Yesterday was my birthday. Today
completes one year of entrusting me the
custodianship of this country. I consider these as the
two most important
days in my life.
I must thank you all for your commitment
to invoke blessings on me through
various meritorious acts in these two days.
On this historic day it is a pleasure
to come to the historic Giruwapattuwa, to be among you
who dressed me with this Kurahan shawl, the people who
are closest to me, and lay the foundation stone to launch
a massive development scheme which symbolizes the future
advances of our country.
One year has elapsed since we took
over the responsibility of building a New Sri Lanka.
When we look back at this period, we should ask whether
we have deviated from the pledges we gave to build a
New Sri Lanka, stated in the Mahinda Chintana. In addition
to conceptual matters stated in the Mahinda Chintana,
we are bound by a contract with the people in respect
of 652 basic issues. Have we violated that contract?
Have we sidetracked the mandate given to me by the people?
On this occasion I would like tell
you all very honestly that we have not betrayed an iota,
a word, a letter or even a comma of the Mahinda Chintana.
We have fulfilled about 200 conditions
of this contract such as the
fertilizer subsidy, a Ministry for Children, Maga Neguma,
Gama Neguma,
Mathata Thitha, a Nutrition Package, Jathika Saviya,
increase of Samurdhi
relief, and the increase of public service salaries
etc. For us who have
been battered by drought, rain is a blessing.
In the Budget presented by me the
day before yesterday, I have allocated Rs. 90 billion
for Education which is the highest ever in any budget
in Sri Lanka. Can you remember me telling on this platform
that I will form child-based government, for the children?
That is why I allocated such a massive sum for education.
I introduced the E-village concept from this budget.
That is for your children. I have also allocated a large
amount for development projects and infrastructure development.
Besides that, this budget also provides for more graduate
employment.
My dear friends, in doing all these
we have not sacrificed any of our
national assets or any state institution. We have proved
within one year
that we need not sell this country in order to build
it. No should now tell
us that we have to sell our national assets to build
the country. This is
the biggest victory of the Mahinda Chintanaya to date.
On the other hand look at the security
of this blessed land. Are we subdued
by any one's threats? Are we frightened? Have we humiliated
or made cowards
of our heroic soldiers before the LTTE terrorists who
are engaged in cruel
acts to destroy the brotherhood of Sinhala, Tamil and
Muslims who lived in
harmony for centuries? I said then that I will not allow
the Muslims living
in the East to be hostages to the LTTE. Haven't we honoured
our promise?
The so called ruthless terrorists of the world are now
beleaguered in 5- 6
villages in the East. I will repeat today what said
introducing Mahinda
Chintanaya. I love this land of my birth more than anything
else. I am not
prepared to be intimidated by anyone who is powerful,
any invader or
terrorist to divide or betray this noble land. That
much is sure.
However friends, I have to openly
state that many of our people have a
disease that makes it difficult to identifying and separate
the terrorist
from the ordinary Tamil person. This is a terrible disease.
There are
hundreds thousand of Tamils living in the North and
East, as well as in
other parts of the country, who follow the path of Amirthalingam,
Lakshman
Kadirgamar, Anandasangaree and Douglas Devananda. We
should respect their
rights. If they say that they have a problem, we have
no right to say, no
you have no problem. We should listen to them and take
steps to resolve
their problems.
You are aware that the first condition
to build a new Sri Lanka is the unifying of this country.
From the dawn of independence every leader attempted
to bring this country under a single standard without
differences of race, caste and creed. We have to admit
that honestly. Today we have made their aspirations
a reality. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna and the Hela
Urumaya who were around me like a wall of strength during
last presidential election; as well as the main opposition
the United National Party that was then opposed to us;
are now ready to join hands with us in the issues affecting
the country. They have already declared that. That is
what D. S. Senanayake dreamt of. That is what S. W.
R. D. Bandaranaike dreamt of. Today we are at the threshold
of that dream coming true. This unity is essential to
build the nation and protect the country. We have put
a full stop to the politics of hate that prevailed to
date. We have put a stop to both drugs and hatred. Let
us replace the politics of hate with the politics of
brotherhood. This is the only way to usher in a New
Sri Lanka. Let us wish and pray for it. I dream for
the day when the Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim children
who welcomed me to Weerawila today, go arm in arm to
Jaffna. I also dream of how they get in from Palali
and get off together from Weerawila. That should be
the dream of all of us.
You would remember that when introducing
the Mahinda Chintana we said the Land of Sri Lanka and
its maritime zone and the air space have been identified
as valuable assets of our people. What we have initiated
from Weerawila today, is maximum utilization of the
air space to achieve socio-economic development, in
addition to the safeguarding the country.
The international airport that is
to be constructed in Weerawila will be the centre of
speedy development of the whole country, not only of
the South. Weerawila will be linked to the international
transportation network which is the most efficient,
safe, systematic and fastest mode of transport in the
world.
As it has been planned a 4000 meter
long and 75 meter wide modern runway
will be constructed. The world's largest aircraft -
the A380 capable of
carrying 800 passengers will be able to land here. I
have given instructions
to build this with a capacity to handle 2m passengers
a year. This is only
the beginning. Just imagine how useful it would have
been if we had an
airport like this, when the LTTE attacked Katunayake,
and at the time of the
tsunami devastation.
To construct this airport we had
to acquire about 4000 hectares of land that belong to
the people. It is not that we don't know it is an inconvenience
to the innocent people who are affected. But in carrying
out tasks that are important for the country and its
future, it is necessary to make big sacrifices. When
the Hon. Gamini Dissanayake constructed massive reservoirs
such as Mahaweli and Victoria reservoirs people of those
areas had leave their traditional homes and go to Girandurukotte
and Dehiattakandiya. However, under the construction
of this airport, I have instructed to give alternate
lands and compensation, sometimes more than the assessed
value, to those who lose their lands. At the same time,
you should not forget the fact that with the construction
of this airport the small village of Weerawila will
become a powerful city in the world, and the future
of your children will depend on its environs. Besides
that, in this sea off Hambantota where more than 180
ships pass in a day, it is necessary that we make them
to anchor there. We will have to supply water, food,
fuel necessary for those ships. That is how a country
should be developed.
I do not like to sell to you the
traditional myth that the country cannot be developed
due to North- East conflict. That the development of
the came to a halt, because we had to spend for national
defence is not in my vocabulary. You all should be ready
to tirelessly work towards achieving development. I
am not a man to be deceived by bogus reports and so-called
progress reports. I am a man with my feet firmly set
on ground and having my ears tuned to the earth. Therefore,
my appeal to you is; "Let us work for the future
victory of the country". It is only by doing so
that we will be truly able to Crown the Nation.
I sincerely thank all who took pains
to make this occasion a success, and
wish that this airport would be the first chapter in
the development saga of
Sri Lanka. I specially that Minister Mangala Samaraweera,
the Government
Agent, Hambantota and the political leadership of the
area as well as all
political parties who joined hands with me for the last
year's historic
victory,
I wish you all a bright future; and
The blessings of the Triple Gem and all deities
Thank you!
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