Building unity, reconciliation and friendship

by Latheef Farook : -Sunday, 14 February 2016

Tribute should be paid to President Maithripala Sirisena for allowing the singing of the Tamil version of national anthem during the island's 68th Independence Day celebrations. Addressing the ceremony to mark the event, he called on all citizens to work collectively in harmony, friendship and brotherhood to face the decades ahead.

School children singing the National Anthem.

This was a welcome gesture, especially at a time when desperate racist forces led by defeated politicians were making every possible effort to regain power by exploiting such a move by rousing anti-Tamil feelings.

In fact, only a year and half ago one could not even dream of such a move in the highly corrupt, communalised and criminalised political environment under the Rajapaksa regime.

Calling for unity and brotherhood during his address to the nation, President Sirisena said that, 'almost every government which came to power gave priority to develop physical resources to build the economy. However, had they concentrated on building unity, reconciliation and friendship, terrorism that affected the country for 26 years could have been avoided'.

The national anthem of the country 'Namo Namo Maatha' was adopted in 1952. It was translated into Tamil by M. Nallathamby, a famous Tamil poet. The words were changed from 'Namo, Namo Maatha' to 'Sri Lanka Maatha' in 1961.

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