Ceylon Today Editorial

Bicentenary of Jaffna Central and 70th Convention of UNP

12 September 2016

President Maithripala Sirisena's participation in the bicentenary celebration of Jaffna Central College, which is one of the oldest educational institutions in the Island on Friday (9) and the President's presence along with his predecessor Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga at the United National Party's (UNP) 70th Annual Convention on Saturday (10) had highlighted that the present government is traversing on the right track towards strengthening the reconciliation process not only among the people in the country, but also in the political arena.

The first Cabinet of the country was formed by the United National Party (UNP) soon after the independence and remained with dignified politicians representing all three communities in the country.

So the 70th Anniversary of the country's premier political party UNP even reminded the golden era of Sri Lankan politics bringing together all leading politicians despite their political stances.

The political figures who were on the dais at the 70th Conventions of UNP with the UNP leaders remained as loggerheads a couple of years ago and the politics of the country were in a disoriented state.
However, the farsightedness of the leadership of the prime political parties the UNP and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party took an exemplary move in uniting themselves accommodating the minority parties in their fold towards creating good governance in the country.

The 70th Convention of the UNP clearly indicated that before working towards reconciliation among the people, the leaders who represent them should have proper reconciliation among themselves.

The National anthem was even rendered in Tamil at the UNP Convention on Saturday and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe even paid a glowing tribute to one of our national heroes Sir Ponnambalam Ramanathan who played a tremendous role in the independence struggle of Sri Lanka.

It is saddening to note that from the time the country gained independence, racism took centre stage in politics ruining the healthy progress of the country.

At the time of Independence Sri Lanka was considered truly a pearl in the Indian Ocean. The literacy, economy and the socio cultural aspects were in peak form with legendary leaders in Asia such as late Singapore Prime Minister Lee Quan Yew even praising Sri Lanka as an exemplary country in Asia.

President Maithripala Sirisena addressing the UNP Convention pointed out that the resolutions adopted at the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Convention and at the UNP Convention have similarities and they were focused towards strengthening reconciliation and the development activities of the country.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe in his address at the convention very rightly said that the political parties in the country should join hands in developing the country and should not be playing politics for their selfish ends.

The war which had posed a threat to the unity, integrity and the development of the country has now come to an end and the prime political parties must focus on taking the country in the right direction creating peace and reconciliation along with developing the country.

A day before the UNP Convention President Sirisena was in Jaffna attending the bicentenary celebrations of the Jaffna Central College, which is one of the pioneer educational institutions in the island.

Right from the beginning Jaffna Central College attracted several students from the South and a significant number of students from the South excelled during their period at Central in education as well as in sports.

Apart from Jaffna Central several other leading schools in the North also remained as the centres of unity and integrity attracting students of all ethnicities in the island.

The President addressing the audience at Jaffna Central College assured that he would do his best to revamp the educational sector in the North.

In a highly globalized hi-tech world, petty differences will only undermine the progress of a country. Therefore, reconciliation among the prime parties at the UNP convention and the President's presence at the Jaffna Central College have shown that the country is now focused towards its healthy future by burying the miserable past.