Set aside political, communal differences:

Actively rebuild the Nation

President tells masses:

Chaminda Perera

The people irrespective of their political or communal differences should actively be involved in rebuilding the country after it was liberated from the clutches of terrorism , said President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He said the Security Forces without having an inch of land of their own made the supreme sacrifice for the liberation of one third of the country’s land area which was delegated to the terrorists by a title 2 1\2 years ago.

The President was speaking at the presentation of Ranbima title deeds to the families who have been living in lands for more than 30 years without title at Temple Trees yesterday.

Over 2,000 people island wide received the ownership titles from the President and other Ministers on this occasion.

“The Government succeeded in liberating every inch of land within a short span of 2 1\2 years and the people in the country are bound to protect the country liberated by us” Over 10,000 families have received titles for their lands in four different occasions earlier.

President Rajapaksa stressed that people should make maximum use of their lands by cultivating every inch.

“The lands in villages are under- utilised and the people should start cultivating their lands to promote the national economy” ‘he said.

He said arrangements would be taken to provide land to all the landless families in the future.

The extent of land area in the country remains unchanged though the population is on the increase.

This situation has led to an increase in the value of lands, he said.

President Rajapaksa said the colonial powers destroyed the paddy cultivation, irrigation system and people’s livelihood in the Uva-Wellassa region and the Government is bound to uplift the people in Uva-Wellassa.

Agriculture and Agrarian Services Development Minister Maithripala Sirisena, Agriculture Minister Hemakumara Nanayakkara, National Integration Minister Vinayargamurthi Muralitharan, Trade Marketing Cooperative Development and Consumer Affairs Minister Bandula Gunawardena and Sports Minister Gamini Lokuge were present.