Sri Lanka, 2011

It is with great pleasure

that I congratulate His Excellency Mr. Nassir

Abdulaziz Al-Nasser on his assumption of the

presidency. I must also congratulate His Excellency

Mr. Ban Ki-moon warmly on his reappointment as

Secretary-General and we look forward to working

with him constructively.

As we gather here today, it is appropriate to

reflect on the values and ideals that inspire the United

Nations system. One of the principal attributes is the

spirit of flexibility, which has always been a feature of

the United Nations. We must acknowledge the need for

that spirit of openness and adaptability today more than

at any other time. That is because the foundations of

the world order are being transformed dramatically and

fundamentally. At the heart of those changes is the

need to protect the smaller countries in the developing

world and to advance their interests vigorously.

In the midst of uncertainty there are some things

that must remain constant. They reflect our most

cherished beliefs and convictions. Despite repeated

references in this Assembly by many member countries

to the right of the Palestinian people to a State of their

own within secure borders, we still have not been able

to make it a reality. It is a cause of profound

disappointment that this has not yet happened. There is

a window of opportunity now and we must make use of

it before it is too late. It is time for decisive action

rather than more discussion. That will be in the interest

of the security and well-being of the entire region,

including Israel.

The need for sustained support for the countries

of the African continent at this critical time is also

worthy of mention. It is important to remind ourselves

that every country cherishes the values, traditions and

deeply held religious convictions it has nurtured over

the centuries. They cannot be diluted or distorted under

the guise of human rights by the imposition of attitudes

or approaches that are characteristics of alien cultures.

If that were to be done, it would amount to a violation

of human rights in a fundamental sense. It must also be

pointed out that, even where sanctions are imposed,

extreme care has to be taken to ensure that the people

at large, men, women and children yet to be born, are

not harmed by such action. I would also express once

again my solidarity with the people of Cuba and wish

them all success.

While the clash of ideas, opinions and values

continues, we have clearly to recognize that dialogue,

deliberation and consensus offer the only viable means

for resolving differences. The might of powerful

nations cannot prevail against justice and fair play. In

the troubled times in which we live we can derive

guidance from the wise words of Gautama the Buddha,

who advised the Lichchhavi Princes, whose energies

were being consumed by bitter disputes among them,

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that the way forward consisted of meeting, discussing

and departing in an atmosphere of amity and goodwill.

That represents the essential spirit of the United

Nations and is particularly relevant today.

The most significant challenge to stability and

progress in the modern world is posed by the menace

of terrorism. Recent experience the world over amply

demonstrates that inconsistent standards and

discriminatory approaches can unintentionally give a

fresh lease of life to the forces of terror. An explicit

and uniform response that refuses to recognize political

shades of terrorism is required.

Terrorism presents a threat from which not even

the wealthiest and most powerful nations are immune.

It must be remembered also that terrorist groups

frequently operate under the guise of front

organizations. Conferring legitimacy on such

organizations has had the inevitable effect of providing

comfort and encouragement to the merchants of terror.

As the leader of a nation that has paid a heavy price

because of terrorism over a quarter of a century, I

underline that we must firmly resolve to rid the world

of terrorism. We need to have solid, practical action on

the ground and send out our collective message on this

issue loud and clear and universally.

The interests of the developing world need to be

protected in another significant respect. It is vitally

important to insist that the structures and procedures of

multilateral organizations should be uniform and

consistent and devoid of discrimination. My country

has reason for concern at approaches tainted by an

unacceptable degree of selectivity, which we brought to

the notice of such organizations in recent weeks. The

developing world must keep a vigil against such

irregular modalities, which should be resisted through

our collective strength. Today, after three decades of

pain and anguish, Sri Lankans of all ethnicities, living

in all parts of Sri Lanka, are free from the Liberation

Tigers of Tamil Eelam terror and no longer live in a

state of fear. However, I am deeply mindful that the

battle for peace is every bit as important and difficult

as the struggle against terror. After the eradication of

terrorism, my Government turned its undivided

attention to building anew the foundations of a unified

and vibrant nation, drawing upon the inherent strengths

of our country and in particular the unique calibre of

our human potential.

