Mahinda marches for sovereignty, ethnic harmony

Tuesday, 5 February 2013 00:11 -     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

  •  President says Opposition also has
  • Rain-hit 65th Independence Day in spruced-up Trinco, thousands of VIPs and people in town
  • responsibility toprotect freedom
  •  Denounces attempts to create religiousrivalry; says it leaves room for separatism
  • Not practical to have separate administrations based on ethnicity in the country; stresses equal rights for all communities
  • Defends Sri Lanka’s right to oversee its own affairs, as per UN Charter
  • Slams false propaganda aimed at damagingSri Lanka’s international image
  • Come over and see for yourselves, President tells people of the world
  • Basil, Gota notable absentees; UNP holds its ceremony in Galle

By Uditha Jayasinghe

in Trincomalee

President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday took a tough stance against Western criticism on human rights and reconciliation aspects within the island, insisting in his Independence Day address that the nation’s sovereignty should be respected.



For the first time in history, Sri Lanka’s 65th Independence Day celebrations were held in the scenic seaside town of Trincomalee in the once war-torn Eastern Province.

Over 3,000 military personnel from the Army, Air Force, Navy and Police participated in a massive parade, while 860 children made up a colourful cultural display. However, the celebrations got off to a drenched start with rains holding up the program for more than an hour.

Sporadic rains continued to provide much discomfort to participants, with media, diplomats, and other invitees having to scramble for shade several times during the two-and-a-half-hour extravaganza.

Even President Mahinda Rajapaksa was not protected from the elements during the singing of the national anthem.



Perhaps to wrap up faster, Rajapaksa made a comparatively short speech of 18 minutes that highlighted the upcoming challenges to Sri Lanka’s international image.

Clearly referring to the US decision to table a second resolution on Sri Lanka at the upcoming United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) later this month, Rajapaksa recalled that the UN Charter stood for the sovereign integrity of member states.

“Nothing contained in the present Charter shall authorise the United Nations to intervene in matters which are essentially within the domestic jurisdiction of any state or shall require the Members to submit such matters to settlement under the present Charter,” he said.

He went on to say that Sri Lanka has always respected the Charter of the United Nations.

“We strongly hold the position that whether powerful or weak, any country in the United Nations Organization should respect its Charter.”

Canada has already agreed to support the US while Britain and India are yet to decide their stance on supporting the resolution. Undeterred by these developments, Rajapaksa emphasised that he would not allow any external interference and pledged to continue the non-aligned foreign policy adopted by Sri Lanka. He noted that the new diplomatic relations being promoted by the Government were in line with this ideology.   

The President was also vocal about recent tension between the Sinhalese and Muslims communities in different parts of the country. He insisted that the peace won at the end of three decades of war in 2009 should not be squandered with fresh ethnic violence.  

“It is necessary to state on this occasion that as much as racism, religious differences too can be a cause for the destruction of a country. If anyone is trying to build religious rivalry in Sri Lanka again, they do not serve their religion, but serve the interests of separatism in the country. We cannot leave room for what could not be achieved through terrorism to be gained by this,” he added.

Sri Lanka’s main Opposition, the United National Party (UNP), was a notable absentee at the Independence Day celebrations, preferring to hold a separate event in the southern city of Galle, as part of a larger policy of not attending Government functions.

Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa were also absent, but Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne, though looking frail, was at hand to welcome President Rajapaksa.

Trincomalee town looked at its best, with miles of roads, fences, and public buildings spruced up for the event. National flags fluttered everywhere, but shops were closed as most residents preferred to spend the day at home. However, there were plenty of crowds that had arrived from other parts of the country.

Most of the VIP guests were accommodated in Air Force and other camps. The latter was also the venue for a massive party with over 3,000 guests on Monday evening and smaller get-togethers were scattered at the scenic coves along the shoreline. Vehicle convoys whizzed through tight security cordons linked around the town, with little attention to speed limits.

CTB buses that brought hundreds of people from other towns were lined up near seven massive white tent arches near the shoreline. The tents were occupied by VIP guests including tri-forces commanders and the diplomatic community, while the people were herded into a ground, which was churned into a mud pit due to the rains.

Following the Independence Day celebrations, many broke into groups to explore Trincomalee, while the military parade participants piled into the buses and left for their camps with baila tunes from their respective bands trailing merrily after them.

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