ECONOMYNEXT – Standing on the hallowed ground where ancestors once sacrificed “blood, tears, and sweat” for sovereignty, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake marked Sri Lanka’s 78th Independence Day with a forward-looking manifesto titled “Rebuilding Sri Lanka”.
The President delivered a stern warning against the “unpleasant words” of racism and extremism, which he identified as the primary agents of self-destruction.
To rebuild a nation that is “rich in natural resources” and strategically positioned in the global marketplace, he argued that Sri Lanka must first heal its internal divisions.
“When we are divided, our strength weakens,” the President noted, urging citizens to wield their diverse religions, cultures, and identities not as weapons, but as the foundational pillars of a singular Sri Lankan nation.
Since gaining independence in 1948, Sri Lankan politics has been deeply defined by majoritarian nationalism, often exploited by political elites to secure and consolidate power.
Early legislative moves, such as the 1956 “Sinhala Only Act,” effectively marginalized the Tamil minority by making Sinhala the sole official language, a policy that served as a powerful tool for electoral mobilization among the majority Sinhalese population but sowed the seeds of long-term ethnic discord.
Minority Exclusion
Politicians frequently leveraged the concept of the “Chosen People,” rooted in the Mahavamsa, a historical chronicle, to frame Sri Lanka as an exclusively Buddhist sanctuary, thereby justifying the exclusion or structural subordination of other ethnic and religious groups.
This strategic use of ethno-religious cleavages created a democratic system that prioritized the majority identity over inclusive citizenship, ultimately escalating into a brutal 26-year civil war that cost thousands of lives.
“Hatred, anger and conflict diminish our collective power. Sri Lanka is a country of many religions, cultures, beliefs and identities,” President said in his address to the nation from the historic Independence Square in Colombo.
“These differences can be used to create conflict or wielded as weapons against one another, but doing so only weakens us. Our objective is to respect these differences, recognise the identities of all communities and build a new transformative era as one Sri Lankan nation.”
In the post-war era, following the defeat of the LTTE in 2009, political actors shifted their focus toward a “new enemy,” often targeting the Muslim and Christian minorities to sustain a sense of “triumphalist nationalism.”
Campaigns led by extremist groups which operated with a high degree of state-level impunity, used inflammatory rhetoric to stoke fear and mobilize voters.
By systematically scapegoating minority communities, some politicians were able to distract from pressing economic issues and governance failures, entrenching a cycle where racial and religious polarization became the primary currency for achieving electoral victory.
Rule of Law
President Dissanayake stressed that every citizen must feel protected by the Rule of Law.
He declared that the theme of rebuilding gains true meaning only through the “proper establishment of the supremacy of the law,” ensuring a state where public confidence is upheld and all are subject to the same fair standards.
“A strong human resource base must be developed and social cohesion must be fostered, while ensuring that every individual has the opportunity to exercise their rights fairly and equally under the rule of law,” he said.
“We must build a new Sri Lanka, where all citizens are subject to the law and where public confidence in the supremacy of the law is firmly upheld. Every conscientious individual expects the rule of law to prevail.”
“At the same time, we recognize that those who disregard or undermine the law fear the confirmation of its authority. Therefore, the foundation for building Sri Lanka lies in ensuring that the supremacy of the law is properly upheld. This is the principle upon which a strong, just and prosperous Sri Lanka can be established.”
Educational Reforms
A central pillar of this rebuilding process is a radical overhaul of the education sector, he said.
The President emphasized that Sri Lanka’s most valuable asset is its human resource, which must be transformed to stand “shoulder to shoulder with the most developed nations”.
While the President looked toward modern technology, he remained firmly anchored in the “essence of our nation”.
He reminded the audience that Sri Lankan ancestors possessed “advanced technological knowledge” and a “distinguished civilization”.
The goal of “Rebuilding Sri Lanka” is not to sever these roots but to build a modern state upon them—a model where economic development is firmly “rooted in the soil of this land”.
The President invited the Cabinet, the Opposition, and all citizens to progress as one.
He said while data shows 2025 was a year of unprecedented economic progress, true independence would only be realized when those gains convert into “improved living standards” and “dignity” for every member of a united Sri Lanka. (Colombo/February 04/2026)