Racism raising its ugly head again in North, South for the sake of power: President

19 May 2025 06:10 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 70 Bookmark

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Colombo, May 19 (Daily Mirror) - Racism has begun to raise its ugly head again in the North and the South for the sake of power, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said today.

Adddressing the 16th National War Heroes' Commemoration ceremony, he said the war was not natural but it was created to aquire power and to protect and strenthen power for some people.

He said children of parents who never provoked extremism or racism had to sacrifice their lives for the power struggles of some people.

The President said the war is a tragedy and a destruction and added that the responsibility of the government is to prevent any war from emerging.

He said everone must work with firm determination for peace.

The President said Sri Lanka has not gained complete freedom even after the war victory, adding that Sri Lanka is a nation that has lost its economic freedom.

"Soverignty is not a mere word. We need to acheive economic transformation, uphold the rule of law and create a country free of crimes and drug menace to enjoy full freedom," he said.

Comments - 70

Yohan Monday, 19 May 2025 06:17 PM

A guy who took power by making mega lies now tells people in north and south are racists as it was defeated very badly in North and lost majority of votes in south too. Lol

238 110

Fact Check Monday, 19 May 2025 10:54 PM

The fact that NPP was defeated very badly in North and lost majority of votes in south too is exactly what AKD said that politicians have whipped up the racist card again both in the south and north. In the Pres and General Election, both north and south combined to give NPP votes as they have not taken sides.

4 8

EGO Wednesday, 21 May 2025 03:49 AM

Right now is racism , what about 56, 58 77, 83 ????

0 2

Dr Sajith Supporter Tuesday, 20 May 2025 02:16 AM

Yohan aka Zarook, that's exactly why he said "raising its ugly head AGAIN" - not much of a reader, right? But I agree with you Dr Pacha Tissa Fernando.

2 21

S B Lokuge Tuesday, 20 May 2025 04:53 AM

Yohan is obviously a Ranil's goon. He wants to go back to the Ranil/Rajapaksa crooks era.

5 8

Ram P Tuesday, 20 May 2025 05:39 AM

Politicians rose to higher positions thanks to the lies they uttered. They lost the last election, as allegd by Yohan thanks to the lies that AKD uttered. All others who lied previously were thrown out of office after completeing their terms. AKD just started his term. Yohan, Please judge him at the end and make your comments

9 1

Aela Monday, 19 May 2025 06:23 PM

Finally, it is being said, exactly as it should be told.

112 88

Ananda Bopage Monday, 19 May 2025 06:25 PM

The whole country voted Anura and then NPP as one unit with the expectation of huge positive change in everything. It took the people of the country to realize that they were fooled and lied. The lies NPP kept on telling have created uncertainty in the country.

130 88

BEGGARS BELIEF!! Monday, 19 May 2025 09:52 PM

WHAT DID YOU BELIEVE OR THINK ANURA/NPP WERE MIRACLE WORKERS, MAGICIANS AND OR ROBOTS TO COMPLETE THEIR MANIFESTO IN 6-8 MONTHS, WHEN THEY HAVE A FULL TERM!!. WHERE THE HELL WERE READERS LIKE YOU DURING MR AND GOTA'S RULE?, ALSLEEP, IN A INDUCED COMA OR HALUCINATING?.

87 98

Sohan Monday, 19 May 2025 10:46 PM

Go and check your leaders and part heads previous voice cuts before the election. For example What happened to his 24 hours claim where NPP said former presidents will be removed from government residence. Is 24 hours means 5 years according to your logic. lol

7 4

Dr. CAPS Monday, 19 May 2025 11:21 PM

Err... No? We never expected them to do miracles. But they said they would perform many. And no, we were not silent when previous regimes were incompetent.

7 2

The ALL CAPS shouter Monday, 19 May 2025 11:24 PM

Ooh!! Temper, temper!! You will wear yourself out with all your shouting!

6 1

Amal Monday, 19 May 2025 11:56 PM

You talk nicely and fool people. Nothing has been done to take the country forward. We changed the government to witness a change. But you are also doing the same in a different way. Its our country and we all love the country. LTTE is still active and see what is happening in the west. Dont give a part of the country to LTTE and its diaspora. Because of your acts only certain political parties are emerging back. Think about the reasons without making noise.

8 7

Pacha Kumaraya Tuesday, 20 May 2025 02:16 AM

That is what we were told. Solutions in 24 hours as they had all solutions with them

15 4

Herman Perera Tuesday, 20 May 2025 04:12 AM

Well said. Some of these comments are by hardcore people supporting Rogues. They expect the Govt, to produce magicians. You comment after their FULL TERM.

