Our country lost tens of thousands of lives due to terrorism over the past three decades and defeating terrorism was like a dream come true, said Ven Kottawe Nanda Thera who has been residing in the USA for nearly 25 years.

Addressing the press conference, Ven Nanda Thera said during these long years we browsed the Internet each morning and though we were living thousands of miles away from our Motherland the tragic incidents of killings were greatly felt by us more than when we lived here. But the pro-LTTE organizations and terrorists abroad had spread false propaganda saying Sri Lanka was a country of murderers, President Mahinda Rajapaksa is a leader who had the ideas to develop the country and if he was not elected, terrorism would raise its head under a different guise, he noted.

A Sri Lankan lawyer living in the UK Rani Bulathwela, said as persons living abroad they felt the danger of terrorism even more than some people living at home.

When the NDF candidate Sarath Fonseka made a statement betraying the Army once again the terrorist supporters living in Europe who were dormant after the defeat of the LTTE seemed to have come back to life. She was fully confident that President Mahinda Rajapaksa would be re-elected President.

Sri Lankan Expatriates Association President Senaka Rajapaksa said the Association had members all over the world. We contributed financial and technical support to help winning the war against terrorists. We are aware that the war had left a legacy of thousands of maimed soldiers and their dependents. It was our duty to vote for President Mahinda Rajapaksa and we have come to ensure that he wins the Presidential election.

A Sri Lankan living in the UK Anura Medagedara said at the final stages of the war when the LTTE was getting defeated the LTTE supporters and NGOs were staging demonstrations to stop the war.

Millions of sterling pounds were spent on some of the pro-LTTE organizations only to feed them during those demonstrations. Although the LTTE was defeated here their cadres including the intelligence and propaganda sections were still active in Europe and some other regions. Therefore, it was the duty of all Sri Lankans to re-elect President Rajapaksa who was the only national leader who had the capabilities to prevent a recurrence of terrorism.

Bandu Gunawardena living in France said President Mahinda Rajapaksa even as a young Member of Parliament was a humanitarian who had noble qualities. He treated all ethnic groups equally and he should be re-elected to ensure peace and development in the country. Akshen Punchihewa and Iranganie Pushpakumari also addressed the press conference.