President helped create united Lanka _ Minister Vasudeva

Wyman Hettiarachchi, Colombo Central Group Corr. and J. Sumanasena Kolonnawa Group Corr.

The feat accomplished by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in defeating LTTE terrorism and restoring peace has opened the path for Sri Lankans to rise up as a united nation, said National Languages and Social Integration Minister Vasudeva Nanayakkara.

He was addressing a meeting held at the D.S. Samarasinghe hall of the Kotikawatte Rajasinghe Maha Vidyalaya recently to mark the launching of Sarath Kumara Samaraweera’s book “Kolonnawa Parlimenthu Puranaya”. He said we can now live in dignity as our Motherland has been freed from terrorism.

Minister Nanayakkara said the imperialist forces were now trying to spread create problems throughout the world.

“This is being done to spread their dominance. Therefore, we should pool together in order to defeat such imperialist machinations and march towards the target of strengthening the economy and bringing prosperity to the country.

Nanayakkara said even though the colonial rulers and their forces were roundly defeated at the Mulleriyawa Battle by Mayadunne and King Rajasinghe, the colonial ghost had cast its shadows in the country from time to time.

“Subsequently, the sounds of victory over Colonialism trumpeted by left leaders like late Philip and Robert Gunawardene reverberated from the Kalani Valley as far as Ruwanwella and Eheliyagoda. Therefore, it would be more fitting and opportune to rename the book “Kolonnawa Parlimenthu Puranaya” as Kelani Valley Parlimenthu Puranaya.”

Environment Minister Susil Premajayantha said the Samarasinghe Memorial Hall at Rajasinghe Vidyalaya has served as a link between Kotte and Kolonnawa.

It has been a nursery which propagated progressive ideas and views. Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the Philippines Nawalage Bennet Cooray, Sarath Kumara Samaraweera and Jagath Asoka Lal also spoke.