October 19, Colombo (LNW): President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has pledged that the National People’s Power (NPP) administration will take a firm stand against efforts to revive ethnic and religious divisions, insisting that the country’s progress towards national unity must not be undermined by extremist politics.
Speaking at a women’s rally organised by the NPP in Badulla yesterday (18), the President accused certain groups in both the Northern and Southern regions of attempting to disrupt the improving climate of communal harmony. He alleged that these factions were unwilling to accept the country’s changing political environment and were seeking to create conditions that could lead to renewed social tensions.
Mr Dissanayake said his Government would not permit racist or extremist forces to regain political influence or return to positions of power. He stressed that safeguarding coexistence among communities was essential to maintaining stability and ensuring that the country could concentrate on its development priorities.
The President further alleged that attempts were being made to destabilise the administration at a time when it was working to address public concerns and fulfil its electoral commitments. While previous governments may have been diverted by similar political manoeuvres, he said the NPP would remain focused on its responsibilities and would not allow such efforts to obstruct its programme.
He also claimed that two television channels were being used to generate public discontent in response to the Government’s actions against corruption, drug trafficking and organised criminal activity. According to the President, individuals who had benefited from these illegal operations were increasingly threatened by efforts to dismantle the networks and practices from which they had profited.
Mr Dissanayake argued that certain political elements, unable to engage meaningfully with issues such as democratic governance, economic progress, education and the fight against fraud and corruption, were instead resorting to claims that the country faced an existential threat.
He maintained that the tensions being portrayed in some quarters did not reflect the situation among ordinary people, alleging that attempts were being made to manufacture divisions through media coverage.
The President also pointed to what he described as the additional challenges faced by his administration, saying it had to manage the country’s affairs and implement its policies while confronting alleged attempts to undermine its work.
He reiterated that the Government remained committed to protecting national harmony and preventing the resurgence of communal conflict, arguing that Sri Lanka’s future depended on citizens being able to live together without racial or religious hostility.
His remarks placed national unity alongside the Government’s anti-corruption drive and broader reform agenda, as the administration seeks to maintain public confidence while pursuing its stated political and economic objectives.
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