Politics should be limited to election times and all political leaders must come together to save the country from the present crisis, cCairman of the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ), former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said addressing the Moneragala District Conference of the Coalition for National and Religious Reconciliation.

Jayasuriya said, “The world is facing huge challenges today and that the Covid pandemic and the economic downturn have left all of us in a desperate situation.

“Therefore, we cannot allow this country to deteriorate further. If we do so, we will be betraying our future generations. Sadly, some people are still trying to create racial and religious divisions. We appeal to all political leadres and the people to forge national religious unity without allowing the country to be ravaged by racial and religious disharmony once again,” he said.

The NMSJ Chairman said it was unity that had helped some countries devastated by wars to emerge as world powers.

“We cannot become isolated in the world and therefore must gain the trust and respect of the world community. Tourists and investors will flock to a country that protects democracy, upholds the rule of law and human rights,” he said.

Excerpts of his speech: “Today, we are pleased to have the opportunity to meet members of the distinguished community of the Uva province. This meeting is a very important one to us.

“Your forefathers sacrificed their lives to free this country from the grips of its foreign colonisers. They shed their blood on this land. Therefore as Sri Lankans we bow our heads as a mark of respect to those brave heroes.

“It has been 73 years since we gained independence. But can we be truly pleased, if we compare the situation we were in following independence with the situation today? Countries that gained independence after us have long surpassed us in development.

“During the past period, the country had to face “racial, religious and political divisions as well as conspiracies, youth unrest and terrorism” which was a major obstacle to the country’s progress. However, we do not wish to lay the blame on any particular person or party for these events of the past now as it would be a futile exercise.

“The other unfortunate fact is that even though your forefathers sacrificed their lives for the betterment of this country, the Uva province is still one of the least developed provinces in Sri Lanka.

“We are here today with the aim of realising the wrongs of the past and applying necessary remedies through a new national and religious united front, with the aim of creating a prosperous new society in Sri Lanka that is democratically disciplined, free, independent, fair and just.

“We do not have any party affiliations. We aren’t prone to racist ideologies. All religions preach the need to create a righteous and peaceful society. If adhered to, we can create a better society. Therefore, we are visiting various parts of the country to request the religious leadership and the leaders of these local communities to support us in realising this noble goal.

It is a great strength to us to witness the indigenous community being represented here today. We appreciate the dedication of the leader of the indigenous population in protecting the environment. We will ensure that their rights are protected.”