Colombo, May 19 (Daily Mirror) – Racism has begun to raise its ugly head again in the North and the South for the sake of power, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said today.

Adddressing the 16th National War Heroes’ Commemoration ceremony, he said the war was not natural but it was created to aquire power and to protect and strenthen power for some people.

He said children of parents who never provoked extremism or racism had to sacrifice their lives for the power struggles of some people.

The President said the war is a tragedy and a destruction and added that the responsibility of the government is to prevent any war from emerging.

He said everone must work with firm determination for peace.

The President said Sri Lanka has not gained complete freedom even after the war victory, adding that Sri Lanka is a nation that has lost its economic freedom.

“Soverignty is not a mere word. We need to acheive economic transformation, uphold the rule of law and create a country free of crimes and drug menace to enjoy full freedom,” he said