“Let us solve our problems while protecting our independence”: President at UNGA

His Excellency President, His Excellency Secretary-General, excellencies, honourable delegates and friends, I am very happy to participate in this 73rd Session of the United Nation’s General Assembly as the representative of Sri Lanka for the fourth time. 

Sri Lanka, as a member state of the United Nations, is a country that is wholly committed to uphold and practice the principles and conventions of the United Nations. We are very satisfied about the progress Sri Lanka has made during the period over three-and-a-half years under my presidency. At the time when people voted to elect me as the head of state in January 2015, the position of the executive presidency that I hold today has been full of excessive powers that it could not be compared with those of a king but an emperor. I am very happy to state here that I, as a human being and an elected head of state, delivered on the highest call our time by letting go of that excessive power by curtailing them of the executive presidency and transferring them to the Parliament of Sri Lanka.

During the last three-and-a-half years, we have been able to consolidate the country’s record on democracy, human rights, freedom of the people, freedom of the press, and the independence of the judiciary. Therefore, today my country has moved ahead from what it was three-and-a-half years ago. Today, people in Sri Lanka live in a more humane and transformed society.

Middle-path foreign policy

I must also mention here that, in our duties and responsibilities as member states of the United Nations, we have to broadly understand and take actions regarding emerging political trends, economic dipartites, and challenges to humanity. With regard to contemporary international political trends, we know that the issue of refugees has become a major concern today. As such, I believe that the response to this issue, as the United Nations and member states, and other organisations need to be broadened and further strengthened.

Sri Lanka has adopted a middle-path foreign policy. It is one of the senior-most members of the Non-Aligned Movement. In 1976, Sri Lanka hosted a very successful summit of the Non-Aligned Movement. In our Non-aligned foreign policy, we consider all nations as our friendly nations and states. I am happy that today, Sri Lanka has no enemy nations or states.

In terms of global international political trends, I would like to mention that the United Nations as well as the powerful countries in the world should act with a boarder understanding about the problem of the Palestinian people. I would like to emphasise that Sri Lanka has always supported the struggle of the people of Palestine. Therefore, I believe that the United Nations and other states should stand up for the rights and act more humanely towards the people of Palestine, taking some of the unfortunate incidents there into consideration.

Problems of the contemporary world

Among the basic problems of the contemporary world, we know that poverty is one of them. When we look at the situation of poverty, I believe the United Nations should take a larger stake on behalf of the world community. When talking about poverty, we know that billions of people go hungry today. 

Climatic changes and adverse weather, disparity of income, and lack of sensitivity towards the general public by those in power have become serious concerns. The effects of climatic change and economic failures around the world have become causes of increased poverty. It is important, therefore, to provide help to countries that are vulnerable to adverse effects of climate change and extreme weather conditions so that their everyday life is restored.

I must mention here that, other than poverty, there are other serious issues that continue to fetter us at a global scale. Racketeering of illegal arms, drugs, and penetration of illegal substances have today become great challenges to humanity. In this context, I am very happy that yesterday, a new global programme was initiated with the leadership of US President His Excellency Donald Trump and the United Nations to fight the epidemic of drugs. I believe that all countries should come together with the United Nations to implement a concerted action to fight the menace of drugs.

Given the broad mandate of the United Nations to work for the betterment of the member states, the international community, humanity and the natural world including its plant and animal life, rivers and sunlight, it is my belief that all member states of the United Nations should commit themselves to implement the Paris agreement on Climate Change, that was launched under the leadership of the former Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon. In that, Sri Lanka as a member state, considers it a high priority to implement the Paris Agreement.

Sri Lanka’s internal situation

Talking about the internal situation of my beloved motherland, as I mentioned before, Sri Lanka has greatly improved democracy, human rights, fundamental rights, freedom of the press. It is worth comparing where Sri Lanka stood forty years before and where we are today. We fought 30-year-long terrorism and it is now nearly 10 years since the LTTE terrorism is over. 

We have achieved a lot during those 10 years. Especially, during the last three-and-a-half years, my Government has done well what needs to be done in a post-conflict period. We have worked hard and continue to work hard, as we intended, to ensure peace, national reconciliation and non-recurrence of the past. As such, when it comes to the issue of the human rights, as a country that stands firmly in its commitment, I request more support of the member states of the United Nations.

It was one of the world’s strongest terrorism groups that the armed forces of Sri Lanka eradicated. It is thanks to that achievement that Sri Lanka remains an unbroken, non-divided country with permanent peace. Our armed forces have contributed immensely to build lasting peace in Sri Lanka by defeating a strong terrorism organisation. I mention this achievement with respect and thank the Sri Lanka’s armed forces for their dedication to bring lasting peace and protect the unitary state of Sri Lanka.

As 10 years have gone by since the end of the armed conflict, I request the international community to look at Sri Lanka in a new perspective and with new ideas. I appeal to all of you to adopt such new ideas and perspectives to help the economic development and prosperity of my beloved country Sri Lanka, that has experienced a distressing armed conflict, and where now peace and national reconciliation are fostered, where human rights are strongly protected, where everything is done to ensure non-recurrence of an armed conflict. 

Let us solve our problems 

With respect, my request here is to let us solve our problems. Independence of a country is very important. I request to assistance and cooperation of all of you to carry out our humane mission to strengthen our democracy and achieve our noble mission while protecting our national independence.

The commitments we have made and the new program we have launched are very important to solve our problems. As a sovereign state, we need no foreign influence or threats. As such, I reiterate my request too all, as a strong nation, that allow us to sort out our problems as a sovereign nation, that moves forward while protecting our rights. I respectfully request the support of everybody as we will solve the problems that need to be solved as Sri Lankans. We also need your cooperation in my Government’s mission to erase doubt, fear and mistrust among communities living in my beloved motherland, while nurturing lasting peace among all communities.

It is important that we prioritise the problems of the poor people living in Sri Lanka as well as around the world. Today’s youth who have new ideas and expectations, also have problems that require solutions. Considering all these, I would like to quote an example from Buddhist Literature: in Salla Sutta in the Tripitaka, Samyukta Nikaya, 36.6, the Buddha preaches thus: If a man were pierced by a dart and, following the first piercing, when touched by a painful feeling, he worries and grieves, then it’s like a second dart to pierce him. First, it’s the pain of the piercing, and then it’s the pain of remembering the pain of such piercing. 

When it comes to Sri Lanka, it is the people of Sri Lanka who suffered pain due to war and they continue to feel pain when they think about it. It is important therefore that we heal the pain of our own people who suffer the pain, not others. Therefore, I take this opportunity to call upon your support and cooperation to make Sri Lanka a prosperous nation with just, democratic society upholding humanism.

Thank you very much.

May the Noble Triple Gem bless you.