All communities should be given equal rights: the General

(January 11,Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) If the country is to be developed, all communities in the land should be given equal rights and all people should be able to live in a secure country, said General Sarath Fonseka in Avissawella yesterday. The General expressed these views while addressing a public rally in the area organised by the United National party Western Provincial Councillor Hashan Thillekeratne.

“I have a message for you all. If this country is to be developed, we as a nation should move forward. All communities in the country should be given equal rights and all people should be able to live in a secure country.

“If racism, problems relating to religions and languages persist, a country cannot move forward. We have understood this. All minority parties have rallied around me and have decided to vote for me.

“That does not mean that I am trying to form a separate state or destroy the territorial integrity of the country. If I wanted to do that, I would have allowed such actions to materialize. We could have promoted such actions. I was willing to sacrifice by life for this country. I was inflicted with critical woulds on three occasions.

Twice in the battlefield and once at the Army Headquarters. Despite my injuries, I faced terrorism for the betterment of the country,” said the General.

Before the rally the General laid floral tributes at the statue of Lieutenant Colonel Lalith Jayasinghe of the Special Forces killed during the war.

Several party leaders who support the candidature of General Sarath Fonseka were present at the occasion.