On the occasion of the National Day of Sri Lanka, commemorating the 58th anniversary of the country’s independence from foreign rule, I am pleased to convey my warm felicitations and best wishes to fellow citizens in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The National Day affords us the opportunity to take stock of our past achievements and failures since regaining our freedom in 1948. We can be justifiably proud of our deep-rooted democratic tradition and strong institutions such as an independent judiciary and a free press. Successive governments, even prior to independence have invested heavily in the most valuable resource of the country — its people. Today, Sri Lanka can boast of a high literacy rate of over 92% and a life expectancy of about 75 years, on a par with developed nations, despite a modest per capita income of $1,000.
Our country is presently at a cross-roads — there were genuine fears that the cease-fire agreement between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and the government signed in February 2002 was on the brink of a collapse, following the recent spate of attacks by the LTTE on the government security forces. It is a tribute to the sagacity of our newly elected President Mahinda Rajapakse that the government of Sri Lanka resolutely refused to be ensnared in this devious plot to push the country to war. Therefore, the announcement of direct talks between the government and the LTTE in Geneva later this month on the implementation of the cease-fire agreement has come as welcome relief to all peace-loving people of Sri Lanka.
President Rajapakse was elected on a popular mandate in November 2005 to usher in an era of honorable peace, while safeguarding the territorial integrity and unity of the nation. On this occasion, we remember with deep gratitude, the sacrifices of our national heroes who struggled for freedom from four and a half centuries of foreign domination and in more recent times, the valiant members of our armed forces who laid down their lives in the defense of the nation.
The Sri Lankan economy recorded a growth of 5.3% last year, overcoming the setback caused by the tsunami disaster and weathering the shock of steep oil prices. The resilience of the national economy reflects the indomitable spirit and courage of the people of Sri Lanka. The prospects for sustained economic growth this year are promising. However, peace and stability are an essential sine qua non for economic development.
On this auspicious day, I join the Sri Lankan expatriate community in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in reaffirming our hope for the dawn of an era of durable peace and prosperity in our beloved motherland.
A.M.J. Sadiq
Ambassador
