Sri Lanka Presidents Speech

8/8/2019 Sri Lanka Presidents Speech

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Address i MaJblnda Rajapaksa

of the D t i Socialist Republic of S at the

Sixty-Fifth Sessiol1oftl1e

Natiol1s ! s s

New k23 Septel11bel' 2010( clzeck IIgllinst ,leli"ClY)

Permanent Mission of Sri Lanka to tlle United Nations630 Third Avenue. 20th , New York. NY 10017 Tel: (212) 986-7040 Fax: (212) 986-1838

E-mail: [email protected] Web: www.slmission.com


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President Excellencies,

1. 1have great pleasure in congratulating His Excellency Joseph Oeiss, hisassumption of the Chair of the 65th Session of the General AssembIy.

2. I also take this opportunity to extend our appreciation to the President of the64th Session, . . AIi Abdussalam Treki, for his effective stewardship of theGeneral AssembIy.

President, Excellencies, That the United Nations is now in its sixty fifth serves ( underline the

durability of this organisation. It is important mechanism in ensuring operation between States and forum for discussion between sovereignnations. We must never underestimate the importance of this organisationbased as it is, the principle of equal treatment of countries big and small.

4. It is in this spirit that 1address you crucial juncture in the history of owncountry. In two months, I will assuming office for second term.

5. mandate will very different from last. For second term asPresident, promise to people, is to deliver sustainabIe andprosperity to all and ensure that terrorism will to raise its ugly headagain.

6. In 2005, 1was elected people promise to rid country of the of . 1 both proud and humbIed that I stand b e f o e youand say that Sri Lanka is now , that was only dream fewyears ago,

7. Over the past , much has reported and much has saidregarding country's liberation from . However, far less has said of the suffering we had to undergo and the true nature of the wehave overcome.

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8. The rapidly forgotten truth is that we had to face of the most brutal, highlyorganised, well funded and effective terrorist organisations, that could evenspread its tentacles to other countries.

9. of the atrocities of terrorism that the West has to experience in ! times, the people of Sri Lanka were themselves the victims of, for nearly years, losing almost hundred thousand lives, among them beingPresident of Sri Lanka, v i s i o n a y leader of India and scores of intellectualsand politicians.

10. The L was organisation so brutal, that even those it claimed torepresent, the i l community of Sri Lanka, were as much victims of its terroras the rest of the population of c o u n t y .

11. Those who o b s e v i n g from afar, suggested that the Sri Lankan governmentshould have conceded to the demands of the terrorists, need to remindedthat terror is terror, whatever mask it wears and however it is packaged. allthose, I say this. responsibility is to the entire nation. responsibility is tothe lives of millions of , women and children, and those yet to . responsibility is to the and prosperity of the nation and the right topeaceful for all who live there

12. In this context, it is w o t h examining the capacity of current internationalhumanitarian law to ! c o n t e m p o r a y needs. It must remembered that,such law evolved essentially in response to conflicts waged the forces oflegally constituted States, and not terrorist groups. The asymmetrical nature ofconflicts initiated non-state actors gives rise to serious probIems which needto considered in earnest the international community.

1 As we close sad chapter in c o u n t y ' s h i s t o y , 1 would like to remind youthat we, along with others, made repeated attempts to engage the L in constructive dialogue. It is much to regretted that all these attempts wererejected with reckless arrogance and contempt. It is in these circumstancesthat we were compelled to mount humanitarian operation with the bIessings

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of international f i d s , to u t l i s acts of terrorism restore and security.

l l i s ,14. The entire focus of t i , is now buiJding lasting ; healing

w u d s , ensuring economic prosperity and guaranteeing the rights of the wholenation to live in harmony. We mindful that ' order ( fulfil theseaspirations, m i deveJopment and political reconciliation must go hand ' hand. Towards this end, constitutional changes which appropriateJy reflectaspirations of peopJe will evolved with the full participation of allstakeholders.

15. We pursuing nation-wide agenda of renewaJ. Sri Lanka has alreadyreturned 90% of the internalJy displaced persons ( their original villagesthat were previously riddled with landmines, and provided the essentialinfrastructure necessary to resume l life. We have helped bring back thevitality of youth to former child soldiers.

