Sinhala and Tamil New Year messages
Pride of place to cultural values - Media Minister
“May the dawn of the Sinhala and Tamil New Year which we cherish and
celebrate annually give pride of place to our cultural values and help
all people in this island to dispel differences among fellow beings and
help them live in harmony under a peaceful and prosperous climate,
states Mass Media and Information Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa in
his New Year message yesterday.
“The New Year is the occasion that we Sri Lankans reckon with the
transcending of the sun from the sign of pisces to the sign of aries in
the solar system.
We celebrate the occasion by observing our age old customs and
traditions displaying our national identity and fill our hearts with
compassion. Under such conditions prevailing today, may the flames of
war extinguish and permit the people to co-exist as children of one
mother, wished the Minister.
We must share and espect each other - Home Affairs Minister
Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs and the Leader of
UNP Democratic Group Karu Jayasuriya in a New Year message states: Today
we celebrate the dawn of a New Year. It is a day in the traditional
calendar both the Sinhalese and Tamils happily look forward too. More
particularly the children of ours. It is a celebration that brings the
two main communities namely the Sinhalese and the Tamils on to a common
platform.
Hardly anybody can identify any difference between these two
communities who share the same tradition and rituals during this festive
season. Yet our inability to understand the inner meaning of these
traditions has left society torn apart.
The traditions and rituals observed by both communities during the
Sinhala and Tamil New Year to my mind embodies a strong meaning and a
message that needs to be recognised by all of us and put to practice in
whatever the way we can.
From the time of the ‘Punya Kalaya’ we all observe a series of
rituals and traditions both religious and cultural which echo the
sentiments of unity, peace, forgiveness, sharing and caring and the
basic behaviour expected of people for building a good society and a
nation at large. Today politically we have committed ourselves to that
cause.
We believe that Sri Lanka is the Motherland for all of us
irrespective of our religious, ethnic, and other differences. We are
vested with an inescapable responsibility or rebuilding a nation to make
it a safer and a happier place to live for our children. It is my belief
that our shared values and culture should provide a firm foundation in
our efforts in rebuilding society.
The dawn of the New Year apart from its celebrative aspect provides
an ample opportunity for us to reflect on the deeper meaning of these
traditions and rituals and think how best we could use them for the
progress of the nation.
Therefore lets make a firm commitment in the New Year that we will do
our best to make our motherland once again a happier place to live for
all communities in the spirit of sharing, caring and respect for each
other.
‘Harmony and prosperity among all communities’ - Deputy Minister of
Nation Building
“It is my ardent wish and prayer that the ushering of the Sinhala and
Tamil New Year would herald peace, harmony and prosperity among all
communities of this country and lead to end the decades-long ethnic
conflict”, Deputy Minister of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure
Development, Muthu Sivalingam MP, has stated in his new year message,
states a press release from the Ministry of Nation Building and Estate
Infrastructure Development.
The unresolved ethnic conflict as well as narrow political outlooks
of self-seeking political leaders have largely contributed to the untold
sufferings and despair of people living in several parts of the island.
Such political outlooks should change for the larger benefit of the
nation and the people, the Deputy Minister has further stated in his
message.
We should also make a pledge to work for the uplift of the
down-trodden plantation community, he said, adding that it should also
be our genuine endeavour to end the travails and tribulations of the
people of the North and East, he added.” |