President at UNGA:
Might of powerful nations cannot prevail against justice, fairplay
"Whilst clash of ideas, opinions and values continue we have clearly
to recognize that dialogue, deliberation and consensus offer the only
viable means for resolving differences. The might of powerful nations
cannot prevail against justice and fairplay," said President Mahinda
Rajapaksa addressing the 66th Sessions of the United Nations General
Assembly in New York yesterday.
President Rajapaksa said. "I am deeply mindful ... that the battle
for peace is every bit as important and difficult as the struggle
against terror. After the eradication of terrorism, my government has
turned its undivided attention to building anew, the foundations of a
unified and vibrant nation and drawing upon the inherent strengths of
our country and in particular, the unique calibre of our human
potential.
"The most significant challenge to stability and progress in the
modern world is posed by the menace of terrorism. Recent experience the
world over amply demonstrates that inconsistent standards and
discriminating approaches can unintentionally give a fresh lease of life
to the forces of terror. An explicit and uniform response, which refuses
to recognize political shades of terrorism, is necessarily required," he
said.
"Terrorism presents a threat from which not even the wealthiest and
most powerful of nations are immune. It must be remembered, as well,
that terrorist groups frequently operate under the guise of front
organizations. Conferring legitimacy on these has the inevitable effect
of providing comfort and encouragement to the merchants of terror,"
President Rajapaksa said.
"We ask our friends in distant lands to drop pre-conceived notions.
We strongly believe in home-grown solutions for them to be sustainable.
"It is clearly impractical to conceive of universal remedies for
problems which afflict our societies," the President added.
The text of President Rajapaksa's address:
Mr. President of the Sixty Sixth Session of the General Assembly,
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is with great pleasure that I congratulate Your Excellency Nassir
Abdul Aziz Al-Nasser on your assumption of the Presidency. I must also
congratulate His Excellency Ban-ki-Moon warmly on his re-election as
Secretary-General and we look forward to working with him
constructively. As we gather here today, it is appropriate to reflect on
the values and ideals which inspire the United Nations system.
One of the principal attributes is the spirit of flexibility which
has always been a feature of the United Nations.
We must acknowledge the need for that spirit of openness and
adaptability today, more than at any other time. This is because the
foundations of the world order, are being transformed dramatically and
fundamentally. At the heart of these changes is the need to protect
smaller countries in the developing world and to advance their interests
vigorously.
In the midst of uncertainty there are some things which must remain
constant. These reflect our esteemed beliefs and convictions. Despite
repeated references in this Assembly by many member countries on the
right of the Palestinian people to a State of their own within secure
borders, we still have not been able to make it a reality.
It is a matter for profound disappointment that this has not yet
happened. There is a window of opportunity now and we must make use of
it before it is too late. It is time for decisive action rather than
more discussion. This will be in the interest of the security and the
well-being of the entire region including Israel.
The need for sustained support for countries of the African Continent
at this critical time is also worthy of mention.
It is important to remind ourselves that every country cherishes the
values and traditions, and deeply held religious convictions it has
nurtured over the centuries. These cannot be diluted or distorted under
the guise of human rights, by the imposition of attitudes or approaches
which are characteristics of alien cultures.
If this were done, it would amount to a violation of human rights in
a fundamental sense. It must also be pointed out that even where
sanctions are imposed, extreme care has to be taken to ensure that the
people at large, men, women and children yet to be born, are not harmed
by such action. I would also express, once again, my solidarity with the
people of Cuba and I wish them all success.
Mr. President, Excellencies,
Whilst clash of ideas, opinions and values continues we have clearly
to recognize that dialogue, deliberation and consensus offer the only
viable means for resolving differences. The might of powerful nations
cannot prevail against justice and fair play.
In the troubled times in which we live, we can derive guidance from
the wise words of Gautama the Buddha who advised the Lichchavi Princes,
whose energies were being consumed by bitter disputes among them, that
the way forward consists of meeting, discussing and departing in an
atmosphere of amity and goodwill. This represents the essential spirit
of the United Nations, particularly relevant today.
The most significant challenge to stability and progress in the
modern world is posed by the menace of terrorism. Recent experience the
world over amply demonstrates that inconsistent standards and
discriminating approaches can unintentionally give a fresh lease of life
to the forces of terror. An explicit and uniform response which refuses
to recognize political shades of terrorism, is necessarily required.
Terrorism presents a threat from which not even the wealthiest and
most powerful of nations are immune. It must be remembered, as well,
that terrorist groups frequently operate under the guise of front
organizations. Conferring legitimacy on these has the inevitable effect
of providing comfort and encouragement to the merchants of terror.
As the leader of a nation which has paid a heavy price due to
terrorism over a quarter of a century, I would underline that we must
firmly resolve to rid the world of terrorism. We need to have solid
practical action on the ground, and send out our collective message on
this issue loud and clear universally.