5 11

Rajan Jeyabavan Monday, 19 May 2025 06:35 PM

Mr President Just to clarify only form North people are resist. I am from Jaffna and Know how the people are.

80 36

Danny Monday, 19 May 2025 11:11 PM

In Tamil name, you think, we are all stupid. Rajapakse supporter!!

0 5

Naushad Monday, 19 May 2025 06:43 PM

Mr.President, You are authorized to cut that head out of its body. We will stand with you.

71 47

PEOPLE STAY THE COURSE Monday, 19 May 2025 09:54 PM

WELL SAID, WE THE PEOPLE WILL STAY THE COUSE AND GIVE THE PRESIDENT AND PARTY THEIR FULL TERM TO IMPLEMENTMOST IF NOT ALL OF THEIR MANIFESTO.

62 43

Babeeka Perera Monday, 19 May 2025 07:02 PM

Also, without keeping a blind eye, take care of that racist woman who is running a shop in Galle Fort. Just search the net, 'the racist woman in Galle Fort'. Shame on the Gaale Heritage Foundation for not cancelling her licence to sell there.

46 46

RP Monday, 19 May 2025 07:58 PM

Nope, completely disagree. People in the North and South are fine. There are few racists and that's normal and nothing can be done. Kindly implement your election promises to Northern and Souther people that you have promised them during the Presidential elections. Also, please hire competent people to do the work. CEB and NLB are two cases in Point. Cheers.

38 60

Dr Tissa Fernando Monday, 19 May 2025 08:03 PM

Going insane , racism in the North is true but in the south it has always been a reaction. Do not try to simplify this complex issue with just words. We know that the adgenda for this speech comes from those who are funding them. Very shameful insulting speech.

138 32

Hassan Tuesday, 20 May 2025 03:58 AM

Because of the racist ideology and implementation of injustice treatment by the so called leaders north took it. You should say the reaction is from North.

1 3

LK Monday, 19 May 2025 08:14 PM

100% true: we have a partial freedom : well said MR president: All should feel freedom

54 53

mal.com Tuesday, 20 May 2025 06:15 AM

Feel free thanks to MR. Corruption and false, deceptive religious fervor by all political/religious Pushpakumaras.....

1 0

Dr. Dee esquire Monday, 19 May 2025 08:20 PM

Totally agreed! The last local election campaign was living proof. Racism was stirred up big time by you know who?

70 26

SEEN IT ALL FIRST HAND Monday, 19 May 2025 10:06 PM

WE WE ALL KNOW WHO AND WHY.

66 19

JeffK Monday, 19 May 2025 08:30 PM

Playing the race card to hide the inefficiency of the government are we?

101 38

MANY SLPP AND UNP DISGRUNTLED VOTERS COMMENTING IN THIS SPACE, WOULD LIKE TO MEET SOME OF THEM WHEN THE NEXT GENERAL ELECTIONS RESULTS ARE PUT OUT Monday, 19 May 2025 10:10 PM

SO IF THIS GOVT IS INEFFICIENT, WHAT DO YOU SAY ABOUT THE GOVTS OF MR AND GOTA? ANOTHER JOKER DOESN'T SEEM TO KNOW THE MEANING OF THE WORD.

1 1

a simple simon Tuesday, 20 May 2025 07:24 AM

Sorry but with the way you have used the term, you seem to be unaware of what race card really means.

1 32

Hendry Samuel (Sam) Tuesday, 20 May 2025 09:32 AM

Jeff who is playing the race card now. It is your bogus boss Mahinda's son Namal, not our Excellency President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

4 4

Dilakshan Senevirathne Monday, 19 May 2025 08:48 PM

We do not mind if brother Anura attends war victims commeration in the North. That would be a kind gesture.

81 38

WELL SAID DILAKSHAN Monday, 19 May 2025 10:12 PM

ABSOLUTELY DILAKSHAN.

16 1

Dean Fernandopulle - [Attorney-at-Law] Tuesday, 20 May 2025 09:44 AM

Attending War Victims Commemoration is not the main thing but protecting the people's life in the future is the main issue. Prez. Anura Kumara is trying to establish peace in our country, it is simple.

16 1

BBM Tuesday, 20 May 2025 11:06 AM

also in Brampton...

0 0

Sri Lankans Monday, 19 May 2025 09:24 PM

It was always there, and you people added fuel to that fire in the past. So don't talk like you have lost your memory!

81 28

Kumara Monday, 19 May 2025 09:46 PM

Racism peaked in July 83 with the antiTamil race riots which the country suffered economically for the last 35years.

3 102

Rakitha W Tuesday, 20 May 2025 02:24 AM

The actual beginning of "the bheeshana samaya' which peaked in '88/'89 with many thanks to the elephant egos.

