President Mahinda Rajapaksa said that he is always committed to defend the rights of the people and went to Geneva to complain about the massacre of youth.

He said so addressing the district conference in Ratnapura at the Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council Auditorium yesterday (6). This conference was organized by the UPFA to solicit support for the UPFA candidates contesting the forthcoming Local Government Polls.

President Rajapaksa added that anybody had the right to do politics, but nobody should sacrifice the motherland for their benefit.

He said that although the aim of certain persons is to take him to the international court and place him on the electric chair, nobody would be able to put an end to his heartbeat for the people of the country.

He said the UNP was today accusing him over the conflict in their party but he had not fallen to such bankrupt levels.

The President recalled that he always spoke on behalf of the welfare of the country’s people when in foreign countries before he became President, adding he had never made any request to foreign countries to end assistance given to Sri Lanka.

He said although the UNP when they were in power launched scathing attacks on his party and members, he would never fall to such a low level and take revenge. He added that everybody had the right to do politics in this country.

Among those who addressed the meeting were Ministers Susil Premajayantha, Professor Tissa Vitharana, W D J Seneviratne, Pavithra Wanniarachchi and Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Deputy Minister Geethanjana Gunawardena and J R P Suriapperuma MP.