Sri Lanka's Prime Minister says, Rajapaksa strongest man in Sri Lanka’s history

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 17 August 2010, 10:48 GMT]
Sri Lanka’s Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne said that incumbent President Mahinda Rajapaksa is the strongest man in Sri Lanka’s 2500 year old history, the state owned Dinamina newspaper said in a front page article. Speaking at the opening of the Hambantota Port, Premier Jayaratne said Sri Lanka has seen kings such as Parakramabahu, Dutugamunu and Walagamba build rivers for the country, but no one has seen an individual such as Mahinda Rajapaksa who has taken Sri Lanka's development drive to the highest level possible within a short span of just four years.

“No one has done what President Rajapaksa has done in terms of development to the country,” Jayaratne said.

“He is providing electricity for all, expanding the country’s road networks, building airports, ended a 30 year long war and is now developing the country’s war torn north, so taking Sri Lanka’s history into account even in comparison to the kings who ruled the country, Rajapaksa has emerged the strongest man in history,” he said.

However, Sri Lanka has alienated itself from the West, and is under extreme pressure to allow independent investigations into war-crimes allegedly committed under Rajapakse's rule. Tamil circles responded that while Rajapakse enjoys support from the majority, nationalist segment of the Sinhala population, the near autocratic rule by the Rajapakse family will have long term repercussions to the unity and integrity of the Sri Lankan state.