In inaugural speech Dissanayake calls for citizenship to be source of pride

Following his election victory in Colombo among the new president's priorities are negotiations with the International Monetary Fund and a commitment to a country that "embraces diversity." After the swearing-in of Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, dissolved Parliament with elections set for Nov. 14.

Colombo (AsiaNews) - Plans to negotiate the criteria imposed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), a commitment to respecting diversity-ethnicity, religion, class and caste-in the country, and the need to recompose Parliament (where Dissanayake's JVP party had only three seats), were the main topics addressed by Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his inaugural address as Sri Lanka's ninth president.

Leader of the leftist National People's Power (NPP) coalition, he was sworn in on Monday after his victory in the weekend's presidential election: he emerged victorious among 38 candidates, garnering more than 5.6 million votes, or 42.3 percent of the vote. On Tuesday, September 24, the new prime minister, MP Harini Amarasuriya, was also sworn in in his presence, while the following day the nine governors and the new cabinet were sworn in.

In her speech, Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressed deep gratitude to the citizens of Sri Lanka. "Let us unite to create a prosperous country that embraces diversity," he urged. "Let us aim to build a country where citizenship is a source of pride for all." Indeed, speaking to a diverse audience, including Maha Sangha and other religious leaders, he dedicated his victory to all citizens.

"Let us honor and remember the brave men and women of previous generations who sacrificed," he said, acknowledging the historic sacrifices that paved the way for the present. He went on to say that the current administration is ready to take responsibility by thinking of the nation as a united team determined to meet the people's expectations. He had said during the election campaign that he would launch an investigation into the 2019 Easter bombings precisely to shed light on the government's responsibilities.

Outlining immediate plans to negotiate with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the expressed goal is to stabilize the economy and pursue efforts to deal with debt. Then, motivated to eliminate negative features of political practice, Dissanayake highlighted the peaceful conduct of the recent presidential election as a testimony to the confidence placed in his administration.

He also urged all citizens, regardless of ethnicity or religion, to unite under the banner of Sri Lanka, promising reforms for an inclusive environment. Addressing the importance of national identity, he envisioned a Sri Lanka where every citizen is proud of their citizenship, saying, "We aim to build a country where citizenship is a source of pride for all."

He concluded his speech by stressing the need for a parliament that accurately reflects the will of the people, announcing the dissolution of the current parliament and the appointment of a cabinet in line with constitutional guidelines. Anura Kumara Dissanayake notified the dissolution of the Sri Lankan Parliament as of midnight on Tuesday 24, which will be followed by elections. The initiative calls for the new Parliament to convene on November 21, 2024, and sets November 14, 2024 as the date for the election of new parliamentarians. The nomination period will run from October 4 to 12 noon on October 11, 2024.