Archives

Country will have peace if all political parties unite - PM

by Ananda Kannangara

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe declared on Saturday that all main political parties - the UNP, PA and JVP - must unite if the country is to witness peace and amity.

The Premier addressing a mass rally in Kuliyapitiya said that uniting the main political parties was the only solution to create a peaceful society and a better political atmosphere in the country.

Mr. Wickremesinghe also appreciated the ideology of peace adopted by the late Prime Minister D.S. Senanayake from the time we gained the independence 54 years ago and said that his endeavour of creating a peaceful society by uniting all communities was not much successful due to a lot of different political activities carried out by many other politicians in different communities.

"However it is happy to note that the Government has got another clear mandate from the masses to create a peaceful environment, so that once again we have to focus the attention towards the ideological ideas laid by former Premier D.S. Senanayake on the achieving of peace by uniting all communities together.

Highlighting the importance of uniting all communities to achieve a lasting peace, the Prime Minister said that this can be further strengthened by binding the different political parties together as this is the only solution to create a peaceful society.

The Premier made these observations at a public meeting held at Diyakalamulla Sripathi Temple, Kuliyapitiya. During his short stay in the temple several monks delivered anusasana and blessed the Premier a long life and blessed the peace process.

Prime Minister Wickremesinghe also toured the Kuliyapitiya electorate on the invitation of Transport State Minister Upali Piyasoma.

During his speech the Prime Minister quoted some incidents occurred in the Sri Lankan political scene and said that our national leaders such as D.S. Senanayake and D.B. Jayathilaka made great efforts to unite all nationalities with the sole objective of creating a political stability and developing the country's economy. He said "During the early part of the last century there was no Parliamentary system in the country, then there was no cabinet of Ministers".

"When several Lankan leaders requested the British rulers to appoint our own countrymen to the then State Council they agreed to do so."

As a result Mr. Ponnambalam Ramanathan was nominated following a contest between Mr. Ramanathan and one Mr. Fernando.

Mr. Ramanathan won the election convincingly following an election pledge he made to the people that Vesak Poya will be declared as a holiday if he was elected. The Premier told the gathering that uniting the main political parties such as the ruling UNP, the PA and the JVP is the only solution to create a peaceful society and a better political atmosphere in the country.

State Minister Piyasoma said that at a time when the whole nation in the country is urging for an everlasting peace the Government has also taken viable steps to commence development activities with the objective of improving the economy.

He said that under the "Janajaya" development program, a large number of infrastructure facilities, including a water scheme was provided for the Kuliyapitiya area with funds allocated by the Government.

"We were also able to develop the highways, hospitals, tanks, providing educational equipment to needy schoolchildren, create self-employment opportunities and initiate anti-dengue programs under the program," he said.

News | Business | Features | Editorial | Security
Politics | World | Letters | Sports | Obituaries |

Produced by Lake House
Copyright 2001 The Associated Newspapers of Ceylon Ltd.
Comments and suggestions to :Web Manager