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Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka: Enough is enough says President

President Chandrika Kumaratunga vowed yesterday to continue with her commitment to peace and resolve the ethnic issue. 'Enough is enough' said the President and appealed to the nation to rally round the Government and to strengthen her relentless efforts to end the North East conflict.

The President's address at the National Remembrance Park, Kandy, to commemorate National War Heroes Day, June 7 was telecast live on National Television.

"Today we have a golden opportunity to stop fighting and move forward through peace. The group which was at war with us has shown flexibility and we should grab that opportunity and be a little more flexible", said the President. Much of the audience was family members of war heroes.

In 2000 President Kumaratunga declared June 7, as National War Heroes Day (Ranaviru Day) when Sri Lanka salutes her living, disabled and fallen war heroes.

The President said parents would no longer be ready to sacrifice their children for a cause that could not be achieved by war and said that mother Lanka could not afford to lose anymore of her children.

"...we should seek peace through negotiations. We should dedicate our lives to develop our country by ensuring the rights of all communities would be protected" said the President.