The Ceylon News

A buoyant Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Monday hailed the victory of his coalition in the Western Provincial elections as a message to the international community that people are against "brutal terrorism".

"This Western Province mandate has sent a decisive message to the international community," Rajapaksa said after the victory in which his United People Freedom Alliance (UPFA) secured almost a two-third majority.

"It (electorate) has categorically declared that no power has any right or moral justification to bail out brutal terrorism at a time when the last lines in the final chapter are being written," Rajapaksa said in a statement.

The ruling United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) led by Rajapaksa gained over one million votes and 64.73 percent of the votes polled in the elections held yesterday. It got 68 seats out of the 104 as against 59 seats in the previous Western Provincial Council elections held five years ago.

The main Opposition United National Party led by former Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe won only 30 seats in the elections while obtaining only 29.5 percent and getting 6.89 lakh votes.

The splintered Marxist People's Liberation Front (JVP), which fought the election alone managed to garner 3 seats, whereas Sri Lanka Muslim Congress won 2 and Democratic Unity Alliance obtained 1 seat.

"This overwhelming majority of the UPFA in the Western Provincial Council coincides with the end of terrorism which plagued the country for three decades, rekindles new aspirations that augur well for the Motherland," Rajapaksa said.

"I would like to mention here that the priority of the newly elected Western Provincial Councillors should be to be in the forefront of the efforts to create a united Sri Lankan nation. I appeal to all, including those in the Opposition to join me fraternally for the same," he said.

The Minister of Mass Media and Information Anura Priyadharashan Yapa said the voters were "highly inspired and clearly responded to the call of the President for a united Sri Lanka.

"The President believed in himself in wiping out terrorism, and the people also believed in him," the minister said.