President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has emphasized that his political movement, which has successfully navigated the extremely challenging task of gaining power by dedicating itself to one purpose for over sixty-five years, will certainly win the challenge of building this country and fulfilling the needs of the people.
The President said that the country is governed today by a movement that is ready to build the country and move forward, and that the time has come for the trade unions in this country to abandon their out-dated practices and adopt new ones, inviting all trade unions to join hands with the government to make the exercise of building the country a success.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake made these remarks while addressing the National People’s Power (NPP) May Day Rally held at Galle Face Green in Colombo yesterday (01 May).
A huge crowd participated in this public rally held under the theme ‘Rata Hadana Jana Balaya Pela Gasena Mai Raliya’.
The President speaking at the rally stated that today, only the National People’s Power exists as a political movement and that the future of this country and the future of the people completely depend on the party.
The President’s full speech at the NPP’s May Day rally;
We have celebrated May Day for a long time. On each occasion, our expectation has been to rally the people to gain power. Today, for the first time, we are holding a massive rally to gather the people to build this country.
Today, only the National People’s Power exists as a political movement. We all must understand that the future of this country, the future of the people of this country completely depend on the National People’s Power. Nothing else is political movement anymore. They are a pile of wreckage. But voices are heard here and there. They held power for a long time. They did not stop there and drew a power map for their generation. They thought that they would be able to continue to hold power in the hands of their generations and oppress the common people. But on September 21, the people of this country took a very bold decision. The people of this country were able to completely overthrow the power map that had been drawn for many generations and transfer power to the common people. Today, we hear the anguish of losing that power and disappointment.
Also, when they were in power, they squandered the wealth of the public and lived a life of great privilege. They lived a life that was not subject to the common law. They used great power above the common people and held power. But today, they are subject to the common law and have lost their privileges. The law has been implemented equally. Therefore, they are desperate now.
On the other hand, they know better than us the extent of fraud and corruption they have done. And they know who we are. They know us to the extent that they know the extent of their crime. Therefore, there is the anguish of fear. Hence, the other side of politics today is the pain of disappointment, the anguish of losing privileges, and the panic of fear. Therefore, there are no more political movements. There is no ideology and no organizational strength. There is only a collection of scattered parts here and there, not knowing what to do.
Therefore, there is no challenge for us from outside. What is outside of us is a pile of debris, not a challenge. If so, the challenge lies within us. To overcome that challenge, we must understand the contradictions, inconsistencies and failures to adapt to new circumstances within ourselves.
We have a legacy of sixty-five years of dedication to a single purpose. Such a movement is gathered here today. We have a purpose that has not only abandoned those closest to us in the midst of extreme defeats and challenges, but also has not given up even in the midst of building movements while resisting. Therefore, we are a group that inherits and carries on a legacy for a purpose. Sometimes we worked by the power of habit. We worked in the face of distant goals, close challenges and very confusing situations before us. Sometimes we were motivated to work by the power of habit. Now, after all that, on September 21st, we were able to take power into our own hands. Now, what we have is not the power of habit, but the power of belief.
We believe that this country can be built. The people of this country have placed their hopes in us. As a political movement, we and the general public are motivated to work for the same goal. Therefore, we have the power of trust that goes beyond the power delegated by the Constitution that goes beyond the power we have received from Parliament.
We have entered this with the power of trust that if we have overcome the goal of gaining power for 65 years in the face of extreme challenges for one purpose, then we will definitely achieve the building of this country and the fulfilment of the needs of the people. Therefore, we have taken on this task with great confidence.
We must understand the nature of the reality before us. We have a very harsh reality before us. An economy that has collapsed to the bottom, a society in which compassion for others has collapsed, a society in which the law was being run in the way each individual wanted, collapsed institutional systems and a society in which every citizen was disappointed with social responsibilities. We must understand the harsh reality before us. But we are fighting for social justice and social equity. It is a fight that will not be abandoned. But we know that it is a fabric that needs to be woven systematically. Creating social justice and creating social equity is not something that can be done overnight. But we are implementing a very systematic fabric for this social justice and social equity.
We should not expect results in six months after being dragged to the brink of destruction for 76 years. We have understood the extremely harsh reality. Creating a more optimistic future is a much planned endeavour. I assure the people of this country that we will review that effort very strongly and successfully. There are no shortcuts in transforming the harsh reality into a new path. This is a very systematic and planned exercise. We in the National People’s Power have well understood the expectations of the people and the weight of the trust that the people have placed in us. Therefore, we have begun the journey of transforming this destructive society into a society with very sharp social attitudes and an economy with very systematic and planned methods.
We had a country without a foundation. A country that was floating like a ship with a broken mast. A country and a society without a goal and purpose. If we are to change this systematically, we must first create a strong foundation. Therefore, we have been making maximum efforts to create this strong foundation over the past period.
The first of the key pillars of this foundation is clean, untainted politics. After 76 years, Sri Lanka has seen the rise of a political movement that does not steal or waste even a single rupee of public funds. To build on this strong foundation, national unity is essential. At the last general election, the people themselves took the lead. The people of the North and East placed great trust in the National People’s Power and stepped ahead of us. We must acknowledge that our political engagement in the North and East has been minimal, and our communication has primarily been in Sinhala.
Yet, their rejection of traditional political parties and leaders, and the trust they have placed in us, clearly signals the need for national unity. We will never allow these communities to be left behind. We affirm their rights—to their culture, language and ancestral lands—as well as their right to live as citizens of this country. That is the second pillar of rebuilding the nation.
We also need a strong public service. For that reason, we have increased the basic salaries of public servants and are transforming the public sector into an attractive place to work. At the same time, our government—the National People’s Power administration—is working to eliminate the longstanding negligence and inefficiency that have plagued the public service.
