Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena unveiling the statue of the National Hero Puran Appu constructed at the Matale Municipal Council premises.
Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that prevailing Land Regulations are 50-years-old and every inch of land in the Central Province that is unused should be returned to the villagers.
He said this while addressing National Hero Weera Puran Appu’s 175th commemoration held at the Matale District Secretariat on Tuesday (8), after unveiling the statue of the National Hero Puran Appu constructed at the Matale Municipal Council premises. The ceremony was organized by the Weera Monarawila Kappetipola National Foundation.
Speaking on the occasion, the Prime Minister said, “The imperialists took control of the country and started to breach the agreement signed at the surrender. Their attitudes become more severe gradually. They started to break the promises made to protect Buddhism. Where did the white people get the right to breach the laws of our country? Our heroic leaders stood up to acknowledge it to the whole nation. Puran Appu awakened an entire nation. He enlivened the great and proud journey of the movement against injustice and cruelty done for the entire nation by the colonial rulers.
“The white government, which carried out the worst genocide, not only led a brutal regime, but also killed young children who were growing up. It should be stated that it has not been compensated even today. Recently, the Dutch Parliament made a statement. Parliament apologized for the damage done to the people and property of the conquered countries. Even the Netherlands made such a public announcement. I am not reminding this to request for apologies. But they must remember the fault of coming to a country that used to live in a system of justice and taking control by robbing all our things by force.
“If we go by the law of our country, we would be brought to Court and punished the culprits. There is a clause in the law that it is a legal right. How did the English men make the law? They came to this country by force, declared themselves as the rulers of this country, and declared the lands of the villages of our country as their right. What type of a right? Today, we can comfort ourselves in the processes started by the heroes of the freedom struggle who fought to win back what was lost to our country. Today we must take further action for it.
“At that time hundreds of acres of land had to be handed over for two English Sterling Pounds and four Shillings. Our people fought against them. When the cases were called, these heroes did not change their answers. They did not fear of bullet. In this way, the future of the nation was awakened without fear or doubt. Even today, when reading a book on this subject, everyone’s heart is awakened. These villages are self-sufficient lands engaged in simple village farming. We had villages which were self-sufficient in every aspect. They were systematically conquered and given to foreign companies to produce whatever they wanted. If Puran Appu, the national hero of 1848, Gongale Godabanda and Kappatipola hero of 1818 had won the objective of the struggle, then this situation would not have happened on our soil.
“A Land Reform Commission was brought into light 50 years ago. Even after 50 years, what has happened to the lands owned by the Land Reform Commission? Did the lands given back to our innocent villagers? Or did the land reform bring results to our villagers in a different way? Neither has happened. Under the new Act, every inch of land in the Central Province that is currently unused should be returned to the villagers.
“We should launch a development programme which provides the lands in such a way and revive the village. If we don’t follow this procedure, our new generation, our growing generation, will not have the strength to give leadership in the future. If we start giving land to the new generation for new cultivation, it will add a victory sign to the fight of the heroes of the rebellion”.
State Minister, Sisira Jayakodi, Governor of the Central Province, Lalith U. Gamage, Members of Parliament, Nalaka Kottegoda, Yadamini Gunawardena, Government Agent of Matale District, Tejani Thilakaratne, Commissioner of Matale Municipal Council, Nishantha Maduvage, Matale Divisional Secretary Madhavi Hindagoda, Weera Monarawila Keppetipola Foundation President Walter Thanne and others joined the event.