0 18

Bertie Tuesday, 20 May 2025 03:17 AM

Don’t forget what prompted the 83 riots! They were wrong, and in retaliation to deaths of others.

5 1

PEOPLE LET THESE NEGATIVE COMMENTS TO BRING DISCREDIT THE PRESIDENT/NPP FLOW DOWN LIKE WATER ON A DUCKS BACK AND KEEP STAYING THE COURSE. Monday, 19 May 2025 10:04 PM

EXCELLENT SPEECH BY THE PRESIDENT, RACISM HAS BEEN IN THE COUNTRY FOR DECADES AND DECADES EVEN BEFORE I WAS BORM, SO I WAS TOLD. PEOPLE MUST REALISE " WE ARE ONE COUNTRY AND ONE PEOPLE", UNTIL THEM RACISM WILL CONTINUE TO EXIST.

73 25

Tamilan Monday, 19 May 2025 10:06 PM

If AKD had participated in commemorations or even acknowledged the people in the North affected by the war, honoring their loss, I would have considered him a genuine president. But Sri Lanka remains a failed state—and without real accountability or reconciliation, it will continue to be one.

40 52

Jude Tuesday, 20 May 2025 12:06 AM

I'd like to know what happened in 1971, 1987 and 1989, what'd you called that!!??

2 3

මෝඩ කැලුම් Tuesday, 20 May 2025 12:30 PM

Those three items you have mentioned are most probably called years. If you need to find out more about those years, there may be books on them. Physical and online libraries and bookshops are good places to find books. Hope the information is useful to you.

1 5

Jude Tuesday, 20 May 2025 12:08 AM

Everyone playing the "Jathi Alae" Card!!

1 1

Aquarius Tuesday, 20 May 2025 12:17 AM

From some of the comments we see why racism will not go away because it is part of our depraved culture and pushed by those who fights to be in power. If we are to agree we are all Sri Lankans and live as Sri Lankans, politicians should never be allowed to promote any agenda based on ethnicity. Talking about divisions should be a crime and it has nothing to do with free speech or fundamental rights.

1 1

Blissful talker or scum bag Tuesday, 20 May 2025 02:24 AM

Have one rule for all and not leniency towards law breakers of NPP

16 0

S P Tuesday, 20 May 2025 02:59 AM

Do these words mean anything to anyone other than covering up his own missteps? He may not be a bad person at heart but what we see in him is a lousy politician and an incompetent, weak executive. He should have stuck with his original decision or should not have made that wrong decision as the commander-in-chief in the first place. Now he is neither here nor there! Imagine him in a situation that MR was in 2006 in the midst of chaos of the LTTE vs GOSL or RW in 2022 in the midst of the economic crisis slash people’s uprising. If he cannot survive a peaceful country that was gifted to him on a platter with such a massive mandate imagine what would have happened in a crises situations like that? For god’s sake don’t blame us for making these observations as fair minded well meaning citizens!

5 3

Indrani J. Tuesday, 20 May 2025 03:29 AM

Beware of foreigners who are illegally occupying our beaches, trying to set one against the other, which will once again cause ethnic problems and hate crimes in our country. They are masters of provoking and spreading fake news, for own devious reasons.

0 1

Well Wisher Tuesday, 20 May 2025 04:35 AM

Mr President I wish people like you were there in power to what was needed some decades ago. While there is grievances on both sides of the divide we cannot prosper if we keep dwelling in the past. History should be a lesson to focus on the future and to achieve great things. Let us all forge ahead as one nation and work for the betterment of people.

1 1

lion Tuesday, 20 May 2025 04:53 AM

This was the theme of Gammanpila, Weerawansa, and some monks( rather, people who wear yellow cloth) Suhanthiran from noth . Government should not allow these people to raise their heads in this destructive direction.

0 1

ding dong Tuesday, 20 May 2025 05:12 AM

Racism is only in South

3 2

Dr Tissa Fernando Tuesday, 20 May 2025 10:14 AM

That is why no one other than Tamils or foreigners are welcome in Jaffna. Look at Tissa Temple issue. Do you have similar issues for thousands of kovils in the south, none. That itself is the evidence of racism in the North.

4 3

Nihal S Tuesday, 20 May 2025 05:26 AM

We all know Rajapakse sold the war 'victory', created division among the communities and racism to maintain power to steal more of our people money. Let's not forget what Gotabhaya said regarding Tamil votes after his win in 2019. That is all history. People have selected NPP to clean all those past mess. We want to see you moving forward with the promises so that SLPP can not go in the same way as the past to win votes by creating division within the society. We do not want to see Rsjapakse team back in power, but this will be dependent upon the NPP Government performance.

