President Ranil Wickremesinghe stated that he chose to run as an independent candidate in the upcoming Presidential Election, free from any party affiliation, to address the nation’s hunger crisis.
He emphasized that the people’s suffering transcends party lines and political colours.
The President made these remarks during the “Kantha Ape Balaya” women’s conference held in Colombo today (09).
During the conference, the President further vowed to uphold and protect women’s rights, ensuring they are equal to the rights enjoyed by men in the country.
Meanwhile, Minister Pavithra Wanniarachchi, who also addressed the event, said that Bangladesh is facing the current predicament because they did not have a leader like Ranil Wickremesinghe to step up and take charge.
“Sri Lanka averted such a dire situation because we had a courageous leader like Ranil Wickremesinghe”, said the Minister.
Meanwhile, Minister Wanniarachchi yesterday (08) announced that she had decided to support President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who is contesting the upcoming Presidential Election as an independent candidate.
She had stated that she reached this decision based on the requests of the majority of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) members and supporters in the Ratnapura District.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe said:
“Some people ask me why I am running as a non-partisan candidate in this year’s presidential election.
The truth is, hunger is not political. Regardless of party affiliation, everyone experiences hunger. Therefore, we must set aside our political differences and unite to address the needs of our people.
I understand the struggles faced by our citizens, who have endured significant hardships without electricity, fuel, or food, all while trying to send their children to school. We cannot allow this situation to happen again, and it is essential that we work together to prevent it.
I became President because others shied away from their responsibilities. After taking office, I reached out to Mr. Sajith Premadasa and Mr. Anura Dissanayake, asking them to join me in rescuing the people from these challenges, but they declined to support our efforts to improve the economy.
In that moment, three women stepped up to help me: India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.
While some who spoke of patriotism and claimed to understand the people’s suffering turned away, these three women from other countries offered their support to help us move forward. Without their assistance, we would not be where we are today.
Additionally, when our country faced a shortage of fertilizer, Mrs. Samantha Power from the U.S. came to our aid. Thanks to her help, we succeeded in the Yala season and made strides in reviving our economy. We should express our gratitude to these women.
Many who claim to be great patriots and experienced leaders failed to take responsibility for our country. We have come a long way with great effort, but we must continue to push forward. There is no need to dwell on the suffering we have all endured. Let me provide a clear example.
In 2021, the value of gold pledged by commercial banks was Rs. 250 billion, but today it has surpassed Rs. 500 billion. We worked to provide relief in this area. Many households saw elders skip meals, and others struggled to afford a quality education for their children.
The relief we are experiencing today is due to the support provided by the International Monetary Fund, specifically from Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva, as well as assistance from Janet Yellen and Nirmala Sitharaman. Their help has enabled us to move forward strongly.
We have signed agreements with the International Monetary Fund and several countries that provide us with loans. The conditions we agreed upon are included in the Economic Transformation Law.
If we continue on this path, we have the potential to recover as a nation. However, some people claim that the agreement with the International Monetary Fund will be revised. Those who previously declared that the country’s problems were insurmountable are now suggesting they will withdraw the relief we have received, which was made possible with the support of women.
We have all faced significant challenges to reach this point. Therefore, we must decide whether to maintain this relief or risk losing it. It’s essential to consider your own future and that of your children, rather than focusing on names or appearances. This decision is crucial. Throughout this difficult journey, I have not overlooked the needs of the women in our country.
We have implemented various programs to provide relief, secure inheritance rights, and grant low-income families the right to their apartments. We have also established programs for upcountry villages and provided meals to school students, all aimed at empowering women.
To support this empowerment, we have passed the Women’s Empowerment Act. For the past 20 to 30 years, efforts to secure the rights of minorities have been ongoing in this country, and we are now actively working to address these issues. Sinhalese, Tamils, and Muslims should all have equal rights. While we tackle the challenges faced by minority groups, we are also committed to ensuring equal rights for women, who represent the majority in our society.
We have introduced the first law to grant rights to all women, regardless of whether they are Sinhalese, Tamil, or Muslim. Additionally, we are implementing laws to ensure women have equal rights with men. It is important to note that we have taken many other steps to advance women’s rights in this country.
Next year, we plan to hold a large women’s conference that will include representatives from major women’s organizations as well as those at the village level to raise awareness on these issues. We all desire a better country for ourselves and our children.
Before we can achieve this, we must lift the burdens of daily life in our homes and move forward together. I urge everyone to join in our efforts to develop the country.”
