Saturday, 3 August 2013 00:23
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Former UNP Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya yesterday issued another clarion call for party unity, saying there had been enough internal battles within the main opposition.
“We must defeat attempts by the Government to destroy the UNP,” he charged. Issuing a special message to UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe at a press briefing yesterday, Jayasuriya said that the time had come to cease the in-fighting and join hands to fight for democracy and the people of Sri Lanka.
“I respectfully request that the party must unite. I do not need positions. My request is to stop all disciplinary inquiries in the party; if necessary, declare a common amnesty and go forward uniting all. If we can unite as a party, then we can unite the opposition.”
Jayasuriya recalled the UNP’s famous Jana Bala Meheyuma in 2000 and said it had enabled the party to force the Government out of power. “If we can do such a thing today, we will be doing a great service and justice to the country and the people,” he said.
He said there was no need for him to impose conditions on the party leadership. “The United National Party is not a party owned by Ranil Wickremesinghe, Sajith Premadasa or myself. I do not have a need to attack the party. I never criticise the party in public,” he explained.
