President warns of treacherous betrayal

Chaminda PERERA

Certain elements who were born and bred in Sri Lanka are engaged in a dirty game of betraying the country to gain narrow financial and political gains, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Galle yesterday.

He requested all Sri Lankans not to betray the Motherland for narrow political or financial gains.

The President urged the people not to extend any assistance to such sinister moves. President Rajapaksa was speaking at the felicitation of Ven. Metaramba Hemarathana Thera who was appointed Deputy Chief Sanganayake of the Southern Province from the Malwatta Chapter recently.

Ven. Metaramaba Hemarathana Thera is the chief incumbent of eight temples in the Southern province which includes the Yatagala Rajamaha Viharaya and Sithulpawwa Rajamaha Viharaya.

President Rajapaksa presented the Vijinipatha to the newly appointed Deputy Chief Sanganayake Thera.

He said the Security Forces liberated the country by sacrificing more than 26,000 of their members and all Sri Lankans should honour the fallen heroes by safeguarding their achievement.

“It is the duty of all patriots to safeguard the achievement made by our Security Forces. All Sri Lankans should keep in mind that retaining the victory is more difficult than its achievement,” he said.

He said the Government was pressurized by various international and national forces when LTTE terrorists were on the verge of being defeated and these forces have now emerged again in different forms.

Certain narrow minded persons who were born and bred in the country are conniving with these forces with the sole objective of achieving petty political and financial advantages.

“I request all Sri Lankans not to fall prey to local and international forces with vested interests. All Sri Lankans irrespective of their political, racial or religious differences should unite for the protection of the country’s security’” he said.

Some officials are prepared to betray anything for petty financial gains. They are prepared to kill even leaders of the country , if they get money, he said.

The President stressed that Motherland is more important than any other

thing and all Sri Lankans including politicians should give utmost priority to the country above all other things.

“For me, Motherland is more important than any other thing. It should be kept above politics,” he said.

Southern Province Chief Sanganayake Ven. Pallaththara Sumanajothi Nayake

thera, Ruhunu University chancellor Ven. Aththudawe Rahula Nayake

Thera and Sabaragamuwa University Chancellor Ven. Prof. Kamburugamuwe Vajira Thera were present.

Agriculture Development Minister Hemakumara Nanayakkara also spoke.