Politicos and commentators reacted as clear signs of Maithripala Sirisena's victory in the Sri Lanka Presidential elections started to emerge.
Here's what they had to say:
I spoke to Shri Maithripala Sirisena & congratulated him. I congratulate the people of Sri Lanka on the peaceful & democratic poll process.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) >January 9, 2015As a close friend & neighbour, reaffirmed India's continued solidarity & support for Sri Lanka's peace, development & prosperity.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) >January 9, 2015 Defeat of >#SriLanka 's authoritarian President Mahinda >#Rajapaksa shows how fair elections still best way to change rulers
— Husain Haqqani (@husainhaqqani) >January 9, 2015 Congratulations >#SriLanka !What a wonderful day!
— Erik Solheim (@SolheimDAC) >January 9, 2015 The people of >#SriLanka has proven all doomsayers wrong.Brilliant example to world on how to democratically get rid of authoritarian rule.
— Erik Solheim (@SolheimDAC) >January 9, 2015
"U.S. looks forward to working with Sri Lankan president-elect Maithripala Sirisena, Secretary of State John Kerry said. “I look forward to working with President-elect Maithripala Sirisena as his new government works to implement its campaign platform of a Sri Lanka that is peaceful, inclusive, democratic, and prosperous. I commend President Rajapaksa for accepting the results of the election in the proud tradition of peaceful and orderly transfers of power in Sri Lank.” > Read more
Tamil Maanila Congress leader B.S. Gnanadesikan said, it was always a known fact that if the Tamils in the island nation stood united against Mr. Rajapaksa, he had little chance of winning. Having won with the support of the Tamil votes, Maitripala Sirisena, the President-elect, should uphold the rights of the minority population, Mr. Gnanadesikan said. The Congress too welcomed the verdict. Party spokesperson A. Gopanna said devolution of powers to the Tamil minority should be the top priority of the new government. > Read more
The poll verdict in Sri Lanka comes as a sigh of relief to every body irrespective of racial background, said advocate and human rights activist Henri Tiphagne of People's Watch in Madurai. Reacting to the defeat of the Sri Lankan President Rajapaksa, he hoped that from now on, independent institutions of Sri Lanka, including the judiciary and the media, which had been throttled, would henceforth play the role it is expected of them. > Read more
"Today is the happiest day in my life and every Tamil family is celebrating the fall of Mahinda Rajapaksa," Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Vaiko said in Thanjavur on Friday. Maithripala Sirisena may not follow Mr. Rajapaksa's 'footsteps of tyranny', he said. "Mr. Sirisena is just another side of the same coin of Sinhala majoritarianism,'' he remarked. >Read more
“The Tamils have voted for change and we have to respect that,” said Douglas Devananda, the main Tamil ally of Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa. “Whether it is among the northern Tamils or others, there seems to have been a nation-wide desire for change,” he said on Friday. Anti-incumbency fatigue is not something uncommon, he added. > Read more
DMK leader M. Karunanidhi on Friday reiterated that there was no change in the party’s stand for subjecting former Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa into an international inquiry for his alleged involvement in the killing of Tamils in the last phase of the civil war. > Read more
The Tamil National Alliance thanked the people of Sri Lanka, particularly those in the north east, for extending their overwhelming support to President-elect Mr. Maithripala Sirisena "in accordance with the advice of the TNA.” >Read more
M.A. Sumanthiran, Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian and human rights lawyer said, "The Tamils recognised the importance of issues pertaining to the entire country, such as democracy, good governance, rule of law and independence of institutions. “We (TNA) played our part responsibly and urged the Tamils to vote for Mr. Sirisena. It is heartening to see that the Tamils have responded so well." > Read more
The Bharatiya Janata Party welcomed the change of guard in Sri Lanka and hoped that the ties between the two countries will strengthen further. > Read more
“The genocide in Sri Lanka in 2009 was very painful for all of us and Mr. Modi too was aware of how innocent Indians faced agony. At the same time there was nothing wrong in a prime minister wishing a country’s president. Today, Mr. Modi had already congratulated the new president also for his victory,” senior BJP leader Pon. Radhakrishnan said. > Read more
Sri Lanka’s new government must urgently address a legacy of pressing human rights issues left by the previous administration, Amnesty International said. > Read more
I have complete confidence that democracy will be established under Sirisena, says C.V. Wigneswaran, Chief Minister, Northern Province. > Read more
