General Secretary of the United National Party Palitha Range Bandara questions whether the opposition parties such as the JVP and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, and protesters want to cause destruction in the country to further their political interests.
Speaking to media, the UNP General Secretary said the country and the people suffered immensely due to violence in 1971 and 1988/89.
Former State Minister Palitha Range Bandara said another spate of violence in the country will only drag Sri Lanka backwards and increase the suffering of the people.
He said it is evident to the public that certain political groups are only keen on creating issues in the country.
Palitha Range Bandara acknowledged that the general public is going through hardship due to the economic downturn.
The former State Minister said in May, UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe was invited to take over the Premiership since no other leader came forward to resolve the problems of the country.
He said none of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Leaders nor the likes of Maithripala Sirisena, Sajith Premadasa and Anura Kumara Dissanayake were willing to take up the challenge and help the people.
Palitha Range Bandara said it has been only six weeks since UNP Leader Wickremesinghe took over the Premiership but now the world has shown interest in working with Sri Lanka once again.
He said a delegation of the International Monetary Fund was in the island recently, the World Bank signed a contract with a foreign entity to provide Liquefied petroleum gas to Sri Lanka while countries such as India, United States, Australia and Japan are also coming forward to help Sri Lanka.
The UNP General Secretary said people have been facing four main issues, the shortages of medicine, LP gas, fertilizer and fuel.
He said he is confident that massive progress will be made in the month of July itself to resolve three of the four main issues.
Palitha Range Bandara noted that they are expecting a LP gas shipment tomorrow while a consignment of urea fertilizer in the next few days.
The UNP General Secretary said the government has received necessary fundings and procurements have been completed to obtain required medicine stocks as well.
He said the fuel crisis is a bit more complicated which is being addressed through a coordinated program.
Palitha Range Bandara said the Minister of Energy is also working around the clock to resolve the fuel crisis.
He said while the government is taking measures to address the issues faced by the country, the opposition factions are provoking the people to protest and create unrest.
The former State Minister said violence will not only impact the people but the future of the country as well.
He also noted that while some leaders have claimed that they will be able to resolve the country’s issues in six months to five years, they themselves have demanded Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to do miracles and address the issues immediately.
UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara noted that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe will address the economic crisis with his experience and international connections but opposition leaders must join hands and solve the political crisis in the country.
He said without uniting, the country will not be able to return to normalcy.
