RIYADH, 27 August 2005 — Sri Lankan expatriates in the Kingdom yesterday welcomed the Supreme Court decision to hold presidential elections this year and said they were happy that the verdict not only upheld the constitution of the country but also respected the democratic values of the nation.
“The court decision has put the record straight to hold the presidential poll according to the constitution,” said A.S.M. Illyas, president of the Sri Lankan Expatriates’ Society (SLES) in Riyadh, predicting that a new leadership may give a new look to the existing policies of the government.
“The fair judgment showed that the country’s judiciary, the executive and the legislature are functioning in watertight compartments according to democratic principles,” Dr. Dona Wijegunawardena, former Sri Lanka TV newscaster, told Arab News. “The decision has been given when the country has suffered a severe setback due to terrorism. It’s time that Sri Lanka learned from the Kingdom which has successfully brought terror under control,” she added. She hoped that the new leadership would combat this menace effectively.
“The verdict had shown the world that the judiciary is independent in the country and has further given confidence to its people that justice will be maintained at all costs,” Saifudeen Thassim, assistant general manager of the SAMBA Financial Group said, adding that the voters have got an opportunity to elect their president when the nation is undergoing a period of crisis due to various political problems
Thambirajah, a worker in a private establishment, said this is good news to all Sri Lankans working abroad. “We are sick of killings on both sides. What we want is peace in the country and a change in the leadership may lead the nation to the right road to peace,” he added.
On hearing the news, Nihal Gamage, former SLES president said he was worried about the future of the peace process. “The judgment was being delivered at a time when the present president was preparing to go for direct talks with the Tamil rebels,” Gamage said, lamenting that negotiations cannot be continued in this political environment.
“The court ruling has proved that Sri Lankan judiciary is above party politics and we hope that the government would hold the elections as directed by the Supreme Court,” S. Hamid Moulana, business development manager in a private establishment, said.
“The efforts of incumbent President Chandrika Kumaratunga to postpone the elections had miserably failed and the court has proved that the country cannot dance according to the whims and fancies of individuals,” observed a senior Sri Lankan expatriate who spoke to Arab News on condition of anonymity.
He added that people should act wisely to elect the right president who could maintain the territorial sovereignty of the country and work for the nation without fear or favor.