0 1

Ck Tuesday, 20 May 2025 07:25 AM

If so, please take action to correct same.

0 1

RanjithT Tuesday, 20 May 2025 07:34 AM

These are tell tale signs of total central control of all activities of everyday life. Comrade attended not because he wanted but he was forced to attend by the overwhelming negative reactions. BTW comrade is power for 8 months, notional NPP government for 6 months. Despite the fact that one cannot expect miracles can anyone pin point just one project, one activity, one plan that was initiated and started? Clean sri lanka was an ill conceived initiative which started with a bang on the wrong footing without any sustainability plan. There is a lot of fart, but very little shit or no shit at all.

19 7

Hadi Tuesday, 20 May 2025 08:30 AM

Cost of living and broken promises raising its true head much more than racism for power by the collective opposition as can be seen by the nearly 57% vote against from the recently concluded election results . It's the government duty to gradually address the true issues rather than racism, isn't it !!!

5 4

Mithun Tuesday, 20 May 2025 08:45 AM

No President in this Country delivered bold speech Anura did yesterday. He is absolutely talking the reality. Maybe he loose in the next election but he is stand in his policy.

2 4

Malith Tuesday, 20 May 2025 09:51 AM

Your politically motivated speeches make further division of ethnic relationships in the country because you do not have a genuine desire but to stay in hungry power

5 3

N.M.M. Nazeer Ahamed (Businessman) Tuesday, 20 May 2025 09:52 AM

Excellent speech Hon. President Anura Kumara delivered yesterday. Yes, he expressed the facts very clearly so that our Racialist (Politicians) - so-called rogues Rajapakshes, Gamampilla

9 3

Leo Janz Tuesday, 20 May 2025 10:43 AM

The main pillars of Racialism are Mahinda, Gota, Sajith, Gamampilla and Wimal Weerawansa. In the north Ramanathan, Sanakiyan and Sumenthiran.

0 1

Anxious Tuesday, 20 May 2025 09:53 AM

Anura, you have been given the mandate to address these issues and prevent Racism in this country as well as to ensure every wrong doer of the past who wasted state money on extravagance or robbed the country by way of commissions are caught and punished. You are still only talking about these things and stating the obvious in your speeches. Please get on with delivering the expectations of the people who voted for the NPP..

0 4

Dr. W.D. Amarasuriya Tuesday, 20 May 2025 09:58 AM

President's speech was excellent yesterday. He told the facts and fearlessly spoke. Every point he mentioned was hard slaps for Namal, Sajith, Wimal and Goma-pilla who are playing a dirty game together to topple the Government. Never allow these nasty creatures to Govern us again. Honestly they should be punished severely for their wrong doings

11 3

Lt. Col. Sugath Pathirana Tuesday, 20 May 2025 10:05 AM

Very true Hon. President. First of all I thank you so much for a Powerful speech delivered by you. Honestly, the power hunger politicians [Dam Rogues] are trying to topple your Government and rob again and rule the country and create a crisis again. All the garbage politicians are trying to capture all MC's spending millions (MR is pumping money in millions from his robbed commission money) even to Northern Politicians he is throwing in millions - believe me. But nothing is going to happen for sure.

13 2

Sunil Gamage (Industrialist) Tuesday, 20 May 2025 10:10 AM

Racialists Sanakiyan and Ramanathan are planning to combat Anura and his team in the north. And in the south

10 2

D. Thuraisingham (Vice Principal - Jaffna Dist) Tuesday, 20 May 2025 10:40 AM

Yes it is very true, I am from Jaffna - both of them getting support -Big money from SLPP/ rather Mahinda

5 1

Dr. Jagath Weerasinghe (Also a expert in Political Science) Tuesday, 20 May 2025 10:37 AM

We need a Honest person to be our Colombo MC as Mayor from NPP. Not from any other parties as President said they are Power Hungers and Greedy to earn illegal money. We need NPP to establish a Clean House throughout our local bodies. Never allow SJB, SLPP, UNP or SLFP again.

5 0

fact Tuesday, 20 May 2025 12:32 PM

thanks for accepting the problem. but first provide us the road map on how are you going to fix this. also if you want to fix the issues form think tanks which can attract the professionals , those who don't involve with political parties.

0 0

Janaka Tuesday, 20 May 2025 12:56 PM

Namal baby wants power now, while daddy is still alive.

0 2

noboss Tuesday, 20 May 2025 02:34 PM

everybody want. noboss

0 0

Danny Tuesday, 20 May 2025 02:22 PM

And you disrepute the service men by sitting with the Wasantha Karanagoda, who got to answer the fate of 11 kids!!

2 1

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