War on terror: Majority satisfied with President

[Tuesday, December 18, 2007 - 9.10 GMT] 

An opinion poll recently conducted by the survey research unit of the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) reveals that the overwhelming majority of the Sri Lankan people are satisfied with the way the President Rajapakse is conducting the war.

On the one hand, the survey shows that the majority of the country’s main ethnic group (Sinhalese) supports the government’s war on terror (87.3%) and approves its rule of law (84.4%).

On the other hand, the poll also reveals how a significant segment of the main minority ethnic groups too (contrary to popular beliefs) approve the government’s performance in conducting the war and in preservation of law and order: while 42% of the Muslim community and 21% of the non-upcountry Tamil community are satisfied with the law & order situation of the country, respectively 49.8% (Muslims) & 20% (non-upcountry Tamils) are pleased with the way in which the government is fighting the battle with the terrorists. This proves that the great majority of the Sri Lankan population is behind the government in its campaign against terror.

The above results of the November 2007 survey reflect the opinion of Sri Lankans who live in eight provinces (excluding the North, East included) on issues such as war, peace, security, the economy, human rights, media freedom, corruption, balances of military power and so on and so forth.