Sri Lanka President calls for unity in political culture to foster economic growth

Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized the importance of a political culture that prioritizes the nation over traditional politics for the country’s advancement.

He underscored that all political leaders, both in government and opposition, bear significant responsibility and must support initiatives aimed at improving the national economy.

The President also emphasized that the responsibilities of all political leaders, from both the government and the opposition, are crucial and should not be underestimated.

He underscored the importance of their unified support for the country’s economic upliftment program, free from political entanglements.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe made this statement during a recent meeting at the Presidential Secretariat with a group of lawyers.

The President emphasized that everyone has the right to engage in politics, but no one should undermine the economic framework essential for the country’s advancement.

He highlighted that recent strikes, including those preceding the upcoming presidential election after the agreement with the International Monetary Fund was signed, were politically motivated.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe further commented:

“The political culture of our country has evolved over the past two years. A coalition was formed with the country’s interests in mind, operating outside the realm of traditional politics.

As a result, today we see individuals from various political affiliations, including those independent of any party, participating actively.

The events of May 9, 2022, need no further elaboration. Due to widespread oppression, protests erupted among the public. Certain individuals sought to capitalize on these movements. As a result, traditional parties failed to regain leadership of the country.

In December 2021, I had a discussion with the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, who highlighted a pressing issue in our country and urged me to convey this to the President for prompt action.

I subsequently informed the former President about this matter, and it was also discussed during the visit of World Bank representatives.

Around the same time, the President convened a meeting with political parties in Parliament to address the issue, during which each party put forward distinct proposals.

Only Mr. Sampanthan and Mr. M.A. Sumanthiran from the Tamil National Alliance joined while I was the sole participant from the United National Party. Other opposition parties chose not to join. It must be emphasized that this was an incorrect action.

During this period, the country faced a crisis, necessitating collective efforts to determine the necessary measures. No one could evade this responsibility.

The leader of the opposition serves as the alternative Prime Minister, not merely a bystander. Therefore, it was their duty to participate.

However, none of the political parties took any action in this regard.

Following that, on May 09, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned. At that time, SLPP was unable to maintain government power, and we must acknowledge this.

Ministers also resigned. Given the British system, the alternative Prime Minister could have assumed leadership. Many believed that according to tradition, if Mr. Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned, the leader of the opposition should be given the first opportunity.

I expressed willingness to support anyone in this role, but despite being informed to attend on May 10, he did not come forward. They had decided not to accept the post of Prime Minister and did not fulfill their duty, possibly due to focusing on short-term political strategies.

During the budget debate, some put forward ideas on how to revive the country but declined to take on the responsibility themselves. The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna made no effort at all. However, we accepted this responsibility.

At the time, the country was declared bankrupt. I was confident that we could recover from this situation. At that moment, it didn’t matter who the President was; my priority was saving the country.

We have encountered such challenges before. During the 1971 rebellion, Mr. J.R. Jayawardena, then the leader of the opposition, supported Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike. His son was even arrested once, but their stance remained unchanged.

In 1989, Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike and Minister Ratwatte approached President Premadasa to pledge their support for restoring law and order in the country. The army commander then asked them to refrain from criticizing their actions once undertaken, to which both agreed.

This illustrates our history of discussing and cooperating in different circumstances. When the Indo-Ceylon agreement was signed, Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike and Mr. Dudley Senanayake collaborated despite other times of conflict, which was not seen as problematic.

Sri Lanka stands out in Asia for its practice of transferring power based on election results to the winning party.

Despite discussions on judicial independence, Sri Lanka’s judiciary operates uniquely. Issues faced by India’s Supreme Court under Mrs. Indira Gandhi serve as a notable example.

While carrying out these duties, we encountered the events of July 9. On that day, the former President vacated the Presidential Palace. Concurrently, I was also asked to resign as Prime Minister.

I questioned to whom I should submit my resignation letter. Should I search the seas to find the President? I stated that if I were to resign, I would need to nominate someone with majority support.

The opposition leader says, “No, we need to appoint someone; therefore, you resign.” There, I emphasized that the person present should be given priority.

Then they requested the Speaker to take charge. The Speaker responded that while he could manage Parliament, he couldn’t take on the responsibility of controlling the economy. This marked a breakdown in the country’s political system.

Eventually, there was an attempt to raid the Parliament. When the Army Commander notified us of this, all the party leaders were inside, and they said the Prime Minister should resign.

Shortly after, the Army Commander received word that protesters were approaching Parliament. Within five minutes, everyone evacuated the premises.

I had to inform the Army Commander to safeguard Parliament and also alerted the Speaker about the situation.

During times of need, they chanted slogans without taking responsibility. Despite multiple invitations for discussions, none of them attended. Subsequently, a new political culture emerged in the country.

When I assumed the Presidency, I received support from all parties, yet every party also voted against me. A faction, including the Chairman of the SLPP, moved to the opposition, while another group from SJB supported me.

Together, we formed a government, and I continued working with former ministers without intending to replace any of them, though some departed voluntarily.

Politicians from various parties united to work for the nation, receiving support from Members of Parliament regardless of party lines and external sources.

Since then, this government has made remarkable strides, achieving success through collaborative efforts regardless of party differences.

We have successfully emerged from bankruptcy and are now recognized globally as a country capable of repaying its debts.

We are currently implementing agreements with the International Monetary Fund, the Official Creditors’ Committee for Sri Lanka, China Exim Bank, and private creditors.

We cannot afford to make different promises; engaging in old politics is no longer an option, and we recognize that.

For the country to progress, economic transformation towards a modern export-oriented economy is essential.

Our goal is to increase the GDP from USD 85 billion to USD 350 billion by 2048, achievable through diligent efforts.

Countries like Singapore and Vietnam have achieved development by maintaining consistency in their policies.

In politics, our focus should be on establishing fundamental stability. In Parliament, diverse opinions may arise, but advancing the country’s economic framework is crucial. Many today seek to undermine this framework.

Despite recent strikes, coinciding with the upcoming Presidential Election in September and October, there is no need for strikes. If dissatisfied with one party, voters can choose another.

Efforts to destabilize the economic framework were opposed by the people. Now, we must affirm the country’s achievements and determine whether to chart a new course or maintain the current system.

It’s important to acknowledge that your presence here today is a tremendous strength. Let’s unite to advance the country.

Let’s set aside party politics for the next five years. Our country needs a stable economic system.

In the first round of the French parliamentary elections, there was an expectation that the extreme liberals would dominate.

However, both the liberal wing and leftists decided to unite against the third party in those seats without contesting each other.

If the 3rd person is from my party, my party expels a member; if it is from yours, your party should also expel a member.

Now, the situation has reversed. Therefore, there are opportunities to collaborate and move forward together. We should strive to create such a scenario in our country.

Let’s acknowledge the political changes in our country and work together to build our future. We cannot remain a nation reliant on begging indefinitely.

It’s crucial to uplift the country economically and foster a strong economy.

We invite everyone to join hands in fulfilling this responsibility.

Thank you for being here today.”

(President’s Media)