Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has asked Tamil business leaders to take part in the development of the war-ravaged North, which requires massive reconstruction after being taken over by the government forces from the LTTE.
Beginning with a few lines in Tamil language, Rajapaksa said Tamil business persons should come forward to help the innocent Tamil people who had been freed from terrorism, just as the Sinhalese were today helping the displaced Tamil people in the welfare villages.
Leaders and representatives of the Tamil business community from Colombo and other parts of Sri Lanka yesterday hailed Rajapaksa for bringing in peace in the country by defeating the LTTE and "unifying a divided nation".
Hindu leaders and influential members of the large Tamil business community in Sri Lanka were highly appreciative of the President's recent announcement that there would not be any minority community in the country.
They hailed Rajapaksa's statement saying all Sri Lankans will be citizens in a single country with equal rights and status, the presidential secretariat said in a statement.
More than 800 representatives of the Tamil business community felicitated the President at his residence last evening for the new hope given to the Tamils of being treated as equals, it said.
They pledged to support the President and the government in achieving the new development goals for the country as well as plans to carry out urgent reconstruction and restoration work in the North.
Rajapaksa, on his part said there could be no differences based on community in the country from now on.
"I consider it both my duty and responsibility to protect the Tamil people," the President said, adding that everyone should be able to live without fear, mistrust and with equal rights, and that everyone should join to rebuild a beautiful land.
