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| Friday, 26 March 2004 |
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by Ranil Wijayapala President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Wednesday, pledged to pursue an all-inclusive solution to the ethnic question and to re-build a nation where all communities can live in harmony under a future Freedom Alliance Government. "We will not let anyone divide this country. We will rebuild a peaceful nation where citizens can live with dignity," the President told a UPFA election rally at the Sanath Jayasuriya Stadium, Matara. She said the economy had collapsed and the Tigers have strengthen themselves during the past two years. She accused the UNP of spreading canards against the Freedom Alliance. "The UNP tried to turn the blame for church attacks on the JVP. But now there is information that the UNP is behind these attacks," she said. Recalling how the heroic people from the South rescued the nation in the past when it faced danger, the President said this is an occasion when the country needs the help of its heroic sons and daughters. Accusing the UNP of ignoring the burning problems of the country, she said the UPFA will generate at least 100,000 jobs during its first year. She said the UPFA will grant employment opportunities to 30,000 graduates, 30,000 school leavers and 40,000 other jobs. "No country in the world had so much elections during such a short time. But there was no other way to stop the destruction of the country by the UNP," she said. She said Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe gave so many election promises that the people can no longer remember what these promises were. She said when the PA took over the country in 1994, the public servants' salaries were stagnant for years adding that the PA increased salaries by two fold in accordance with the recommendations by the B.C. Perera Salary Commission. She said the PA decided to increase public salaries every three years in accordance with the Tissa Devendra Salary Commission. "But the UNP stopped the implementation of these plans," she said. "This destructive Government sold our resources. I was recently informed by the Chief Justice that Rs.3160 million has been transferred to a private company," she said. She said the CWE was sold out. The CTB was destroyed. The country was facing anarchy and trade union strikes have disrupted the public lives. She said people believed Ranil Wickremesinghe when he promised to bring peace, since Prabhakaran was his friend. "Now two years have passed. Where is peace? When we handed over the country to the UNP, there were only 6,000 LTTE cadres. But it has increased to 10,000 today". The President said she needed a reliable government to support her during the remainder of her tenure. She urged the people to vote the Freedom Alliance. UPFA Matara District Leader Mangala Samaraweera said the PA regime in 1994 developed the Matara district hitherto neglected by successive Governments. He said however the UNP purchased few Ministers in the year 2000, thus toppling the PA. He said the UPFA's dream was to develop the Matara district to be the most developed district in the country. JVP Leader Somawansa Amarasinghe said the people should be vigilant about whether the future UPFA Government will realise its promises. He said the future UPFA Government will have to face many challenges. "The country has been vandalised . We will rebuild it from ruins," he said. He slammed the UNP of reclaiming the paddy fields. We should rejuvenate agriculture in the country," he said. |
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