He also said that prisons can be closed down through the creation of a society that abides by the five precepts of Buddhism. He sees “Prisoners are also human” written on the walls of the Welikada prison, the truthfulness of which he realized when he was in prison, he added.

He reminded that while he was in prison, the politicians of that time tried to prevent him from attending his mother’s funeral, and when he came back to prison after attending to the final rites of the funeral, the fellow inmates expressed their sorrow.

In order to make our country the Miracle of Asia, in line with changes in other fields, we need to make changes in prisons as well, he stressed.

The President said that inmates need to be released to society after providing them with some vocational knowledge and thereby inculcating confidence about a living in them.

There is nothing called ‘impossible’ in our vocabulary, he said, and requested the nmates to re-join society as worthy citizens.

President Rajapaksa was welcomed to the event by prison officers with a presentation of guard of honour.

The award for the most obedient prisoner was presented by the President. The children of the detainees also received presents.

The Monaragala Prison emerged the Best Prison while Taldena Work Camp became the Best Work Camp.

Apart from a memento made by the inmates, copies of the Punaruda newspaper, “Sipiri Saviya–Deyata Diriya” souvenir and a magazine containing photographs by the inmates were presented to the President by the Prison Commissioner P.W. Kodippili and Secretary to the Ministry of Rehabilitation and Prison Reforms A. Dissanayake.

The ceremony was illuminated by cultural events presented by the detainees together with the prison officers.

Later, an exhibition of crafts made by the prison inmates was declared open by the President who appreciated the creative skills of the inmates.