It is justifiable for us to be proud of our nation’s

achievements during the brief span of the 30 months

since the beginning of the post-conflict phase. The

resettlement of more than 95 per cent of the internally

displaced persons, who constituted the largest number

of civilians forcibly held by a terrorist group at any

time, while continuing even today to clear the mines

laid by terrorists in extensive areas, is an achievement

of which we can be proud. Today in the Northern

Province our armed forces are engaged in the

development of the infrastructure that was destroyed

by the terrorists during a period of three decades.

Contrary to malicious propaganda the numbers of

armed forces personnel present in the Northern

Province has been kept at a minimal level. Revival of

the economy has enhanced incomes and improved

livelihoods. Ex-combatants and other cadres, after

exposure to programmes of vocational training and

counselling, have been reintegrated into society. The

electoral process has been restored after decades,

making possible the emergence of a democratic

leadership.

These are among our valued accomplishments.

The remarkable growth of 22 per cent of the economy

of the Northern Province is a clear indication of the

success achieved by the Government’s initiatives with

regard to development in that part of the country. The

gross domestic product growth of the country has been

consistent at 8 per cent, and unemployment is at a

record low of 4.5 per cent. It is also worthy of mention

that, in the assessment by the World Economic Forum

in its Global Competitiveness Report for 2011-2012,

Sri Lanka shows dramatic improvement, moving up to

fifty-second from their rank of seventy-ninth over a

span of two years. It is worthy of note that all these

developments have taken place within the brief space

of 30 months — an achievement all the more

significant because of our strong emphasis on

reconciliation. Important as economic development is,

we have attached the highest priority to fostering the

spirit of inclusivity and removing any remnants of

bitterness from the hearts and minds of all our people.

Over the past 30 months we have recruited 669 Tamil

police officers, bringing the total number of Tamil

officers to 1,143, while plans are afoot to recruit more

this year and in the future. After more than two decades

a census is being conducted in the Northern Province

as part of the national census, to provide a firm basis

for our initiatives.

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As a result of these achievements, what we see in

Sri Lanka today is a self-reliant nation with robust

hopes for the future and a strong economy,

strengthened by inward investment flows,

unprecedented expansion of tourism, and significant

growth in volume of international trade. With a view to

consolidating these trends and leaving behind us the

trauma of the past, we ask of the international

community the hand of friendship and goodwill, based

on an understanding of our nation’s determination to

confront with courage the challenge of a new era in our

history. We ask our friends in distant lands to drop

preconceived notions. We strongly believe in home-

grown solutions for them to be sustainable. It is clearly

impractical to conceive of universal remedies for

problems that afflict our societies. My country, as it

comes out of the darkness of the past three decades

into the light and promise of the future, must be

afforded the time and space to seek its destiny in

accordance with the wishes of its people. That is in

keeping with the values enshrined in the Charter of the

United Nations and the whole body of international law

that governs us.

A further consideration that the international

community should take into account is the

vulnerability of developing nations, and it should make

provision by means of appropriate institutional

arrangements for their protection. As I observed when

inaugurating the fiftieth anniversary meeting of the

Asian-African Legal Consultative Organization in

Colombo three months ago, the dumping of

commercial and industrial goods manufactured in

developed countries imperils the economies of many

Asian and African countries represented here.

In conclusion, let me say that the use of

substantial subsidies by treasuries and reserve banks to

support agricultural production in the developed world,

and other forms of protectionism, cause a serious

distortion in the interplay of market forces and greatly

reduce the ability of farmers in many developing

countries to access international markets for their

export products on an equitable basis. The

disproportionate pollution of the environment by

industrialized countries and the resultant impact on

global warming and climate change cannot be

remedied with any semblance of justice by imposing

harsh restraints on developing countries, which have

contributed very little to aggravate the problem. These

circumstances heighten the importance of social equity

at the international level.

May the Noble Triple Gem bless you all.