Sri Lanka, rising star of Asian economy – FOX NEWS
Which country had the best performing market in 2010? FOX NEWS asked in a special report on Sri Lanka. ‘Guess what? It was not the United States of America! The best performing stock market was Sri Lanka’s CSE which was up 96% for the year’, they said.
Calling Sri Lanka ‘the rising star of the Asian economy’, FOX NEWS said Sri Lanka has demonstrated economic resilience amid a global economic downturn, emerging as a success story for others to emulate.
Sri Lanka has now returned to peace and prosperity, the report said adding that the government has devoted millions of dollars to develop and restore life in the areas affected by the decades-long conflict.
‘Most people displaced by the fighting have returned home as the country focuses on healing and reconciliation’.
FOX NEWS also refers to a US Senate report which called the victory against the LTTE one of the few times in history that a terrorist group has ever been defeated.
Stating that Sri Lanka is Asian’s oldest democracy, it adds:
‘continuing its rich traditions of democracy and political freedom, elections were held in 2010 throughout the entire country for the first time since 1983’.
FOX NEWS also states that Sri Lanka is a ‘hub of religious tolerance’.
‘The natural beauty of its tropical forests, beaches, mountainous landscapes and cultural heritage make it a place of unrivaled splendor that has long been praised by travel writers’, it adds.
Following is the FOX NEWS transcript:
Sri Lanka is an island nation with a rich cultural heritage and a written history of over 2500 years. Nestled below the Southern tip of India, Sri Lanka is home to 21 million ethnically diverse people including Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Burghers and Malays.
It is Asia’s oldest democracy and a hub of religious tolerance.
Sri Lanka is also the rising star of the Asian economy situated at the centre of the global shipping routes. It plays a vital role in international trade linking East and West.
The country is famous for producing and exporting its world-renowned Ceylon teas, clothing from Asian global manufactures, rubber products, jewellery and gems such as blue sapphires and Ceylon rubies as well as coconut products, spices and a variety of herbs.
Its stock market has in recent years been one of the world’s best performing exchanges. Sri Lanka’s economy is currently on the rise as it is expected to grow by 7.2% in 2010. Amid a global economic downturn, Sri Lanka has demonstrated economic resilience emerging as a success story for others to emulate.
Tourism plays an increasingly important role in Sri Lanka’s booming economy and Sri Lanka has been recognized as a world class tourist destination. The natural beauty of its tropical forests, beaches, mountainous landscapes and cultural heritage make it a place of unrivaled splendor that has long been praised by travel writers.
In January 2010 the New York Times named Sri Lanka its top tourist destination. National Geographic also named Sri Lanka one of its 25 best trips of the year. The magazine found that; “Sri Lanka is finally starting to look like its old self, a peaceful destination where surf lineups are nonexistent despite world class waves and centuries old tea estates are lined with mountain bike –ready trails.”
During the first half of 2010, tourist arrivals doubled compared to the same time the previous year. In May 2009 Sri Lanka prevailed in decades-long conflict against the terrorist group the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). A US Senate report called the victory one of the few times in history that a terrorist group has ever been defeated.
Sri Lanka has now returned to peace and prosperity. The government with the assistance of foreign aid has devoted millions of dollars to develop and restore life in the areas affected by the decades-long conflict. Roads and other infrastructure have been rebuilt and social development programs are in place and more are being planned. Most people displaced by the fighting have returned home as the country focuses on healing and reconciliation.
Sri Lanka gained universal suffrage in 1931 and Independence from the British in 1948. Continuing its rich traditions of democracy and political freedom, elections were held in 2010 throughout the entire country for the first time since 1983.
Sri Lankans went to the polls twice in 2010, first to elect a President and then a new Parliament. The people of Sri Lanka re-elected President Rajapaksa with a record mandate. In the April Parliamentary elections, the President’s party won 2/3 of the votes, a resounding victory for the President’s policies. Since May 2009 Sri Lanka has experienced a tremendous political, social and economic transformation that has benefited and rejuvenated all Sri Lankans. The country is committed to peace, reconciliation and prosperity for all with the hope of making Sri Lanka the Wonder of Asia.
The National Geographic Channel in an exclusive report categorized Sri Lanka as the second best place to visit.
The commentators, the Times Travel Writer Jil Crawshow and Editor of Wandertrust Magazine describe Sri Lanka as ‘definitely a best place to visit’.
Referring to the first world traveller Marco Polo’s description of his ‘favourite island’, as the ‘Jade Pendant in the Indian Ocean’, the commentators state that Sri Lanka is exactly what it is and that it has got ‘basically everything for a tourist’.
Observing that in Sri Lanka a tourist may have a ‘beach to yourself’, they add that the country has hundreds of miles of ‘amazingly undiscovered beaches and coral marine life’. ‘It is arguably one of the greatest islands for beaches’, they add.
They report that Sri Lanka has a wonderful history and culture in a really small space and state that Sigiriya is a place not to be missed because of its scenic beauty.
‘You don’t get to number two without some must-see sights’, they add.
