President calls for:

Unity and social justice

*Salutes war heroes

*Dawn of a dignified peace

*Appeals to expatriates to return

The future belongs to those who sow the seeds of unity. The spread of social injustice is of the past. The future is for the building of social justice, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the Nation from the Galle Face Green during the 61st anniversary of Independence celebrations yesterday morning.

“We have now been able, within a short span of two and half years, to almost completely defeat the cowardly forces of terror that had wrapped our entire nation in fear through several decades.

This great victory has been brought to our country through our Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, the Police Special Task Force and Civil Defence Corps carrying out the task before them, jointly and with great dedication,” the President added.

“Our troops have given us the opportunity to see the dawn of an honorable peace for the country... the dignified peace that is now dawning upon us becomes greater and more unique than the peace enjoyed by the people of other countries, because it is built on the immense sacrifice of these heroes,” he said.

President Rajapaksa made an open appeal to all Sri Lankans - Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher and Malay and of all other communities, who left the country because of the war to return to their homeland.

In his address, the President also called for a more productive education for children, overcoming poverty, a reform of the public service, institution of good governance and prosperity and an end to corruption and waste.

“The remnants and leftovers of subjugation should be erased from our minds. We should look forward to the future of a people with a proud and glorious history,” the President said. While saying that a century of expectations is before us, the President appealed to all to work towards realising that expectation.

President Rajapaksa stressed that the full measure of progress can only be seen when the faces of our people and our children light up with joy and satisfaction and it is necessary to work hard to achieve it.