President calls on citizens to shed divisive identities

President Maithripala Sirisena in his message to the nation to mark the 69th Independence Day of the country called on all citizens to shed divisive identities based on race religion and caste to reform as a society valuing equity and rights of all.

Full text of the President’s message is given below: 

Many freedom struggles of humankind have aggrandised the story of human progress. We Sri Lankans too have inherited a long history of such struggles that brings forth memories of grief and glory from the times of our kings to that of modern democracy. 

The nation is indebted to our forbears whose sacrifice of sweat and blood has brought about the freedom in which we breathe today. 

It is at a challenging and decisive moment that we celebrate the 69th independence anniversary this year. The responsibility of strengthening the recently secured democratic freedom lies with us, as well as ensuring that, enriched by indigenous wisdom, all communities live with dignity. However, the realisation of the true meaning of freedom and independence lies in our potential to free ourselves from the shackles of all kinds and forms of poverty, ill health and confines of divisive identities of race religion and caste and enrich ourselves as a society that value equity and rights of all. 

We are a nation that deserves to live a prosperous life in a country where peace and justice and equality prevail. 

It is my sincere wish that we continue to prosper by vanquishing ignorance by knowledge, untruth by truth, hatred by compassion and violence by nonviolence and become a compassionate nation.