"We will NEVER allow racists room to destroy our nation again" - President AKD

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake reaffirmed his government’s commitment to national unity and reconciliation during a visit to Pudukuduirippu, a region deeply affected by Sri Lanka’s decades-long conflict. 

Addressing the local community, the President acknowledged the immense suffering endured by families in the area and emphasized the government's responsibility to restore dignity and rebuild lives.

“This region of Pudukuduirippu is home to people who have lost so much. Families here have lost loved ones—children, parents, homes, and all their belongings. Our responsibility is to help rebuild lives and restore dignity to this community that has endured immense suffering.”

President Dissanayake strongly condemned the resurgence of racist and divisive political ideologies, stating that his administration would not allow space for such narratives to take root again in Sri Lanka.

“As a government, we will not allow space for a return to racist politics in this country. I firmly believe that, as citizens, you too must reject such divisive ideologies, no matter where or how they emerge.”

He criticized the tendency of certain political narratives to portray the Northern Province as a perpetual threat, contrasting how incidents in the South are normalized while similar events in the North are framed as precursors to war.

“This reflects a political agenda that seeks to instill fear and suspicion about the North... Our government is committed to ensuring that war will not return to the North.”

The President emphasized that the government’s political mission is to prevent any resurgence of ethnic conflict, promote reconciliation, and take bold, progressive decisions to ensure lasting peace.

He also highlighted the rights of families to know the fate of their missing loved ones, and the rights of traditional farmers to reclaim ancestral lands, affirming that the government is actively working to uphold these rights.

“Yes, we are a country with a history of war, pain, and loss. But we must now build a future rooted in brotherhood and unity. That is our path forward.”

President Dissanayake assured that the steps being taken toward peace and reconciliation are irreversible, and that his government will not allow any form of conflict to re-emerge in the country.