Day of unity

*Line-up under slogan ‘We for the country’

*No room for separatism again

*Restore hearts shattered by violence, ease pain

*Only those who hate country could betray war heroes

President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing the Nation from Galle Face green where the Victory Day celebrations were held yesterday said “we consider this day as one which unites all our people”.

In building the nation and the country he called upon the people to “line up under the slogan ‘We for the country’.” He expressed his conviction that the people of this country have the strength and courage to build the country.

Restoring hearts

“What is most needed to prevent the shedding of blood and tears for the country is to restore the hearts shattered by violence and ease such pain.

“I am confident that the Sri Lankan nation has the will to achieve this,” he said.

No room for separatism

“The people should have complete faith and confidence that the land that was liberated from terrorism through great sacrifice of life will not be handed over to the forces of separatism again...As long as we remember that those who sacrificed their lives now rest in the soil of our land, I declare with pride that our people shall not leave room for anyone to divide this motherland of ours.”

Wrong thinking

The President also said that terrorism is still unvanquished in the world due to the wrong thinking that ‘terrorism that is no threat to you is good’.

Speaking of recent attempts to tarnish the victory and betray the heroic armed forces the President said that “It is only those who have hatred towards the country and nation can betray such heroes. The beneficiaries of such a great betrayal will only be the separatists”.

Stating that the conditions laid before us holding this country to ransom with the threat of terrorism are not valid anymore, he added, “We are not ready to accept aid under conditions that will betray the freedom of our land and people. We must be ready to end the era of dependence on aid”.

In conclusion he told the war heroes that the nation would pay its tribute to them for every drop of blood they have shed to free our land, by uniting all its peoples, ensuring that terrorism does not raise its head again, and building the nation to its true greatness.