Rural people should be given the results of giant development works
– President
We have to give the rural people who comprises 80 percent of our
population the results of giant development works we have initiated in
the country. It is not only an expectation but also a challenge which we
are ready to take up, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.
Addressing the 64th Independence Day celebrations at Anuradhapura on
Saturday President said that we would be able to utilize the giant
development works built by us for national development only if we can
bring up a citizen equipped with modern, scientific, technical and
language skills and who could be on par with anybody else in the world.
“We would be able to exist as an independent, sovereign state only if
we strengthen our economy. We have to get together and work just as we
got together and worked with dedication to defeat terrorism,” President
added. Conspiracies and propaganda of terrorists based overseas have not
abated still. When such things happen abroad some people here do various
things to destabilize the Motherland. They expect to achieve in Sri
Lanka certain results that happened in some countries of the world.
Both these groups are one. Fuel and nutrition for this struggle in
Sri Lanka are received from separatism active in foreign lands. We are
engaged in the task of creating a stable peace and national unity after
liberating the country from terrorism.
This is not a task confined to one individual or a party. Remember,
the country would not benefit by trying to please selfish groups who
receive foreign funds. Similarly solutions cannot be obtained by
implementing the proposals of extremist groups of whatever persuasion.
What is required today is the formulation of policies based on a vision
that is commonly applicable to the whole country. Ethnic communities
have no separate regions.
The entire country belongs to all ethnic communities, President
Rajapaksa added. Referring to Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation
Commission report tabled in Parliament on December 17, President said
“Since then we have done a lot”.
Text of the speech:
Today we have come to a city with a great history to commemorate the
64th anniversary of Independence. This city was established prior to 400
BC. Even the wind that blows from a city that exemplified prosperity,
pride, religion and great traditions for thousands of years reminds the
Sri Lankan nation of independence, freedom and prosperity.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa. Picture by Sudath Silva |
On this occasion I pay the nation's respect to the war heroes who
dedicated their lives and all others who were committed to freedom. You
know freedom is an immense responsibility for us today. During the war
previous governments could blame everything on the war and escape.
However, the people who reached peace after war expected to march from
inefficiency to efficiency, from unemployment to employment, from
impurity to purity and from backwardness to modernity.
The people who then forgot everything else and demanded a bunker for
the village and a rifle to defend lives, today expect not only
electricity, water, housing, highways, higher education but also a law
abiding, clean and a modern Sri Lanka. What your requested me when I
visited Kebethigollawa sometime ago is different from what you request
me today.
National development
Therefore, during the three years after gaining freedom from
terrorism we have been able to use that freedom to give the Motherland
an immense value much more than that given during the half century since
Independence in 1948.
Today we have built the country to that status when we could draw the
map of the Motherland more proudly than then. We have still to go a long
way. We have to give the rural people who comprises 80 percent of our
population the results of giant development works we have initiated in
the country. It is not only an expectation but also a challenge which we
are ready to take up.
We would be able to utilize the giant development works built by us
for national development only if we can bring up a citizen equipped with
modern, scientific, technical and language skills and who could be on
par with anybody else in the world.
When the late C. W. W. Kannnangara presented the Free Education Act,
D. A. Rajapaksa was also among S. A. Wickremasinghe, N.M. Perera, S. W.
R. D. Bandaranaike, J. R. Jayewardene, A. Ratnayake, W. Dahanayke and
others who supported it. Just like those who were dedicated to free
education and health then Mahinda Chinthana is dedicated to defend those
rights of the people today. We will not allow anyone to deprive the
people of those rights.
The economic crises in the world also affect our country. But thanks
to the Gama Neguma, Divi Neguma and the immense revival of agriculture
we face this world food crisis very well. You know that we are becoming
self-sufficient in food and are strong enough even to export food to the
world outside. It is also important to understand the problems we face
due to the rise in oil and gas prices. It is important to be aware of
the reality. In face of all these we should be prepared to demonstrate
our strength and courage to the world.
We would be able to exist as an independent, sovereign state only if
we strengthen our economy. We have to get together and work just as we
got together and worked with dedication to defeat terrorism.
Conspiracies and propaganda of terrorists based overseas have not abated
still. When such things happen abroad some people here do various things
to destabilize the Motherland.
They expect to achieve in Sri Lanka certain results that happened in
some countries of the world. Both these groups are one. Fuel and
nutrition for this struggle in Sri Lanka are received from separatism
active in foreign lands.
Foreign funds
We are engaged in the task of creating a stable peace and national
unity after liberating the country from terrorism.
This is not a task confined to one individual or a party. Remember,
the country would not benefit by trying to please selfish groups who
receive foreign funds. Similarly solutions cannot be obtained by
implementing the proposals of extremist groups of whatever persuasion.
What is required today is the formulation of policies based on a vision
that is commonly applicable to the whole country. Ethnic communities
have no separate regions.
The entire country belongs to all ethnic communities. Lessons Learnt
and Reconciliation Commission has stated that all are responsible for
this problem. All those who act according to their conscience should
take heed of this statement. Therefore, we have already started
implementing what was in the Commission. The report was tabled in
Parliament on December 17. Since then we have done a lot.
Parliamentary democracy
Acting against public opinion using executive power is not
democratic. We are committed to parliamentary democracy as well as to
the country's law, independence of the judiciary and good governance.
Sri Lanka is the Asian democratic state which has practiced universal
suffrage without gender discrimination uninterruptedly for the longest
period. We are committed to defend the right to make and break
governments through universal suffrage.
We all know that Parliament representing people including all
parties, ethnic communities, religions is the supreme democratic
institution. Therefore we believe that the mechanism for solving the
National Question is the Parliamentary Select Committee. It is the duty
of all parties in the country to solve problems according to the
people's wishes by participating in this Parliamentary Select Committee
rather than relying on imported solutions and utilizing foreign
influences.
We are on a virtuous and steady path to the future on behalf of the
people. In this path there is no repression, no threats, no influences.
There is only governance and sound management.
Today hundreds of thousands of youths in this country have pinned the
national flag to their chests. Your hearts are full of national
sentiments and patriotism. You must direct these patriotic sentiments to
the supreme task of building a country in which all could live together.
The words of the Buddha show the path we should take and how we should
solve problems.
Akkodhena jine kodham - asadhum sadhuna jine
Jine kadariyam danena – saccena alikavadinam
(Let an angry man be conquered by love; an evil man by goodness. Let
a miser be won over by liberality; and a liar by truthfulness)
Let this thought guide all in making the freedom of our motherland
meaningful! A happy future for you all! |