The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) is a party committed to freedom, President Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

Addressing a gathering to celebrate to Diamond anniversary of the SLFP at Temple Tress last evening President Rajapaksa said the party delivered freedom in 1956, achieved freedom in 1972 by totally liberating from colonial rulers Britain and then freed the country from the Tamil Tiger terrorism in 2009.

President added that the SLFP is not restricted to a particular village, religion or ethnic group. He pointed out that the party could be identified as a common party for all people.He added that though the SLFP has come a long way during this 60 long years, the SLFP has to foresee for another 60 years to serve this country.

The President also said that the SLFP can learn many lessons from its own history. He added whenever the SLFP united with the progressive groups and parties, the SLFP was successful while bringing victory to the other parties joining it. “Whenever the SLFP and those parties parted the SLFP lost along with the departed groups”. He also stated that the SLFP is an open party. “Anybody can emigrate and anybody can immigrate. But those who leave the party lost while those who joined won.” Sri Lanka Freedom Party General Secretary Minister Maithripala Sirisena also spoke.