We have taken steps to re-establish the supremacy of the rule of law. For the first time in Sri Lanka’s history, a true political transformation has occurred where the law is applied equally to everyone. However, there are still those who cling to the old ways and spread stories based on the past.
But this is a new country. Everyone is subject to the law. Everyone is equal before the law. If anyone still believes that institutions like the Attorney General’s Department, the Criminal Investigation Department or the Bribery Commission are tools used only against ordinary people, they are stuck in the past. We have built a new era—one in which the law applies to all equally.
This transformation is not just institutional or legal—it is practical and real. Our government is sending a clear message that no matter when a crime or act of corruption occurred, there will be consequences. Everyone must fear the law and live under it. That is the foundation and a path to building a society. We have built that path.
Internationally, Sri Lanka was once viewed negatively. But today, step by step, we are gaining international recognition. We have created a government that can stand confidently before the world, asserting our sovereignty and putting the nation first. That’s why the Japanese and the Chinese projects that were halted have been resumed. We have laid a strong foundation for international cooperation.
On this foundation, we are constructing a strong nation one that values equality, justice, social harmony, mutual respect, economic prosperity, environmental sustainability and compassion even towards animals. That is the kind of society we must build.
As a political authority, we have a great responsibility. We understand our duties, our limitations, our strengths and our weaknesses. We rely on those with the capabilities we may lack. Accordingly, we are committed to politics free from corruption, fraud and destruction. But to build upon this foundation, we need real political transformation and we are leading that change.
We invite our entrepreneurs and industrialists to invest. Let us know what support or solutions you need—we will provide them. We have already drawn up plans for Colombo. No commercially valuable land in the city will be left idle during our term. Everything will be used for the country’s development.
Our agricultural lands must also be revived. We expect a new agricultural revolution, where no inch of abandoned farmland remains unused. We are increasing fertilizer subsidies, providing quality seeds, introducing new technology to agriculture and ensuring stable prices. It’s time to cultivate this land again—and we need your support, the farmers of this nation, to rebuild the country.
Similarly, we pledge our full support to the fishing community, who bring in harvests from the vast seas. Help us rebuild this country. Especially, trade unions must now move beyond out-dated ideas. The era of fighting for small issues is over. A political authority has arrived that abandons everything. We are abandoning many things that have been given to us through acts, gazettes, and regulations.
We have worked with you. We understand your expectations. If we didn’t, we wouldn’t have increased your basic salaries. Without you even asking, we raised your basic pay and allowances. We increased disaster loans and disaster allowances. But don’t let a few isolated issues provoke you into protest. That’s not fair.
Today, a movement has arrived that is ready to take the country forward, intervening in building the country. The time has come for the trade unions in this country to abandon their out-dated practices and adopt new ones. Today, there is a political movement that believes that the public service should be strengthened, a political movement that believes that a strong public service is necessary to build this country. Today, there is a political movement that believes that groups with the ability and capacity should be obtained for a strong public service, also, a political movement that believes that their promotion, their future should be given not on politics but on their ability and talent.
Today, the country is being led by a political movement that understands the pulse of the trade union movement—a movement that has worked hand in hand with trade unions, fought for their aspirations, and raised its voice on their behalf. So, what conflict could possibly exist between us? There is no room for discord. We extend an open invitation to all trade union movements to join us in this national endeavour to rebuild the country. Our youthful movement has a great responsibility ahead. The younger generation was once presented with a bleak picture of their future a shattered dream. But today, we are creating a new generation of young people who dare to dream once more.
Be ready to fulfil the responsibility entrusted to you. Let us all come together citizens, artists, writers, fishermen, farmers, entrepreneurs, industrialists and politicians – and strive with unity. Let us build a better country not just for ourselves, but for the generations to come. Let us create a better nation for the children of this country. We have acquired this country, this power for that. Therefore, I say with great responsibility and confidence that there are scoundrels and liars outside. Politics is with us. The challenge is with us. There are no challenges outside.
Today, hundreds of thousands of people from villages across the country have gathered here. I don’t know if my friend has gone and taken charge of the villages—but once the crowd reaches Galle Face, they claim to have “seized the village.” That’s nothing more than empty words. Is that politics? Those political games are over. Political ideologies without substance are over. There is no unity—only deep confusion. At times, what is written isn’t spoken. What is said on one stage is contradicted on another. It’s complete chaos.
That’s why I say—the so-called external challenge is over. What must we do now? We must grow stronger. We must take the people forward and begin the journey of transforming this nation into a truly effective state. A state that can end this struggle in victory, a country with a promising future, a nation where our children’s future is secure. Let us begin that journey with a new step—with renewed energy and direction.
What does the presence of hundreds of thousands gathered here at Galle Face show the world? It sends a clear message: we are ready to take on this challenge. We are ready to rebuild this country. And the most trustworthy movement to lead that effort is the National People’s Power. That is the message—to the country, to the world, and to those clinging to empty spectacles. The future of this nation lies with us.
We must now take a bold new leap forward. That leap can begin on May 6. The President, the Cabinet, Parliament and local councils must work together—united under a single vision. If we are to rebuild this country, political authority must be brought under one unified direction. Today, the President, the Cabinet, and Parliament are under the leadership of the National People’s Power. Therefore, the Local councils and Urban Councils should also be entrusted to the National People’s Power. The people connected to those institutions must stand together. The people connected to these institutions must stand united. All streams of governance must come together in alignment. Just as the central government must be clean and free from corruption, so must our local councils. When that happens, the national government will function effectively, and the local government will deliver results. To make this a reality, we ask for a strong and clear mandate from the people. (Newswire)