By EMMAN OVUAKPORIE in Columbia

COLOMBO—PRESIDENT of the Socialist Democratic Republic of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, has said that peace was the only way to ensure rapid development of any state or country. The president, whose country survived 30 years of terrorism, explained that “both peace and development work hand in hand because if there is no peace there is no way there is going to be development in any nation.”

Rajapaksa spoke at the 58th Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, CPA, conference in Colombo, capital of Sri Lanka.

He said: “For over three decades our country was ravaged by terrorism but today we have overcome that and you can see the reflection in our people and our education and health sectors which are one of the best in the world. Our population is 97 per cent literate today because of the peace we achieved of late that had eluded us for over 30 years, due to terrorism.

“We are not deterred as a nation as we want to equally empower our women with all available resources to further enhance development in our country and ensure they actively participate in politics.”