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Hope filled Anniversary

Today we celebrate the 54th anniversary of our independence from foreign rule.

Celebrating Independence Day, our thoughts go first and foremost to the heroic sons and daughters of our soil, who through various means struggled to achieve our independence. This includes the leadership of all major communities in our land, whose unity ensured our success.

Looking back on the 54 years that elapsed since independence, we cannot be entirely satisfied with our progress. While we succeeded in enlarging opportunities for our people in many spheres such as health and education, the over-all performance of our economy leaves much to be desired, even today.

While we were at a somewhat advantageous position in comparison with our neighbours in South and East Asia at the time of independence, to day Sri Lanka lags behind some of them.

Politically, Sri Lanka is yet to evolve a system of governance best suited to our native conditions. Over the years, we have been experimenting in this sphere.

While the Republican Constitution of 1972 was an advance in that it restored sovereignty to the people by ending allegiance to the British Crown, it had certain negative features such as the denial of safeguards for national minorities within a majoritarian structure.

The Republican Constitution of 1978, a hybrid of Westminster and Gaullist structures had its own defects that had resulted in a constitutional crisis over the years.

We are yet to evolve a suitable system of governance based on respect for democracy and human rights.

Economically, Sri Lanka has advanced from the status of a Least Developed Country to that of Middle level developed country according to the classification of international financial bodies.

However, there is no room for complacency or satisfaction as the vast majority of the population lives in poverty and deprivation. Poverty alleviation and human development of the population is the prime challenge before us today, as we celebrate the 54th anniversary of our independence.

The main reason for our failure so far has been our inability to forge national unity. It is sad to note that inter-communal relations had gone from bad to worse due to shortsighted and narrow partisan policies pursued by our leaders. The fratricidal war in the North and East has devoured thousands of lives, maimed many more and caused physical destruction in immense proportions.

To end the war and achieve peace remain the dream of all Sri Lankans today. The peace initiative of the UNF Government has given hope to many with the guns falling silent following the parallel cessation of hostilities by the LTTE and the Government.

On this National Day, let us resolve to dedicate ourselves to contribute our own share to the building of peace in our war-torn land so that the present and future generations of all communities could live in peace and amity with dignity and honour.

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