapaksa - I distinguish between those who love the country and those who do not." To the more difficult questions on issues such as victims of war, the conditions of Tamil refugees in refugee camps, and economics of the country, the President answered in ways that were at times vague, at times more specific.
He has few words for the victims of the conflict: the president says he hopes that “Sri Lanka does not follow the example of Africa and Europe" and invites all involves "to forget the past and begin a new life". His wish is the same for the situation of the more than 265 thousand Tamil refugees, scattered between the centres of Vavuniya, Jafnna or hospitals in the north: Rajapaksa declares himself a "president of the entire nation" that makes no distinction according to ethnicity or creed, but based on love of country.
On the economic situation in Sri Lanka the president is more generous with details: he cites the growth of 6%, inflation at 1, 1%, the increased income per capita from 1,000 to 2 thousand dollars. As for the criticisms of those who say that the country is moving away from traditional jobs and industry to pursue the global market, Rajapaksa responds: "We must have a 'model Sri Lanka'. I prefer [an economy] based on agriculture. If you can be self-sufficient in food, then industries will follow”.
The President is emboldened also by the 2.5 billion dollars allocated in July by the International Monetary Fund to allow Sri Lanka to cope with the loss of international reserves, flight of capital and its’ chronic deficit. Rajapaksa says he wants to tackle corruption and waste head on, two scourges that have plagued the country, and its real economy, for decades and hesays, "I'm the man closest to the people and I risk my life for the country. This is why I won the conflict and it is also why I will win the economic war”.
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