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Hundreds of thousands of people from all communities gathered in Anuradhapura Friday afternoon to participate in the peace meditation programme organised by the Sarvodaya Movement. “People are marching from all directions towards Jaya Sri Maha Bodhiya,” an eyewitness told the PRIU at 0900 hrs. UTC. “The programme was meant to make the entire population think in terms of peace and tolerance. This will uplift the peace consciousness of the people and it would help for a permanent peace,” Dr. A. T. Ariyaratne, President of the Sarvodaya said. At 1 p.m. bells rang at all the Buddhist, Hindu, Catholic and Muslim religious places around the country heralding the start of the peace meditation programme. In a message to the participants in Peace Meditation Programme, President Chandrika Kumaratunga said that it was essential for us to purify our minds in order to achieve peace. “The only solution to the problems of the minority communities including the Tamil people is by ensuring legal and constitutional safeguards to ensure their just rights,” President said.
Full Text of the President’s message: First of all I wish to extend my thanks to the Sarvodaya Movement for giving me the opportunity to address a message of peace to the hundreds of thousands of people who have gathered at the Mahamevuna Uyana with the noble intention of bringing peace to the country. This effort of Sarvodaya to bring peace through spiritual strengthening is indeed praiseworthy. All conflicts begin with an impure mind. The leader of Sarvodaya, Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne shows us that we should purify our minds through a spiritual re-awakening. When we consider how you are gathered here today to meditate for peace, the teachings of the Lord Buddha invariable come to mind. The foundation of all of the Buddha’s teachings is the mind. The Lord Buddha has said that it is greater to win over one’s soul than a victory over thousands in a war. Similarly, every religious leader and every philosopher and thinker have shown us the importance of living in equality shedding all differences of race, religion and caste. While it is essential for us to first purify our minds in order to achieve peace, we cannot ignore the reality of the war and ethnic conflict faced by us. During my entire political life, I have pointed out that the solution to the conflict faced by us is not war but peaceful negotiation. As in the past, I will continue to represent peace. The only solution to the problems of the minority communities including the Tamil people is by ensuring legal and constitutional safeguards to ensure their just rights. Steps such as ceasefires, humanitarian relief and various measures to ensure peace among the communities are undoubtedly important. However, a permanent peace will finally hinge on a legal and political process, which recognizes the rights of all communities, respects their identity and secures their equality. What is most important to us today is that solution. It is very important today, to begin talks based on these imperatives, as early as possible. The peace we establish must be with dignity. Such a peace can only be established by guaranteeing the rights of all communities, by respecting the human rights of all, by securing democratic freedoms and the unity of the country. It is necessary to create a positive attitude in the minds of all citizens of this country towards such a solution for peace. Special programmes are necessary to create awareness among the people on the value of peace, unity and equality. Progammes carried out by the People’s Alliance such as the Sudu Nelum and Sama Thawalama are very necessary today. That is why this peace meditation organized by Sarvodaya and in which you are participating is so important. I greatly value the yeoman service being rendered by your leader Dr. A.T. Ariyaratne. It is my fervent wish that this peace programme of his would be a great success. I wish that this endeavour will contribute to bringing peace to our country in the near future.
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