Mr. President, Excellencies,
The interest of the developing world needs to be protected in another
significant respect. It is vitally important to insist that the
structures and procedures of multilateral organizations are uniform and
consistent and devoid of discrimination.
My country has reason for concern with approaches tainted by an
unacceptable degree of selectivity, which we have brought to the notice
of the organizations in question in recent weeks. The developing world
must keep a vigil against these irregular modalities which should be
resisted through our collective strength.
After three decades of pain and anguish, today, Sri Lankans of all
ethnicities, living in all parts of Sri Lanka, are free from LTTE terror
and no longer live in a state of fear.
However, I am deeply mindful that the battle for peace is every bit
as important and difficult as the struggle against terror. After the
eradication of terrorism, my government has turned its undivided
attention to building anew, the foundations of a unified and vibrant
nation and drawing upon the inherent strengths of our country and in
particular, the unique caliber of our human potential.
It is justifiable for us to be proud of our nation's achievements
during the brief span of thirty months which have elapsed since the
beginning of the post-conflict phase. The resettlement of more than 95%
of internally displaced persons, who constituted the largest number of
civilians forcibly held by a terrorist group at any time, while
continuing even today to clear the mines laid by terrorists in extensive
areas is a proud achievement.
Today, in the Northern province, the Armed Forces are engaged in
development of the infrastructure which were destroyed by the terrorists
during a period of three decades. Contrary to malicious propaganda, the
numbers of the Armed forces present in the Northern province is at a
minimal level.
Revival of the economy has enhanced incomes and improved livelihoods,
ex-combatants and other cadres after exposure to programmes of
vocational training and counseling have been re-integrated into society,
electoral process has been restored after decades making possible the
emergence of a democratic leadership. These are among our valued
accomplishments.
The remarkable growth of 22% of the economy of the Northern Province
is a clear indication of the success achieved by the government's
initiatives with regard to development in that part of the country. The
GDP growth of the country has been consistent at 8 percent, unemployment
at a record low of 4.5 percent and it is also worthy of mention that in
the assessment by the World Economic Forum in its Global Competitiveness
Report for 2011 - 2012 Sri Lanka shows dramatic improvement, moving up
to 52nd from 79th rank over a span of two years.
It is worthy of note that all these developments have taken place
within the brief space of 30 months - an achievement all the more
significant because of our strong emphasis on reconciliation. Important
as economic development is, we have attached the highest priority to
fostering the spirit of inclusivity and removing any remnants of
bitterness from the hearts and minds of all our people.
Over the last thirty months, we have recruited 669 Tamil police
officers bringing the total number of Tamil officers to 1143 while plans
are afoot to recruit more this year and in the future.
After more than two decades, a census is being conducted in the
Northern province as a part of the national census, to provide a firm
basis for our initiatives.
As a result of these achievements what we see in Sri Lanka today is a
self-reliant nation, with robust hope for the future, and a strong
economy, strengthened by inward investment flows, unprecedented
expansion of tourism and significant growth of volumes of international
trade.
Towards consolidation of these trends, leaving behind us, the trauma
of the past, we ask of the international community the hand of
friendship and goodwill, based on understanding of our nation's
determination to confront with courage the challenge of a new era in our
history.
We ask our friends in distant lands to drop pre-conceived notions. We
strongly believe in home-grown solutions for them to be sustainable. It
is clearly impractical to conceive of universal remedies for problems
which afflict our societies.
My country, as it comes out of the darkness of the last three decades
into the light and promise of the future, must be afforded the time and
space to seek its destiny in accordance with the wishes of its people.
It is in keeping with the values enshrined in the Charter of the United
Nations and the whole body of international law which governs us.
A further consideration that the international community should take
into account is the vulnerability of developing nations and make
provision, by means of appropriate institutional arrangements, for their
protection.
As I observed when inaugurating the fiftieth anniversary meeting of
the Asian-African Legal Consultative Committee in Colombo three months
ago, dumping of commercial and industrial goods manufactured in
developed countries imperils the economies of many Asian and African
countries represented here.
Mr. President, Excellencies,
In conclusion, let me say that the use of substantial subsidies by
Treasuries and Reserve Banks to support agricultural production in the
developed world, and other forms of protectionism, cause serious
distortion of the interplay of market forces, and reduce to a great
extent the ability of farmers in many developing countries to access
international markets for their export products on an equitable basis.
The disproportionate pollution of the environment by industrialized
countries, and the resultant impact on global warming and climate
change, cannot be remedied with any semblance of justice by imposing
harsh restraints on developing countries which have contributed very
little to aggravation of the problem. These circumstances heighten the
importance of social equity at the international level.
May the Noble Triple Gem bless you all! Theruwan Saranai! |