Dr. Nath Amarakone (Convenor)
Whereas Sri Lanka gained independence from British domination in 1948,‚ established a parliamentary system of governance,‚ and had governed itself since independence as a vibrant democracy under the leadership of different political party groupings, and
Whereas‚ the ruling parties have changed national policies‚ to suit their short term advantages,‚ and such changes have led to degradation‚ of the‚ body‚ politic of the country by parochial and sectarian forces‚ inviting political instability and‚ destructive terrorism, and
Despite the eventual defeat of the last terrorist rampage lasting‚ three decades by the armed forces of the country under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa, the international diaspora of the terrorists and separatists, funded and nurtured by foreign forces and‚ a neo-conservative‚ mafia, acting under the guise of‚ human rights champions, continue to disrupt national development,
We,‚ the members of diverse political parties of different political views, join together to declare that‚ the scourge of sectarianism haunting the country should be eliminated, and call upon the Government of Sri Lanka to
A. Do away with sectarianism perpetuated‚ by segregation of students in‚ schools, and open the doors of all schools‚ for all children to be taught‚ Sinhala, Tamil and‚ English at primary level,‚ irrespective of ethnicity,‚ and to adopt English as the medium of secondary and higher education unifying all ethnic student groups, as advocated by Dr C. W. W. Kannangara when he set up the Central College System, by Anagarika Dharmapala through the BTS Schools, and by Denominational Schools, in order to guarantee Equality of Opportunity to all students in their future careers, and
B. Discourage ethnic, religious, and regional sectarianism in politics, as in violation of the fundamental rights of the people as a whole, and
C. Promote economic development on the basis of long term planning, good governance, social integration, and cultural harmony by setting up a National Planning Council‚ giving‚ priority to scientific investigation and adaptation of‚ technology, thereby‚ liberating the people of this nation from sectarianism.
The National Unity Charter was adopted on November 9,‚ 2013 at the Organization of Professional Associations (OPA) Professional Center in Colombo, as the symbolic declaration of the common interest and desire of all people of Sri Lanka to‚ BE FREE FROM SECTARIANISM and DISCRIMINATION.
Invitation to the Inaguration
The founders‚ invite all fellow citizens of Sri Lanka, community organizations, political parties, trade unions, and all other civic bodies, to unite to‚ press for equal rights in education,‚ to be free from discrimination in all respects‚ under the National Unity Charter,‚ and to‚ safeguard‚ the future of our nation from Sectarianism and Discrimination.
Those interested‚ in contributing to this effort should indicate there interest by November 30, 2013 to ‚ be invited for the‚ Inauguration of the National Unity Movement scheduled to be held in December 2013‚ to‚ pursue the adoption of the National Unity Charter.
Inquiries should be mailed to The Convenor, National Unity Movement, Room 7, OPA Center , 275/75, Stanley Wijesundera Mawatha, Colombo 7, Sri Lanka, or sent by email to NathAmarakone@gmail.com .
Please give your Name, Address, and‚ Age, Phone Number (optional), and Email Address (optional), and in case of students also the Name of the School/Educational Institution.
Founders of the National Unity Movement
Dr. Nath Amarakone (Convenor), Jayantha‚ Kulatunga, P.G. Dayananda. H.A.K.L.Peiris, Gerry Hidelarachchi, W.B.A. Jayasekera, R.D. Abeysekera‚ ‚ G.D.C. Weerasinghe, K.A.M.C Rodrigo, Sanjeewa‚ Kumara, Nicholas Hart, Ranjan Athukorale, and Kishani Jayawickrema,
‚
(This announcement was published in the Daily News newspaper on November 15, 2013)
November 21st, 2013 at 11:58 am
Thank you Dr. Nath Amarakone…. Glad to see such organization springing up especially at a time like this. Discrimination has been & will be a WORD used by many to justify their political ideologies. I am referring to Terrorists & their supporters WHO CLAMOUR to this word, to get FOREIGN COUNTRIES to grant UNDUE favours to them.
I have worked in the UK, Canada & in Sri Lanka & alshave travelled extensively in EUROPE, I never found anywhere where there is NO discrimination or some IDEAL PLACE that everything works perfectly.
We do discriminate when we choose what we eat, PEOPLE we associate with, ones we DISCARD as unacceptable. This word cannot be used to garner favours, to any minority whether they live in Canada, UK or elsewhere. People HAVE TO PROVE that discrimination occured.
By categorizing Sri Lankan govts: from day one, that we discrminate against minorities, is not at all acceptable, as far I know our mistake WE MADE is by granting 50-50 or there about, for TAMILS to just gain more & more when their population in the early stages were ONLY 12 %. NOW they are ONLY 4.5% of the total population & YET they clamour that they are NOT EQUAL.
How can they be equal WHEN THEIR CASTE SYSTEM deprives of them being a TRUE SRI – LANKAN First, before being TAMIL or MUSLIM.
We can argue for or against till cows come home, BUT TAMIL IS TAMIL, they never change. We have to be more PRO-ACTIVE in our resolve, & we are NOT united. This is why minorities are taking advantage of the situation from 1948 even upto now.
I hope your organization will do some active work to help our POLITICAL leaders to do what is needed, BEFORE SRI LANKA is devided by OUTSIDE FORCES on the STRONG PULL by Tamil Siaspora & anti – lanka elemenst of the world.
Thank you & hope your initiative will be a success………Another expat from Canada babbling away …J
November 21st, 2013 at 12:12 pm
DR. NATH AMARAKONE, SO NICE TO SEE YOUR NAME COMING UP AS CONVENOR, FOUNDERS OF THE NATIONAL UNITY MOVEMENT. IAM ALSO HAPPY TO SEE MR. GERRY HIDELARACHCHI’S NAME ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOVEMENT. I WORKED UNDER HIM AS GMM, WHEN HE WAS DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF DASA GROUP. I AM IN USA NOW. I WISH YOU ALL, THE BLESSINGS OF THE NOBLE TRIPLE GEM IN THIS GREAT ENDEAVOUR.
November 21st, 2013 at 12:59 pm
Good.
But Tamils don’t like schools that are NOT Tamil-only.
Tamils don’t like parties that are NOT Tamil-only.
Tamils don’t like to live in areas that are NOT Tamil-only ghettos.