It is with great pleasure
that I congratulate His Excellency Mr. Nassir
Abdulaziz Al-Nasser on his assumption of the
presidency. I must also congratulate His Excellency
Mr. Ban Ki-moon warmly on his reappointment as
Secretary-General and we look forward to working
with him constructively.
As we gather here today, it is appropriate to
reflect on the values and ideals that inspire the United
Nations system. One of the principal attributes is the
spirit of flexibility, which has always been a feature of
the United Nations. We must acknowledge the need for
that spirit of openness and adaptability today more than
at any other time. That is because the foundations of
the world order are being transformed dramatically and
fundamentally. At the heart of those changes is the
need to protect the smaller countries in the developing
world and to advance their interests vigorously.
In the midst of uncertainty there are some things
that must remain constant. They reflect our most
cherished beliefs and convictions. Despite repeated
references in this Assembly by many member countries
to the right of the Palestinian people to a State of their
own within secure borders, we still have not been able
to make it a reality. It is a cause of profound
disappointment that this has not yet happened. There is
a window of opportunity now and we must make use of
it before it is too late. It is time for decisive action
rather than more discussion. That will be in the interest
of the security and well-being of the entire region,
including Israel.
The need for sustained support for the countries
of the African continent at this critical time is also
worthy of mention. It is important to remind ourselves
that every country cherishes the values, traditions and
deeply held religious convictions it has nurtured over
the centuries. They cannot be diluted or distorted under
the guise of human rights by the imposition of attitudes
or approaches that are characteristics of alien cultures.
If that were to be done, it would amount to a violation
of human rights in a fundamental sense. It must also be
pointed out that, even where sanctions are imposed,
extreme care has to be taken to ensure that the people
at large, men, women and children yet to be born, are
not harmed by such action. I would also express once
again my solidarity with the people of Cuba and wish
them all success.
While the clash of ideas, opinions and values
continues, we have clearly to recognize that dialogue,
deliberation and consensus offer the only viable means
for resolving differences. The might of powerful
nations cannot prevail against justice and fair play. In
the troubled times in which we live we can derive
guidance from the wise words of Gautama the Buddha,
who advised the Lichchhavi Princes, whose energies
were being consumed by bitter disputes among them,
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that the way forward consisted of meeting, discussing
and departing in an atmosphere of amity and goodwill.
That represents the essential spirit of the United
Nations and is particularly relevant today.
The most significant challenge to stability and
progress in the modern world is posed by the menace
of terrorism. Recent experience the world over amply
demonstrates that inconsistent standards and
discriminatory approaches can unintentionally give a
fresh lease of life to the forces of terror. An explicit
and uniform response that refuses to recognize political
shades of terrorism is required.
Terrorism presents a threat from which not even
the wealthiest and most powerful nations are immune.
It must be remembered also that terrorist groups
frequently operate under the guise of front
organizations. Conferring legitimacy on such
organizations has had the inevitable effect of providing
comfort and encouragement to the merchants of terror.
As the leader of a nation that has paid a heavy price
because of terrorism over a quarter of a century, I
underline that we must firmly resolve to rid the world
of terrorism. We need to have solid, practical action on
the ground and send out our collective message on this
issue loud and clear and universally.
The interests of the developing world need to be
protected in another significant respect. It is vitally
important to insist that the structures and procedures of
multilateral organizations should be uniform and
consistent and devoid of discrimination. My country
has reason for concern at approaches tainted by an
unacceptable degree of selectivity, which we brought to
the notice of such organizations in recent weeks. The
developing world must keep a vigil against such
irregular modalities, which should be resisted through
our collective strength. Today, after three decades of
pain and anguish, Sri Lankans of all ethnicities, living
in all parts of Sri Lanka, are free from the Liberation
Tigers of Tamil Eelam terror and no longer live in a
state of fear. However, I am deeply mindful that the
battle for peace is every bit as important and difficult
as the struggle against terror. After the eradication of
terrorism, my Government turned its undivided
attention to building anew the foundations of a unified
and vibrant nation, drawing upon the inherent strengths
of our country and in particular the unique calibre of
our human potential.
