Kinnia, August 29, 2024 — Presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake has vowed that under a National People’s Power (NPP) government, there will be no room for racism in Sri Lanka. Speaking at a public rally in Kinnia, Dissanayake emphasized that previous governments have exploited racism to serve their political agendas, often at the expense of national unity.
“Racism means that one form of racism feeds others,” Dissanayake explained. “Even if there is no inherent racism among the Sinhalese, Tamils, and Muslims in our country, our politics has been dominated by racist strategies. For years, racism has been the main slogan of successive governments. But what has it led to? When governments are formed on the basis of racism, they are compelled to engage in racist actions.”
Dissanayake stressed the need for a new kind of governance, one that does not submit to or promote racism. “In Sri Lanka, we must now establish a government that does not succumb to racism or make it part of its agenda,” he declared. “Racism has never prevailed in history, and the National People’s Power is the only movement that has not used racism in its politics.”
He concluded by urging the public to support the NPP if they want a government that truly stands for national unity. “If we want a government that is united against racism, the National People’s Power is the only choice. An NPP government will not allow any racist statements to be made on any platform, anywhere in the country.”