President: No room for communalism

Rohan Mathes in Tangalle

TANGALLE: President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared yesterday that communalism would never be tolerated by his Government.

"We dearly love our Motherland and respect our various communities, but we are in no way racist. We denounce all forms of communalism," President Rajapaksa told the 29th D.A. Rajapaksa memorial ceremony in Tangalle.

"Sisura" scholarships were granted to schoolchildren to mark the occasion.

The President stressed that the Government was not fighting a war, but only retaliating terrorist attacks to defend the Motherland. "We can only wage war with another country and not with our own citizens. We must cast aside race, religion and caste differences and be together as one united nation."

The President underscored the importance of developing the child's psyche to value and appreciate true patriotism, morals, values and norms of the nation, without being confined solely to physical development.

He had directed the authorities in the education sector to ensure that quality teachers are available not only in the Western Province but also in the other under-privileged regions of the country such as Hambantota, Ampara, Polonnaruwa and Anuradhapura.

"We have allocated Rs.500 million for infrastructure development in villages. However, we will pursue development while protecting the environment. We will ensure that the cities as well as the villages are protected environmentally," the President added.

Anagarika Dharmasekera who made the main commemoration speech, urged workers to refrain from engaging in strikes at their workplaces demanding wage hikes, as that would have a detrimental impact on President Rajapaksa's efforts of solving the crucial national issues at this decisive moment.