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Tuesday, 8 April 2014 00:01 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
President Mahinda Rajapaksa said there are no minorities in this country and all citizens have equal rights to live as one nation and one people with same laws and facilities without any discrimination. “This is my policy, the policy enshrined in the Mahinda Chinthana. There cannot be any minorities, we all are Sri Lankans who love the motherland and nobody can deny this reality.”
Addressing the National Unity Convention, at the BMICH yesterday the President pointed out that all people, irrespective their religion or ethnicity celebrated the victory of the Sri Lankan cricket team the previous evening. “There was no difference of being Sinhalese, Tamils or Muslims, they joined hands to celebrate displaying the proud of the achievement of the country, the Motherland Sri Lanka,” he said.
“Our age-old concept of human rights is richer than any human right declaration of today. Our commitment to save all beings, flora and fauna is because of the correct awareness that the world will end if the environment is harmed and the living beings die. Even during the Anuradhapura era, we refrained from killing animals because of our belief that all beings too have a right to live. That is the rich concept we possess,” President Rajapaksa told the hundreds of representatives from all regions of the country assembled for the convention organised by the Ministry of National Languages and Social Integration.
He said that to build the national harmony, it was necessary to understand that great concept of humanity and use it as a firm foundation. “As we have a rich concept of humanity, nobody would succeed in false national harmony or peace strategies based on foreign funds,” the President said.
“As we participate in this National Unity Convention, I am reminded how we showed our national unity at its highest yesterday, when we won the World T20 Trophy. There were no differences among Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims, or religious differences, in the celebrations. Those from all regions, the north, south, east, west and the hill country joined hands in a great show of national unity, and feeling for one’s motherland.
“I extend my warmest greetings to all participating in this National Unity Convention. Many learned persons, academics, professionals and those from different communities and religions are gathered here today. It is not wrong to describe this as reflecting the diversity of our society. As much as there are those from different communities and religions, there are also the disabled who have come together here. You will agree this shows how all communities and religions live in unity today.
“When conducting a major Convention on National Unity it is proper that we consider the current situation that prevails in the country. We are today able to talk of national unity and national unification because we have built a free nation. Peace has dawned because we have built freedom. Because of peace, it is possible to travel, to any part of the country, and settle down anywhere without any problems. It is for this reason that we have built the background necessary for coexistence. The inducement to hold a convention such as this is born in the hearts and minds of Sri Lankans because a suitable environment and country has been established for it.
“There must be a good understanding of the people of our country to build national unity. Our national heritage shows the way to national unity. It is needless to remind you that examples from our past show a path towards national unity. There are some countries where the religious symbols that are worn around the neck or the images of their religious teachers carried by persons who come there are confiscated by the Customs before allowing such persons to enter the country. Such practices have never existed in our 2000 year old history. Persons from various nationalities, various religions came freely to our land. From the past to this date, there has been an environment where a person of any nationality or religion could come to Sri Lanka and live freely carrying out national or religious traditions and customs.
“When the Portuguese who came here in the past began harassing the Muslims, King Senerath helped those Muslims to be settled in the east of the country. But this king had no interest in converting them to Buddhism. Similarly, when the Dutch who arrived later began harassing the Catholics here, the Sinhala King settled the Catholics in the safety of Wahacotte in Matale. The kings and national leaders of the past did not act to make anyone change one’s religion because of obtaining royal or state patronage. Today the Muslims in the country follow the Islamic faith. Those in Wahacotte follow Catholicism. They have been living together for centuries. Therefore, this is a country that has accepted religious coexistence thousands of years before those who are now preaching to us about religious coexistence.”
Speaking in Tamil, the President said: “It is a pleasure for me to speak before you at the important convention. It gives me more pleasure as this important convention is organised by the Government. This is a very important convention, a brotherhood convention. We cannot have any differences. It is not good for us to divide on ethnicity, religion, caste or language. We must live together with feelings of brotherhood. All those who live in this country have equal rights. They can have equal opportunities. All citizens have equal rights to live as one nation and one people with same laws and facilities, without any discrimination. This is my policy. That is the policy enshrined in the Mahinda Chinthana. There cannot be any minorities. We all are Sri Lankans who love the motherland. That is the reality and nobody can deny that. For us what is most important thing, is the motherland First, Second and Third. We have protected the cultures of every community. Some people attempt to divide the people by raising differences between communities, religions, races and caste. But fear not, these attempts will never succeed. Let us live together as one. Let us live with affection.”
