Strengthening rapport between different communities stressed

by Ananda KANNANGARA

The importance of strengthening the rapport between Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Malays and various other ethnic groups in the country to create national unity was stressed by former UN Resident Representative in Geneva Dr. Dayan Jayatilleka recently.

He made these remarks at the 12th Bakeer Markar Memorial Lecture, held in Colombo under the theme `Challenges in Strengthening Sri Lankan Identity'. Western Province Governor Alavi Mowlana and former MPs Dr. Karunasena Kodituwakku and Imithiyas Bakeer Markar were also present.

Dr. Jayatilleka said no one could say that Sri Lanka belongs to professionals, urban-dwellers, minorities or any particular community, as it equally belongs to every citizen in the country, irrespective of their caste, creed, religion or gender."Everybody is aware that there are differences among people living in our society, but they should think that all of them belong to one family, so that there will be no differences between communities," he said.

Taking neighbour India as an example, Dr. Jayatilleka said although Hindus are the majority there, no one opposed their Prime Minister who is a Sikh. He reminded the audience that the President of India is a woman and the leader of the Congress Party is an Italian-born woman.