Announcer: What you’re about to hear are the words of prominent former Sri Lankan leaders. All from different ethnicities and political parties. All citizens of a Nation that has witnessed 26 years of a brutal civil war. All victims of terrorist assassinations. On this International Day of Remembrance and Tribute to the Victims of Terrorism, Ceylon Today would like to share this public service message. If these leaders were alive today, this is what they’d want to tell us....
The Unity Speech: RP - Ranasinghe Premadasa, speaking in Sinhala LA - Lalith Athulathmudali, speaking in Sinhala LK - Lakshman Kadiragamar, speaking in English NT - Neelan Thiruchelvan, speaking in English AM - Abdul Majeed, speaking in Tamil GD - Gamini Dissanayake, speaking in Sinhala
RP: My fellow citizens,
NT: History tells us that the hearts and minds of people,
LK: stands for the integrity and unity of Sri Lanka.
RP: But, to make Ideals such as human freedom, philosophical ideals, ethnic peace, social progression a reality,
GD: we believe that just building houses, roads, buildings will not be enough
NT: to work out the prospects of ethnic reconciliation of this country.
LA: We need to have the freedom to express our ideals and philosophies without any fear We have the right to speak out what’s in our mind.
RP: That’s how we can bring the glory of our country back to a respectable/proud level.
AM: We are of the same blood, we don't have differences, we all have thoughtful hearts, we cannot erase that.
GD: Let's take that journey, and pave the path to that journey