R. Sampanthan.
With gratitude to our forefathers who fought for independence, I issue this message on 70th Independence Day of our Country.
We are at a crucial juncture of our history as we celebrate seventy years of Independence. As a country, we have not been able to enjoy the true benefits of the independence in the past.
As a result of the unresolved national question, we have faced the lack of peace and harmony and development of the country. The ethnic issue has widened the gap between communities and has caused distrust and disunity amongst our people.
The country as a whole is still struggling to come out of the adverse impact of the armed struggle. As we look back at the past seventy years our losses outweigh our gains. Our failure in genuinely addressing the national question has left us far behind in economic development and prosperity in the region.
The past has left us with more events of grief and sadness than happiness and joy. But we cannot allow the past to be repeated. We must unite as people of one country, and it is only possible when people are treated with dignity and self-respect.
Therefore, I urge all political parties and leaders to cooperate to adopt a new Constitution. A Constitution that will genuinely address the root causes of the conflict and preserve the dignity of every citizen of this country. We must come together to find a lasting solution through a new Constitution, the supreme law of the country.
My appeal to the leaders and the people of this country is to come together to find a reasonable and acceptable political solution, which will have an enormous impact in rebuilding our shattered economy and in bringing lasting peace and harmony amongst our people.
Let us not miss the opportunity before us to create a better future for our country and its people.
R. Sampanthan MP
Leader of the Opposition – Parliament of Sri Lanka
Leader – Tamil National Alliance