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| Thursday, 20 January 2005 |
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Let's join hands and rebuild the Nation from the ashes of tsunami From Ranil Wijayapala and Mohamed Niyaz in Hambantota President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga in a historic ceremony yesterday launching the US$3.5 billion recovery drive from Siribopura in Hambantota said the tsunami tragedy should be a new beginning to rebuild our nation by joining hands irrespective of caste, creed or political affiliation in a massive united effort in overcoming this unprecedented catastrophe, the worst in our history. She made it a point to thank all foreign governments, NGOs, political parties including the Opposition UNP in making a joint united effort to restore not only Hambantota but the entire country not only to normality but also to improve it. President Kumaratunga said that people should make a determined effort to make new Sri Lanka a better and developed country joining hands to work in unison keeping and strengthening the unity which has emerged in the country following the tsunami catastrophe. Launching the rebuilding programme from Siribopura, just 24 days after Sri Lanka faced its biggest ever catastrophe, President Kumaratunga said she was proud of the people of the country for their commitment towards rebuilding the country. President Kumaratunga along with Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse and representatives from all political parties in the South launched this massive reconstruction project to rebuild the tsunami affected nation with the inauguration of a housing construction project for the displaced people in the Hambantota district. "To strengthen the country, the people should get together keeping country before self to face this massive reconstruction process," the President added. "We should not allow the unity of the country and also the strength of the people to be shattered over petty differences," President Kumaratunga added. "We should work in unity and unison so that we could achieve the task of rebuilding the nation more effective." President Kumaratunga said the Government alone cannot accomplish the task of reconstructing the country and added that people and political parties should work together to reach that goal. "We do not want to draw political advantage over this disaster. People should work together for at least five years and then they can work on their political agendas," the President added. She added that the government will launch reconstruction programmes in other tsunami affected areas by the end of this month. President Kumaratunga said a special chapter should be added about the unity of the people following the tsunami disaster when it is written in the history books. She expressed her gratitude to the private sector, local and international NGOs and foreign countries for the support extended to Sri Lanka to rebuild the country. Prime Minister Rajapakse said the duty and the responsibility of the citizens of the country is to set aside all political differences and to work together to rebuild the nation. "The respect we can pay for the souls of the dead in the tsunami catastrophe is to provide better living conditions for those affected by the disaster," he added. Hambantota District UNP MP Sajith Premadasa said he was committed not only by words but also by deed to work in unison with the government to work for the betterment of the tsunami affected people. Urban Development and Water Supply Minister Dinesh Gunawardana, Colombo MP and JVP Propaganda Secretary Wimal Weerawansa also spoke. |
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