Sri Lankan voters have repaid their gratitude to Mahinda Rajapaksa who brought an end to the 30-year-old conflict in the island, observed Mohammed Rasooldeen, Riyadh-based Sri Lankan journalist, who left the island on Friday after covering the presidential polls for Arab News, a leading English daily in the Middle East.

"President Rajapaksa was the only Sri Lankan president who took meaningful steps to eradicate terror in the country and created an example to be emulated by those who are affected from similar conflicts," Rasooldeen, who has been a journalist in Saudi Arabia for the past 28 years, said.

He said Rajapaksa was victorious in his fight against terror and the people honoured him by offering them an overwhelming support for all what the president has done for the country.

"The re-election is a fitting tribute to the president who stood against international pressure to free the country from the rebels," the journalist said, indicating that he was bold, courageous, confident and understood the pulse of the people. The people have now given a mandate to continue President Rajapaksa’s good work done for the benefit of the nation, the veteran scribe said.

"The victory speech of the president clearly indicated his generosity and commitment towards the nation when he said: ‘I am the president for all Sri Lankans whether they voted for me or not.’ President Rajapaksa, by virtue of his 40 years of political background, knows the needs of the nation and he will justify the confidence reposed in him," the journalist noted.

Rasooldeen pointed out that during his brief stay in the island he saw for himself the major development work that had been carried out in all parts of the country.

"In the Trincomalee district alone, he had built four bridges for the people who had been using ferry service from time immemorial.

"In Kinniya, people said that President Rajapaksa was the only leader who solved our century-old problem, while others simply promised and disappeared," Rasooldeen recalled.

The journalist also stressed that now the elections are over and people must rally round the re-elected leader to lend their support for his forward march which would eventually benefit the whole nation. "Let us not waste our time in pointing fingers at each other, its good to follow the democratically elected victor for the greater good of the nation."