If Bill to abolish death penalty is tabled, it will be a national day of mourning - President

President Maithripala Sirisena says the day a bill to abolish the death penalty is brought to Parliament will be declared a national day of mourning as the it will mark the occasion of handing over this country to drug dealers, criminals and rapists.

President made these comments during a ceremony in Walawa zone to present land deeds to 5000 Mahaweli settlers today (14).

Expressing his views, President further said attempts by a certain section of the government to bring a Parliament act to abolish the capital punishment is an achievement of drug dealers and criminals.

President vouched that he will not leave room for these criminals to destroy the future of this country’s children while adding that he will leave no stone unturned to bring the drug dealers to the law and will not revoke the decision of death penalty.

Foreign forces play a role in the the opposition to the decision, the President added.

Hence, President said a broad and strong coalition should be created among the people who love the country and its future generation in favour capital punishment and requested the public to raise their voice.

As a solution to a long standing issue of the Mahaweli farmers, this programme to grant ownership of lands was initiated under the guidance of President Sirisena.

The program was commenced in 2016 on the instructions of the President, addressing a long-standing problem of the Mahaweli people. The target of granting ownership of Mahaweli land to all Mahaweli farmers has now reached its final stage, the President’s Media Division (PMD) said.

Accordingly, 46,609 land deeds and permits were issued in Mahaweli B zone, 47,808 in the C-Zone, and 5,305 in the D-Zone, 22,537 in the H-zone and 14,372 in the L-zone, the PMD reported. In addition 4,848 lands in Victoria, 5,167 in Huruluwewa zone, 9,463 in Moragahakanda, 43,718 in Walawa area and 5,854 in Rambaken Oya have been issued, according to the PMD.

During the last four years many programs were implemented under the guidance of President to uplift the living standards of the Mahaweli farmers as well as a special program is being implemented to make the Mahaweli Zone free from illegal drugs, the PMD’s release said.