Let us make our freedom a meaningful one - President

PRESIDENT Mahinda Rajapakse in an Independence Day message states:

"It is with a profound sense of victory that we as a nation celebrate the 58th Independence Day today.

Independence obtained in 1948 brought to us the privilege of equal status with the rest of other nations in the world. The objective of such an independent nation as that of ours, is indeed nothing but to make that freedom a meaningful one.

It is a well-known fact that since independence, we have taken several progressive steps towards the destination of a greener pasture. However, we all are aware that the independence achieved, is at stake today.

The last Presidential Election was a step forward taken with a view to extricate the country out of the present predicament and to safeguard and protect the national freedom.

The duty of protecting and safeguarding the freedom and independence of the people is a duty entrusted upon us. The path to follow in doing so has to be ascertained through retrospection of our freedom fight.

The fight for freedom was not fought by us alone but with all communities together such as Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher and the rest. What we all longed to achieve was a peaceful motherland where all citizens enjoy freedom and independence on an equal basis.

Our history extending over 2500 years bear testimony to the fact that we rose together as a nation, on occasions we worked in harmony, hand in hand and nobody could subjugate us on such occasions.

It is my dedicated duty to consolidate the benign effect of that truth revealed by history. Therefore, we all Sri Lankans are today engaged with utmost dedication to bring about amity, solidarity and peace among all of us.

The sole aim of our strenuous efforts, made recently to bring all political parties to one platform was yet another effort to make our freedom a meaningful and enlightened one.

When we unite ourselves there is freedom but when there is disunity the nation is entrenched and fettered.

It is our duty to commemorate all our national heroes who sacrificed their lives in the name of freedom, with the deepest respect.

Let us solemnly and sincerely pledge on this memorable occasion that we shall never fail in our duty in safeguarding and protecting the freedom of our citizens."