It is justifiable for us to be proud of our nation’s
achievements during the brief span of the 30 months
since the beginning of the post-conflict phase. The
resettlement of more than 95 per cent of the internally
displaced persons, who constituted the largest number
of civilians forcibly held by a terrorist group at any
time, while continuing even today to clear the mines
laid by terrorists in extensive areas, is an achievement
of which we can be proud. Today in the Northern
Province our armed forces are engaged in the
development of the infrastructure that was destroyed
by the terrorists during a period of three decades.
Contrary to malicious propaganda the numbers of
armed forces personnel present in the Northern
Province has been kept at a minimal level. Revival of
the economy has enhanced incomes and improved
livelihoods. Ex-combatants and other cadres, after
exposure to programmes of vocational training and
counselling, have been reintegrated into society. The
electoral process has been restored after decades,
making possible the emergence of a democratic
leadership.
These are among our valued accomplishments.
The remarkable growth of 22 per cent of the economy
of the Northern Province is a clear indication of the
success achieved by the Government’s initiatives with
regard to development in that part of the country. The
gross domestic product growth of the country has been
consistent at 8 per cent, and unemployment is at a
record low of 4.5 per cent. It is also worthy of mention
that, in the assessment by the World Economic Forum
in its Global Competitiveness Report for 2011-2012,
Sri Lanka shows dramatic improvement, moving up to
fifty-second from their rank of seventy-ninth over a
span of two years. It is worthy of note that all these
developments have taken place within the brief space
of 30 months — an achievement all the more
significant because of our strong emphasis on
reconciliation. Important as economic development is,
we have attached the highest priority to fostering the
spirit of inclusivity and removing any remnants of
bitterness from the hearts and minds of all our people.
Over the past 30 months we have recruited 669 Tamil
police officers, bringing the total number of Tamil
officers to 1,143, while plans are afoot to recruit more
this year and in the future. After more than two decades
a census is being conducted in the Northern Province
as part of the national census, to provide a firm basis
for our initiatives.
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As a result of these achievements, what we see in
Sri Lanka today is a self-reliant nation with robust
hopes for the future and a strong economy,
strengthened by inward investment flows,
unprecedented expansion of tourism, and significant
growth in volume of international trade. With a view to
consolidating these trends and leaving behind us the
trauma of the past, we ask of the international
community the hand of friendship and goodwill, based
on an understanding of our nation’s determination to
confront with courage the challenge of a new era in our
history. We ask our friends in distant lands to drop
preconceived notions. We strongly believe in home-
grown solutions for them to be sustainable. It is clearly
impractical to conceive of universal remedies for
problems that afflict our societies. My country, as it
comes out of the darkness of the past three decades
into the light and promise of the future, must be
afforded the time and space to seek its destiny in
accordance with the wishes of its people. That is in
keeping with the values enshrined in the Charter of the
United Nations and the whole body of international law
that governs us.
A further consideration that the international
community should take into account is the
vulnerability of developing nations, and it should make
provision by means of appropriate institutional
arrangements for their protection. As I observed when
inaugurating the fiftieth anniversary meeting of the
Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization in
Colombo three months ago, the dumping of
commercial and industrial goods manufactured in
developed countries imperils the economies of many
Asian and African countries represented here.
In conclusion, let me say that the use of
substantial subsidies by treasuries and reserve banks to
support agricultural production in the developed world,
and other forms of protectionism, cause a serious
distortion in the interplay of market forces and greatly
reduce the ability of farmers in many developing
countries to access international markets for their
export products on an equitable basis. The
disproportionate pollution of the environment by
industrialized countries and the resultant impact on
global warming and climate change cannot be
remedied with any semblance of justice by imposing
harsh restraints on developing countries, which have
contributed very little to aggravate the problem. These
circumstances heighten the importance of social equity
at the international level.
May the Noble Triple Gem bless you all.