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'A historic opportunity for constructive cohabitation'

A historic opportunity has arisen for the two major parties to evolve new systems of constructive cohabitation and collective action to resolve the separatists conflict, says President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in her Independence Day message: "We have to attempt to replace the conflictual political culture with one that is consensual", she adds.

The message:

"It is with a great sense of happiness and joy that I am sending warm greetings to my compatriots in Sri Lanka and abroad on the occasion of Independence of our motherland. "Today we are celebrating Independence Day in a historically changed political environment. We have entered a new era in our post independent history.

"The recent election has provided a historic opportunity for the two major political parties of Sri Lanka now both in government, through the Presidency and the Cabinet to evolve new systems of constructive cohabitation and collective action for the resolution of the separatists conflict.

For this both sides must learn to put country before narrow political or personal interests. We have to attempt to replace the conflictual political culture with one that is consensual. We must develop leaders and states persons in place of self interested street fighters and pundits.

"My first Government, elected in 1994, started the process of political negotiation to end the conflict, rather than solely employing military methods. We attempted to deal with the root causes of the problems, arising from the marginalisation of the Tamil and other minority communities of Sri Lanka. While we have not succeeded in ending the conflict, we have made much progress towards Peace.

"I am happy to state that the new Government elected in December last year is also taking action to continue the process. My Presidency remains committed to the process of peace that I initiated seven years ago and shall continue to give leadership and guidance to the Government in this regard.

"We also face continued challenges in the fields of democracy, human rights and social development. We have failed to realise the dreams of our freedom fighters to build a strong and united nation. I have heard various reasons being attributed to this state of affairs, namely that these problems were caused by colonial rulers and such like.

"But we have enjoyed independence for more than a half a century.

The freedom we have won 54 years ago will not be completed until we find solutions to these problems. The time has come for us to realise the dream of our forefathers who struggled tirelessly for the unity and prosperity of our motherland.

"And together we must relentlessly strive to build a new nation, a united strong nation brimming with the vitality and joy of renewal where all of us whatever race, religion or caste we belong to shall together build one nation drawing strength from the richness of our diversity.

"With the great Indian Poet Tagore I shall say "into that heaven of freedom let my country awake."

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