SLFP celebrates its’ 63rd anniversary

Statement made by the SLFP General Secretary

“When there is a steep mountain in front of you, what you have to do first is to think of the step that you are going to put and not the difficulty of climbing the mountain”

This is an extract of a wonderful Zen Buddhist story that I have read.

The personnel under the leadership of the late S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike who gathered at the Buddhist hall in Pettah on July 29, 1951 with a view to establishing a new political party, decided to name it as the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. Accordingly, it was the Queen’s Counsel H.Sri Nissanka who proposed the name of our new party as Sri Lanka Freedom Party.

In 1948, it was the western imperialists who ruled our country until such time that our country gained independence, even nominally. However, the Sri Lankan leaders were not satisfied with the nominal independence that they achieved. It was the SLFP leaders who created awareness among the people about true independence.

During the general elections held in 1947, the Sinhala Maha Sabha of S.W.R, D.Bandaranaike supported the United National Party on the basis of several facts. This Sabha supported the UNP at that time on the promise of gaining full freedom from the imperialists and the removal of the British Army Camps established in Trincomalee and Katunayaka soon after gaining independence. But, the UNP leaders who came to power became the imitators of the British Government or Britain and were not successful in bringing about the victories to the country or to the public. As a result, the Panchamaha Balawegaya (five great forces) viz., monks, laity, teachers, physicians and workers were dissatisfied.

The budget presented in 1951 was a typical example. Before 1948, when the State Council was in operation, our annual national income was Rs. 80 million. But, the national income rose up to Rs. 1380 million as Sri Lankan rubber fetched high prices in the world market. The national Income increased by Rs. 1,300 million but the UNP leaders at that time did not spend the money for the good of the ordinary people. In spite of the fact that the Sinhala Maha Sabha supported the UNP to establish a powerful democratic government, it was the objective of the Maha Sabha to establish a party to solve various problems faced by the people from the socialist system to the conservative system. The Government of Prime Minister, D.S.Senanayaka rejected the proposal which had been unanimously seconded by the Maha Sabha for the formation of such a party.

On July 12, 1951 Mr. Bandaranayke resigned from the post held by him - the Minister of Local Government. When he sat in the opposition having left the government, D.A. Rajapaksa, A.P.Jayasooriya, George R. de Silva, Jayaweera Kuruppu and D.S.Gunasekera also followed suit. This group left the UNP at that time due to the UNP’s inability to fulfil progressive policies, ignoring public welfare.

Sri Lanka Freedom party was so named because it aspired to bring the economic, social and cultural freedom in order to gain independence. It was born with the objective of completing the political freedom of Sri Lanka.

The excellence of our party was that the leaders had taken steps in favour of the country and were implementing them. Although the D.S.Senanayaka Government had promised to remove the British Army Camps in Trincomalee and Katunayaka after coming to power, it was S.W.R.D.Bandaranayaka who came to power in 1956 who got the credit for removing those camps. The SLFP believed and followed policies from the beginning, on the understanding that it could gain real freedom through a vision of the economic and cultural policies which suited our country. The leaders like S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike and Sirimavo Bandaranaike who held the leadership of SLFP never took steps that violated the principles of the party. In the same way, SLFP was a party which gave priority to the needs of the oppressed and the poor and became the party of the progressive people.

The darkest age of our country after independence was the separatist terrorism that raised its ugly head for more than 30 years from 1980. A large number of people died, irrespective of race or religion. A large number of national resources that could have been used for the development of the country were destroyed. Some countries in the world tarnished the good image of our country branding it “Maranaye Deshaya” (the country of death). If not for the victory of President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the Presidential Election 2005, our country could have been under the terrorists under the regime of the UNP leaders who brought in terrorism to this country in 1980.

It is praiseworthy because we have gained progress in economic, social and cultural fields in the years after 2005. As I am aware, Sri Lanka is the only country which gained its development goals after a long-term war.

SLFP has become a strong party not only in this country but also in the entire Asian Region due to the President’s powerful and energetic leadership.

The majority of the people had gathered around our party because of the trust they had placed on the SLFP.

SLFP is a mature political party having passed 63 years and has the power to exist for hundred years to come.

SLFP is not a party which used thuggery or weapons at any time to rule the country and it was their policy to rule the country to the satisfaction of all, appreciating democracy.

The policies of our party have been formulated through a middle path which is the reason why people gather round the SLFP.

Long live SLFP which has reached its 63rd year! Maithripala Sirisena. SLFP General Secretary.