16. We have rebuilt the Eastern Province and begun the same tasl, in the North.Sri Lanka's Armed Forces now have the role of delivering essential services,rebuilding habitats, clearing mines and restoring vital infrastructure to wholetracts of formerly decimated land.

17. Despite the lingering dangers that have remained, Sri Lanka has neverthelessrepealed substantial of the Emergency Regulations so necessary duringour confiict situation and pJans to l good part of the remainder ' thecoming months.

18. great deal has said those beyond borders about our Tamilcommunity. Let clear, nation earth wish Sri Lanka's Tamilcommunity good fortune than Sri Lanka itself.

19. the misguided few, 1say, do not allow yourselves to instrumentof division, hate and violence, to used as for hatred to

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in another form. Rather , let us join hands and break the bonds ofmistrust to rise to new horizons.

20. Sri Lanka recognises the ehallenges we laee, among the greatest of which ishealing the wounds 01 the reeent past. this end, earlier this , LessonsLearnt and Reeonciliation Commission has estabIished.

21. This independent Commission, eomprising eight Sri Lankans of eminenee andstature, has already begun its work. Recently, the Commission handed over to interim eommunication reeommending e e t a i n administrative steps that need to taken in the reeoneiliation proeess.

22. We believe that lor the rebuilding and healing 01 our nation ( sueceed, theproeess must evolve from within. If history has taught us thing, it is thatimposed external solutions breed resentment and ultimately fail. Ours, eontrast, is home grown process, whieh reflects the eulture and traditions 01our people.

23. We e e t a i n l y vJeleome the s u p p o t of the i n t e n a t i o n a l eommunity as we rebuildour lands and o u . We sincerely hope that they will prepared totake practical approaeh to developing p a t n e r s h i p s with Sri Lanka throughi n t e n a t i o n a l trade, investment and building. those nationswho joinwith we say thank you.

24. Our is well the way to realising the dividend of . We experieneing steady and sustained growth ineluding d u i n g the last q u a t e r 01over eight eent, moderate inflation and low interest rates. During the lastfive (5) years, we saw our eapita ineome doubIe. It is our ambition to takethis f u t h e r ; to doubIeyet again the present eapita income 2016 and also of the top 30 countries for doing business 2014.

25. " h i d h i l h - V i s i for Ihe Fulure", eleetion manifesto a t i e u l a t e s vision 01 having sound i n l r a s t r u e t u e at the national, provincial and rural

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forum to re-affirm our willingness to further enhance o u support to the UNPeace-KeepingOperations.

President, The world unlike in the has severely vulnerabIe to natural

disasters. Almost e v e y day we millions of people becoming victims ofsevere floods, landslides, volcanoes, cyclones, earthquakes and the like. Ithas increasingly difficult for affected countries to manage unassisted,the ! disaster r e c o v e y programmes. The ! n a t u a l calamities ' o u region underline the crucial need for effective action, ' which there is collectiveparticipation, to reduce human suffering. Without doubt, climate change andglobal warming today issues which demand the u g e n t attention of allnations.

President,31. Among the political issues that have continued to fester for too long, is the

continued denial of the right of the Palestinian people to State of their ownwithin recognized and s e c u e borders. '! is the fervent hope of the people of SriLanka that this most tragic of situations would resolved without delay insustainable .

President,32. Our guiding principle must always that of mutual respect ' international

d i s c o u s e , even as we disapprove and condemn m e a s u e s such as unilateralembargoes.

33. Experience in the ! past amply demonstrates that these embargoesimpact not governments but the most vulnerable sections of thecommunity. In the same spirit, I would call for the empathy of the internationalcommunity, towards the aspirations of the Cuban people.

President,34. 1also wish to u g e with l the emphasis command the need for greater

concern and involvement the part of the international community to assist6


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the people of Africa in their efforts to elevate the quality of life theircontinent.

35. Leaders who have chosen their people often face difficult decisions.They must entitled to the good will and confidence of the internationalcommunity with regard to the heavy burdens they required to shoulder.The results of their decisions must evaluated objectively and must allowed to speak for themselves.

36. That is to say countries should operate in isolation. ' this globally inter-dependent world, we must work together where we and constructivelycounsel each other where appropriate.

37. The United Nations forms the bedrock of this interaction and in this role it willalways receive the support of Sri Lanka.

the NobIe Triple Gem Bless You.

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Sri Lanka Presidents Speech