“Let
us together guide our nation” - President on National Day
[February
5, 2003 - 11.00 GMT]
 Sri
Lanka celebrated its 55th anniversary of Independence yesterday with
President Chandrika Kumaratunga calling upon the nation to, “turn away
from failures and mistakes and to move along the path of reconciliation and
reconstruction of a strong and united nation-state".
President
Kumaratunga and Prime Minister Wickremasinghe were among the distinguished
gathering at the celebrations at Independence Square in Colombo.
The
President also congratulated the Government for the “positive results
achieved” in the ongoing peace efforts while recommending a “deep study
of the causes for the setbacks and failures” encountered in the past year.
"A
transparent and democratic approach to the peace process must be adopted,”
she said.
The
President was accorded a 21-gun salute and she reviewed a military parade by
the three armed forces and the police joined by the army mascot baby jumbo
Kandula.
The
Prime Minister in his Independence Day message called on the nation to
resolve to make the peace efforts a success.
President
Kumaratunga in her message made a ‘special appeal’ to the LTTE:
“Children are the most precious treasure of any community. Please do not
recruit children for armed conflict," she said.
“Let us together guide our Nation to liberation from the
oppression of violence, suspicion and hatred and towards the haven of
freedom, prosperity and peace we have so long dreamt of,” she concluded.
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Last Updated
Date: February 05, 2003 - 11.00
GMT. |
