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UNP sees importance of having its own Muslim and Tamil leaders as in past
UNP Deputy Leader Ruwan Wijewardene yesterday said that the UNP would have to follow the policies of its founder and build up leaders which represent Muslim and Tamil communities within the party itself.
Speaking during the meetings he had with party activists in Ampara District, Wijewardene said the UNP should develop its own Muslim and Tamil leaders rather than depending on other minority parties. “We had good Muslim leaders in the past, such as, the late A. C.S Hameed and M.H. Mohamed. It is time we developed leaders to represent Tamils and Muslims within our party” he said.
“We could not look after the needs of our party members during the time when we were running the government. We formed the government with the SLFP. The SLFP got all the ministries where there were employment opportunities. They provided jobs to their supporters. Even Rishad Bathiudeen’s party got a ministry where employment opportunities exist. However, those in our camp never got ministries where there were job opportunities. Some say former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe only focused on developing the nation while forgetting party members. We should allow our leader to concentrate on building the nation if we form a government in the future. We can take over the task of looking after the party members without putting that burden on Wickremesinghe” he added.
“We will visit Ampara once a month and will also visit areas such as Trincomalee, Kegalle and Ratnapura in the future and organise the party,” he said.
He also said a common opposition alliance would come into place next year. “It is only such a grand opposition alliance that is able to defeat SLPP,” he added.
UNP Colombo Municipal Council Member Duminda Attygalle, former UNP MPs and Working Committee Members Saman Ratnapriya and Anoma Gamage were also present.
Pope Leo XIV appealed for “no more war” in a message to world powers during his first Sunday address at the Vatican.
Reflecting on current conflicts, the newly selected pontiff called for a “lasting peace” in the war in Ukraine, a ceasefire in Gaza, and welcomed Saturday’s agreement to end recent hostilities between India and Pakistan.
He said he was “deeply hurt” by events in Gaza, expressed hope for a “lasting accord” between India and Pakistan, and wished for a “authentic, true and lasting peace” in Ukraine.
The Pope also recited the Regina Caeli prayer, in honour of the Virgin Mary, to the crowd in St Peter’s Square.
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May this Vesak celebration be a blessed one filled with kindness and compassion towards all living beings – PM
In her Vesak day message, Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya wished that this Vesak celebration be a blessed one filled with kindness and compassion towards all living beings
The full text of the prime ministers vesak day message:
“It is an honor to extend my Vesak day message to all citizens of the nation during this sacred period in which Buddhist community across Sri Lanka come together to pay homage to the Lord Buddha, upholding both material and spiritual offerings and commemorating the threefold sacred events of the Lord Buddha’s life.
Since ancient times, the lives of the Sri Lankan people have been deeply rooted by the teaching of the Lord Buddha and this is a greater inheritance we have received through the Dhamma. In our country, where people of diverse ethnicities and religions coexist in harmony, the collective celebration of a major religious festival such as Vesak stands as a powerful testament to that unity.
This year Vesak day celebration marks the first to be celebrated under the current government, which was established with the vision of “A Prosperous Country, a Beautiful Life.” I believe that this Vesak season is a particularly a time to heal the hearts and minds of humanity, especially as our nation embarks on a path of meaningful transformation. Through this message, I take this opportunity to invite all of citizens to unite in mind and spirit, bound together by mutual respect and compassion.
I join all Sri Lankans in praying that the flames of war burning in various parts of the world at this moment may be extinguished, and that all people across the globe may be blessed with lives of happiness and peace.
May all of you have a blessed Vesak!”
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Special waste management programme launched under “Clean Sri Lanka” during the State Vesak Festival
Parallel with the State Vesak Festival that commenced on Saturday (10) in the Nuwara Eliya District, a special waste management initiative has been launched under the “Clean Sri Lanka” programme to enhance facilities for devotees and ensure proper waste disposal in the city of Nuwara Eliya.
With hundreds of thousands of people expected to visit Nuwara Eliya during the Vesak Week, from May 10 to 16, this initiative is aimed at preserving the cleanliness and beauty of the area.
The programme will focus particularly on areas around the Gregory Lake, a key tourist attraction, and the Nuwara Eliya International Buddhist Centre, the venue for the State Vesak Festival.
In addition, the “Clean Sri Lanka” initiative urges visiting devotees to refrain from bringing non-biodegradable material such as polythene and calls on all citizens to act responsibly by properly disposing of waste only at designated locations, while maintaining the sanctity and cleanliness of the environment.
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