(By: Walter Jayawardhana)Calling it the plain truth President Mahinda Rajapaksa said if Sri Lanka failed in her war against the LTTE the world will fail in its fight against terrorism and democracy will be victim addressing the Oxford University Student Union.
"The LTTE is the most brutal terror outfit the world has ever seen and defeating them requires global support. What Sri Lanka is doing is fighting the terror outfit single handed to ensure that democracy and respect for human life prevail in the world," the President said.
Calling the LTTE the main obstacle to development in Sri lanka the President said, it is time the world raising its united voice express its utter revulsion of the barbaric practice of suicide bombings and that form of political expression, if it could be described as such is utterly unacceptable in the civilized world.
Speaking to a packed house of British, expatriate Sri Lankans and Asian students the President pointed out at the Oxonians like the late S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike whose wife was the first woman Prime Minister of the world and the late Laxman Kadirgamar , a former President of the Oxford Union who was brutally assassinated by the LTTE.
Sri Lankan Society President Dilan Fernando and his members were joined by Pakistani, Palestine, Indian and Chinese Socociety members in felicitating the President. Thai Society also sent their delegation to the audience. Sarah Iqbal of the Oxford Indian Society presented the President with a bouquet of flowers and Saiquat Nandi praised him for his fight against terrorism.
Thahir Mansoor of the Oxford Pakistani Union praised the President for his strengthening relationships with his country and fighting to restore the membership of Pakistan in the Commonwealth. Imran Zahid presented President Rajapaksa with a bouquet of flowers. Lihul Wang of the oxford Chinese Society presented the President with bouquet of flowers and praised the thousands of year old friendship between Sri Lanka and China. At the end of the speech the audience gave the President a standing ovation.
The full text of his speech can be seen here
Source: Ministry of Defence, Public Security, Law & Order - Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
