PM calls for strong mandate to fight conspirators

Chaminda Perera

Foreign nations should not meddle with the internal affairs of our country. Sri Lanka has never interfered in the internal affairs of any country, said Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka yesterday.

He said the people have the ultimate right to get involved in the solution of any problem in the country. “We have established a very strong diplomatic service which is entirely based on the principle of non intervention of internal affairs of the host country.

He stressed that certain European countries are under the impression that Sri Lanka is still a colony. He said that the European countries should not teach us how to rule this country.

“We are an independent and sovereign nation and we have self respect as a nation.

The Premier was speaking at an election rally at the Harendra Corea grounds in Chilaw yesterday.

Prime Minister Wickramanayaka sought public support to form a strong Government through which the conspiracies hatched by certain elements locally and internationally can be defeated.

He said the Government will remove all impediments that stand in the way to the country’s development after the UPFA’s landmark victory on April 8.

“We are determined to make effective changes in the country’s electoral systems too, he added.

Former President J.R. Jayewardene introduced this electoral system to ensure that no party can form a strong Government.

He said the Government requires a 2/3 majority in Parliament to effect changes in the Constitution. “The enmity among the people will further grow if this electoral system is allowed to persist in the country,” he added. The Prime Minister said the Parliament which will be formed after April 08 would give an ear to the public views when it comes to the formulation of government policies.

Prime Minister Wickramanayaka added that the country would be brought under an accelerated development drive after the General election and this program has already been planned by the authorities.

He emphasized that the Government succeeded in eradicating terrorism which retarded the country’s development for over three decades. He said action would be taken against the proxies of the LTTE.

The Prime Minister added that the Government created an atmosphere where people of all communities could live in peace.

“A strong Parliament is needed to face the challenges ahead of us.” The impediments that stood in our way to development can only be removed through a strong Parliament, he added.

The Premier said the UPFA wanted a strong mandate to negate the various internal forces who are hatching conspiracies against the country. He added that billions of rupees have flowed to the country from various sources during the Presidential election and their whereabouts are not known.