Stating that Sri Lanka’s wildlife is a ‘major highlight’, they refer to the availability of elephants and leopards, making a special reference to the Pinnawala Elephant Sanctuary. Pinnawala is now the largest herd in captivity with 65 elephants. It opened with seven elephants in 1975.
They also comment on the ‘lovely food’ and point out, ‘if anyone wants to taste spicy curry then, definitely, Sri Lanka is the place to go’. ‘Sri Lanka has a little bit of everything’, they said.
Source: Government News Portal
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GO SRI LANKA GO SRI LANKA GO
yes no wonder,we have to thanksfull to our president his the one who stop bloody ltte terrorist and try to deverlope our tiny island.God bless my lanka.
Tamil Eelam is a country within Sri Lanka. At the moment it being colonized by sinhalese with some international (China, India – strange bedfellows) support. But when Eelam is freed, it will flourish better than Sri Lanka. Please wait; God is helping the Eelam Tamils though.
Prays to Lord. Sri lanka is My mothering land I’m wait for have this 3\5 of my life.Jaya Jaya Jayashiri to our nation to our country to our kids!!!
Rohan Jayasinghe
Anand is an eelamist, probably well settled as a refugee in a Western country enjoying their welfare benefits and committing fraud and crime, to fatten the purse of the diaspora LTTE. He is having pipe dreams with the other eelamists. Let them enjoy their pipe dreams. If they return to LTTE terrorism in SL, our Hon President will be happy to oblige them also with coup de grace, to send them packing to hell, to join psychopath VP and his mates to meet Hitler, Stalin and Saddam Hussein et alia.
The eelamists and diaspora LTTE cannot bear to witness the economic boom enjoyed by SL following the utter destruction of the LTTE by our valiant MR, GR and heroic defence forces. The ordinary majority Tamil civilians, like Pillayan, enjoy peace at last to re-build their battered lives, after the tsunami of LTTE fanaticism. Generations of Tamil youths and children were conscripted by the evil VP to die in vain to try to fulfil his pipe dream! Their parents cried to God daily and offered pooja to end the evil LTTE. God heard their prayers and ended their misery. Dreamers like Anand who cannot bear to witness the growing economic boom in SL wants to return to LTTE terrorism to bring chaos to the majority ordinary Tamil SL citizens who have distanced themselves from LTTE evil.
I say to evil Anand and his ilk, “Go to Tamil Nadu to join Vaiko and Nedumaran to agitate for your eelam there. Start your terrorism in Tamil Nadu for the 70 million Tamils there. It is more logical to do so. Don’t try it in SL where the Tamils number only 4 lakhs at the most, with 60% of them in the South. Tamils have already ‘colonised’ our cities, Colombo, Wellawatte, Kotahena, Mutwal, Pettah etc. When our Sinhalese and Muslims try to return to their homelands in Jaffna and the Wanni you make such a hue and cry, saying they are ‘colonising’ Tamil eelam deshaya. You will never win. SL is one country, home for all citizens. They are free to settle down anywhere they like to build their lives and build the economy of the country.
Anand,
You are talking abuot a day dream. Why you don’t you go back to Tamilnadu? That is your home land and not Sri Lanka. Go there and create your so called eelam over there. If you come again to fight for an eelam in Sri Lanka you all will be wiped out for ever and ever.
Dayaratne Bandara.
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Hey Anand,
I admire you mate for your honesty, sincerity and conviction. You are a true manifestation of tamil nationalism, which we the Sinhahala Buddhists have failed to recognise and appreciate for many many years.
I do believe you have a distinct national identitiy that is represented by young men with gunpowder filled testicles and young women who adore dyanamite padded bras. ( Pardon me Nicholas, I am carried away by Mr Anand).
Dear Anand, I have found a home for you and that is Kanimoli Land across the ocean. That’s where you came from in the “thoni”s by stealth at night.
That’s where your home is Anand, I am prepared to give my life in helping you to get there.
There’s paradise awaiting you over there dear Anand. All your diaspora intellectuals who used their money to buy weapons for your child soldiers to kill Sinhala buddhist villagers in Kebettigollawa and place bombs in the Fort railway Station and all over the place, can now send you people money to develop your place in Tamil Nadu.
But my friend Ananad, when you are going there once and for all, please don’t forget to take Pillayan the blogger with you. And also don’t forget Sambanthan, Col Karuna and KP and Douglas and also those tamils in Colombo who have colonised Wellawatte, Kotahena etc.
So Anand, I love you mate and I wish you well in your endeavours in carving out a place in your land of origin, Tamil Nadu.
Thanks Guru for your sarcastic reply to Anand, the diaspora LTTE rep. Their homeland is in Tamil Nadu. Let them cry for eelam for TN for their 70 million Tamils. But they dare not, the cowards.
However, we are a multicultural, multiethnic society in SL. Hence, good people, whatever their ethnic origin, who have been citizens of SL for generations should be made welcome to remain in Mother Lanka, for they are just as much her children, who serve to develop Mother Lanka in every aspect. This includes the true indigenous people of SL, the Aadivaasis (Veddas).