Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa led Independence Day celebrations on Thursday, one week after being re-elected as the country’s leader. He addressed the nation for the first time since winning the election.

[Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sri Lankan President]:
"I will use this mandate given by you to re-establish all that was lost for the past 30 years due to the war. Our country which fell back in progress because of the war needs to be advanced swiftly. Peace alone is not enough.”

He also pledged to unite the divided ethnic groups in the country.

[Mahinda Rajapaksa, Sri Lankan President]:
"I am entrusted with the task of uniting the hearts of all sections of our people. I willingly take over the noble task of creating peace among our communities."

Official poll results showed that Rajapaksa won 58 percent of the vote in a race against General Sarath Fonseka, his former army commander during the successful campaign against Tamil tiger rebels.

The President failed to win support among minority Muslims and Indian Tamils living in the country.

It is the first national celebration since the civil war ended in May of last year.