President Maithripala Sirisena declared yesterday that there was no need for a new force in the country and a politician who lost two elections trying to form a new force was ridiculous. The President was attending the opening of the German Tech Institute in Kilinochchi.
President Sirisena also said: “I have something to add to Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan’s statement. On January 8, 2015, the people of this country elected a new government. The people voted for the new government based on the manifesto we put forward.
President Sirisena also said: “I have something to add to Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan’s statement. On January 8, 2015, the people of this country elected a new government. The people voted for the new government based on the manifesto we put forward.
“We will be committed to achieve all what we promised in our manifesto. Certain people have made declarations that they are going to form a new force. I ask them; for what purpose are you forming a new force? I am a man who takes a step forward and not someone who steps backwards. Everyone has to understand what problems we as a country face today.
“All should be committed to creating national unity and harmony in the country. If the Sinhala Buddhists in this country are to be happy, they need to understand the problems of other communities and solve them.
“They need to understand that the people in the Northern Province have a problem. We need to understand many of the problems between the different ethnicities in this country. There are certain groups connected to the media and hold regular press conferences in Colombo. They are limited to Colombo and are simply media heroes. But these heroes never come to the North and understand the problems of the people here. They don’t go to the East and speak to the people there and understand their problems.
“They also don’t understand what is needed to solve the problems of the people in the South. I ask those who plan to create a new force, to study national reconciliation first. We all know how they acted when they were in power. We have seen leaders who built parties when in the government. We have also seen leaders who built political parties and run governments post-independence.”
President Sirisena said to create a new government and new force, we need to have honest leaders who are free of fraud and corruption.
“On January 8, we created a government to fill that lacuna. But those who have lost two consecutive elections, cannot expect to create a new force. Thus, we will commit ourselves to develop this country, build unity among the communities and make this a good country. As we are in the process of making a new Constitution, various rumours are being spread regarding it. We are making a new Constitution not to split or divide the country, it is to unite the country and build unity among all,” he said.
“I ask these forces not to make such misleading statements and lead the people astray. I will sincerely devote myself to build reconciliation among the communities. I have made the election promises of strengthening national reconciliation and abolishing the Executive Presidency. I promise to fulfil all these promises I have made,” President Sirisena said.
“But I ask these people who want power, what do you plan to achieve through it? Is it to continue further with corruption, fraud and theft? I also ask them why are they against the protection of democracy and human rights? We all need to understand the problems honestly and truthfully. We need to commit ourselves to our country and people. We need to include reconciliation as a subject in our schools,” he said.
