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| Thursday, 3 March 2005 |
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Politics | |
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| Ninety per cent of MPs engaged in politics for business - President by Ranil Wijayapala In a frank, forthright and hard hitting address at the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Youth Conference yesterday, President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga pulled no punches when she said that politics has become a business for a majority of people entering politics. "Ninety per cent of politicians representing the Parliament are now engaged in politics for business. Only 10 per cent can be recognised as good politicians, said the President. Addressing thousands of youth and other distinguished guests at the SLFP Youth Conference held at Maharagama, President Kumaratunga said: "Certain elements who engaged in killings and violence in the post have today got the opportunity today to become Ministers due to the struggle based on democracy and human rights, carried out by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party against violence without reacting to violence by violence, President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga said yesterday. Addressing the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Youth Conference yesterday at National Youth Service Council, Maharagama the President pointed out that it was due to that struggle of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party, the political parties today engage in democratic politics. Addressing thousands of youth gathered at the National Youth Service Council, the President pointed out that the SLFP had the courage and resilience to take the decision not to resort to violence at a time thousands of its membership been assassinated and intimidated by various groups. "Today we engage in these democratic politics due to the firm decision taken by the Party with courage and determination", the President added. The President said the political parties have been able to discuss with organisations like LTTE which never thought that their problems could be solved without resorting to war. "These are the direct results of the policy followed by the SLFP," she added. She said the SLFP was the only political party which presented a clear vision and a programme to take the country forward for the wellbeing of the common masses. "There is no other political party which had worked with a clear vision for the benefit of the country. The United National Party didn't have a vision at all", the President added. President Kumaratunga said it was the SLFP which has been battered by all sorts of people in the post independent Sri Lanka. "But we are still fighting against violence in a democratic manner without resorting to guns and bombs and have been able to bring violent political parties to the democratic path," she added. She said though some people think that they could easily destabilise the SLFP they cannot achieve that as long as she leads the Party. The President said the political culture in the country was changed for the worse during the 'JR Jayawardene' era dawned after 1977. She said two thirds of the youth out of 33,000 persons were killed from 1988 to 1991 were SLFPers. The President said, today the politics has become a business for a majority of people entering politics. "This has become the most easiest business for them. Ninety per cent of Parliamentarians are now engaged in politics for business. Only 10 per cent can be recognised as good politicians", she added. Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse said the SLFP was a people's party but not a party belonging to the Bandaranaike family or the Rajapakse family and it cannot be destroyed by any force, if it organised it self. |
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