Former Sri Lankan Defence Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa has been sworn in as the country’s new President.

The country’s Chief Justice, Jayantha Jayasuriya on Monday administered the oath of office of  Rajapaksa at the ancient Ruwanweli Seya Buddhist temple in north-central Sri Lanka.

In his inauguration speech, Rajapaska who is credited with helping end the country’s civil war appealed to minority Tamils and Muslims who voted against him to give him their support.

Despite the fears raised by the minorities about his election as a result of the allegations of human rights violations against him dating from the war, Rajapaska comfortably won Saturday’s presidential election.

“We knew from the beginning that our majority Sinhala people will be the biggest factor in our victory. 

“Even though I knew I could win the presidential election with the support of the Sinhala people alone, I made a special request to Tamil and Muslim people to be partners in that victory. But their response was not to my expectation,” he said.

“But as your new President I ask you again to rally around me as true Sri Lankans for the sake of the future development of our country,” Rajapaksa said in an address to the nation.

Rajapaksa said although he will maintain Sinhala and Buddhism as the country’s primary culture and provide them with state support, he will allow other groups to preserve their religious and cultural identities.

He also pledged to prioritize national security following suicide attacks last Easter Sunday which killed 269 people and to follow a neutral foreign policy.

Rajapaksa, who was Secretary of the Defence Ministry in a government led by his brother and former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is credited with playing a crucial role in ending the separatist civil war by ethnic Tamil rebels.

“We want to remain neutral in our foreign relations and stay out of conflicts among the world powers. We request all countries to respect our country’s unity and sovereignty in dealing with us,” Rajapaksa added.

Under the Rajapaksa brothers, Sri Lanka’s military was accused of targeting civilians in the civil war and killing rebels and civilians who surrendered in the final days of the fighting.