Mahinda Rajapaksa deserves Nobel Peace Prize

Mahinda Rajapaksa is a visionary with absolute commitment to the democratic rights and the well being of the people of Sri Lanka. He is determined to work relentlessly to ensure that the people of Sri Lanka – Sinhala, Tamil, Malay and Burgher – live as equal citizens enjoying democratic rights and freedoms in a peaceful and prosperous nation.

Addressing the swearing-in ceremony of the new Chief Minister for the Eastern Provincial Council Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan (Pillayan), President Rajapaksa re-iterated that all stakeholders to the Eastern Provincial Council (EPC) should refrain from cultivating any type of animosity, jealousy and discord.

They should work unitedly, in harmony with each other, to realise the true value and potential of the franchise of the people whom they represent, irrespective of their race and creed.

“They should set the standards and benchmarks to the entire nation. They should work in unison for the betterment and prosperity of their motherland. If they fail to achieve these objectives, the whole country would suffer the consequences and head for chaos and destruction.”

“This land belongs to all of us, to the Sinhalese, Muslims and the Tamils, sans any discrimination, to live in harmony. “the President stressed.

Although the Provincial Council Administrative System was initially devised for the benefit of the Tamil speaking people of the North and the East, ironically to date, it had failed miserably in its implementation within that region.

“Political solutions need not be confined solely to racks and tables or to Constitutions, but they should evolve from the people, the man on the street, and be implemented for their benefit. We are a Government which understands when and where we should legitimately adopt a gun or the political solution policy, as appropriate, to suit the conditions and situations demanded,” President said.

“However, today for the first time ever, we have accomplished that arduous task of establishing the Provincial Council, as a remedy and solution to the problems faced by the Tamil-speaking community and also succeeded in electing their own representatives to fulfil their aspirations”, he noted.

“Do not think in terms of a Sinhalese, Tamil or Muslim leader, and lead the country to chaos. Let us think as Sri Lankans,” President Rajapaksa added. These words demonstrate President Rajapaksa’s statesmanship, character and vision.

The entire Nation now rallies round the Government and the Security Forces to encourage them on the noble mission of liberating the people in the entire Northern peninsula from the scourge of terrorism and restoring democracy.

In this crucial time, the democratic and peace-loving world is duty bound to strengthen President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He deserves no less than the Nobel Peace Prize for his relentless endeavor for peace and democracy.

Obama Looking for a Democratic State Governor as His Running Mate

With party nomination a near certainty, Senator Barrack Obama was reportedly looking for a Vice Presidential candidate from among the 28 Democratic governors in the country. He has scheduled a meeting with the governors in Chicago on June 16th according to several news sources. State governors targeted were those where a shift in allegiance from Republican to Democratic was considered highly likely in November this year. Some governors mentioned were: Tom Vilsack of Iowa, Edward Rendell of Pennsylvania, Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Mike Easley of North Carolina. Meanwhile, at least 15 to 25 additional super delegates were expected to endorse Senator Barrack Obama today as the primary season ended in S. Dakota and Montana. Obama was getting closer to the requisite 2,118 delegate number to clinch the nomination, as I write.

It looks like the end of the road for Clinton, a 30 year-veteran who has been a political stalwart of stature by her own right. Even though she just missed the nomination she so eagerly craved, people would remember her for the gritty manner she fought. It is a dilemma to confront the endgame; her supporters divide between those who would cede gracefully to Barrack Obama and those who would take the fight to the party convention in August.

Most observers believe that she would cede for the sake of the party and its prospects against the Republican candidate John McCain in November. Hers was a feisty campaign; showing resilience and strength of character beyond all doubt. Some believe that in clinging on, she risks bringing what has been a thrilling duel to a scrappy and raucous end in which all the good things about this campaign are forgotten. Both she and Obama deserve to be remembered for a hard fought fight.

In retrospect, both candidates made serious errors. While Obama handled the enigmatic race question with sophistication and assurance, he tripped over his turbulent priest Jeremiah Wright. His decision to break not only with the pastor, but also with the church whose congregation he belonged to for 20 years, was probably a necessary step towards electability. But the price paid may take a toll sooner or later.

Senator Barrack Obama Clinches Democratic Nomination

Senator Barrack Obama has effectively clinched the Democratic presidential nomination even if he were to lose both S. Dakota and Montana as many super delegates have just expressed their endorsements of Obama-he may win both primaries tonight. Based on a tally of convention delegates, both pledged and super delegates Obama has exceed the required 2,118 delegate count now. He becomes the first black candidate ever to lead his party into a fall campaign for the White House. He had greater sustaining power than his gamey contender Hillary Clinton who fought to the last primary.

Both Obama and Clinton drew historic voter turnout primary after primary. It looked somewhat racially polarizing towards the end as Texas, Pennsylvania, Illinois and Virginia rallied behind Clinton. Obama is certain of getting more than the 2,118 delegates for clinching the party nomination at the Convention in August. The 46-year-old first term senator will face Sen. John McCain of Arizona in the fall campaign to become the 44th president.

The anatomy of the Obama win was described as a combination of unstoppable prodigious fundraising, ultra modern organizing skills delivered meticulously and his theme of change that motivated an electorate opposed to the Iraq war and worried about the economy. These were harnessed to his own innate gifts as an orator and a campaigner.

Clinton campaigned from the beginning as the candidate of experience ready to be president from day one, a former first lady and second-term senator of repute. It may have overstated the position so much as to sound like a scolding voice of a seasoned veteran jostling against a charismatic and audacious charmer,

But after a somewhat shaky year on the trail, Obama won the first Iowa caucuses on January. 3, 2008. Suddenly, the 46 year-old upstart had become acceptable currency-in fact, sovereign gold

His acceptance speech after winning Iowa was ''We came together as Democrats, as Republicans and independents, to stand up and say we are one nation, we are one people and our time for change has come.” A video built around Obama's ''Yes, we can'' rallying cry quickly went ballistic. It drew its one millionth hit within a few days of being posted,