{"id":141380,"date":"2015-03-19T14:25:26","date_gmt":"2015-03-19T08:55:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=141380"},"modified":"2015-03-26T22:07:49","modified_gmt":"2015-03-26T16:37:49","slug":"despite-what-we-say-we-are-all-like-crabs-in-a-boiling-pot-of-water-president","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/despite-what-we-say-we-are-all-like-crabs-in-a-boiling-pot-of-water-president\/","title":{"rendered":"Despite What We Say, We Are All Like Crabs In A Boiling Pot Of Water: President"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cDespite what we say or do, at the end of the day we are all like crabs dancing in a boiling pot of water,\u201d said President Maithripala Sirisena<\/span><\/a> as he added that it is his experiences during the past two months as the President that made him understand the true nature of politics.<\/p>\n

\"Maithripala<\/a>\u201cI have had the opportunity to meet the Indian Prime Minister, the British PM and the Queen of England. Those meetings made me realize that there are a lot of challenges that Sri Lanka has to face and we cannot do it alone,\u201d he said addressing a meeting organized for the SLFP electoral organizers earlier this week (17.03.2015) in Colombo.<\/p>\n

The President, in a very strong and emotional speech criticized certain aggressive and racist statements made by some SLFP MPs in public rallies and to the media as he described them as \u2018primitive statements\u2019 and warned them to prevent Sri Lanka from being pushed into another war.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt was PM Bandaranaike<\/span><\/a> that showed us that it\u2019s impossible to establish a government only through Sinhala Buddhist<\/span><\/a> votes. In this country, the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim communities all have to come together \u2013 without such unity this country cannot be taken forward, there will be no future for this country, please understand that,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The President addressed certain factions of the SLFP who have started openly challenging and criticizing him and said, \u201cYou all have made various statements about me but none commended the deferral of the OISL report<\/span><\/a> which was achieved following my election. I can say for sure the deferral of the report was granted due to my election as the President. If that report had been tabled in March, it is the very people you campaign for and hold in high regard that would fall into trouble…\u201d<\/p>\n

President Sirisena went on to state that since it was upon the invitation of the former SLFP Chairman and the party members that he assumed duties as the SLFP chairman, he should be allowed to fulfill his duties.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is not a position that one can come into by force or coercion. During the past two months I have brought about democracy into the party and because of that, many are freely making statements and for the first time, has started challenging the Chairman of the party. While I observe the freedom of speech as a positive development I also urge you all to allow me to continue my work,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, speaking of the upcoming elections, the President said the SLFP should cast aside primitive slogans that stir racial hatred and sideline certain communities and adopt a slogan that fits the party and ensures the well being of the country and its people.<\/p>\n

Watch the full speech;<\/p>\n