4 March 2017 10:26 am
"Two weeks ago the UN Human Rights High Commissioner in his report on Sri Lanka called for a probe by foreign judges. Within 24 hours, I rejected it saying I am not ready to bring foreign judges here," he said. "There can be people without a backbone. But I am not ready to go forward with those without a backbone. I will go forward with only those with a backbone," he said.
The President said if financial crimes, misrule and other misdeeds took place under the Unity Government, he would create an anti corruption power base under the SLFP and lead the party to electoral victory and form an SLFP government.
The President expressed his displeasure at some of the matters that had cropped up under the unity government and said he had left the SLFP under Mahinda Rajapaksa to fight against corruption, misrule and frauds and as such he would not tolerate any financial crimes or mismanagement taking place under this government.
“I want to lead my party on a path free of corruption, misdeeds and misrule with the objective of forming an SLFP government. I am not happy about certain things that has happened but glad that we have done a lot of positive things like introducing the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. Therefore, we need a new beginning and new thinking and each and every SLFPer must be ready to face that challenge,” he said.
The President reminded SLFP members that he did not have certain executive powers after the 19th Amendment was passed and said though independent commissions were set up as required by the 19th Amendment, the people were still to reap its full benefits.
The people who elected me as the President in January 2015 expect a clean and democratic rule from me and therefore we have a big task ahead to fulfill the aspirations of the people," President Sirisena stressed. (Sandun A Jayasekera)