The speech delivered by the President HE Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaranatunga at the 59th session of the United Nations
21st September 2004

Following are excerpts from Her Excellency's speech:
"We recognize that the pursuit of peace requires more than symbols. It requires consistent commitment, patience, perseverance and, above all, resolute action and consensus building.

Peace and resolution of conflict through dialogue takes center stage in the world lives and hence need to be accorded the highest priority on the UN Agenda. All of us here are only too aware that peace is not the simple absence of war; it entails an active engagement to understand and address the root-causes that endanger peace and generate conflict.

My governments have adopted the policy that all conflict has deep roots and real causes that we must sift out from the acts of violence and terror and find means to redress them.

We are committed to achieve peace, a peace founded on democracy, respect for human rights, a pluralist polity and good governance.

We are fully aware that peace is not achieved easily. It is a constant struggle for mutual understanding and reconciliation, and the establishment of the rule of law, justice and equality. 'Victory breeds hatred. The defeated live in pain. Happily the peaceful live, giving up victory and defeat.'

Political consensus building, reconciliation, rehabilitation and the promotion of the rule of law are essential for democracy to take root.
Terrorism in all its manifestations must be condemned and fought relentlessly and globally. While no cause justifies terror unleashed upon the innocent, we must make effort to address their root causes and seek political and socio economic explanations and solutions to them.

SRI LANKAN MINISTER ON UNESCO EXECUTIVE BOARD

The Presidential Secretariat announced that, Hon.Mangala Samaraweera, Minister of Ports, Aviation, Information and Media and Deputy Minister of Education, has been nominated & appointed to the Executive Board of UNESCO. Minister Samaraweera will bear the director post of UNESCO until 2007.

The Presidential Secretariat announced that Minister Samaraweera will be leading a delegation to the UNESCO session in Paris in October, comprising the Ambassador [and] permanent representative and Professor Senaka Bandaranaike.

MINISTER MANGALA SAMARAWEERA AT ICAO SUMMIT IN CANADA :
AIR TRANSPORT SEVERELY THREATENED BY SUICIDAL ATTACKS BY TERRORISTS

Despite continuous efforts on the part of world governments and the global aviation industry to address acts of violence directed at civil aviation, it is indeed disturbing to note that international air transportation, renowned as the safest mode of transport, continues to be severely threatened by suicidal terrorism which has assumed unparalleled proportions, Ports and Aviation Minister Mangala Samaraweera told the 35th Session of the Assembly of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) in Montreal.

He further stated that, "although Sri Lanka as a developing country has to face many other serious challenges, the Government has attached primary importance to the enhancement of aviation safety and security. In keeping with our international obligations, Sri Lanka is a party to all international conventions against air piracy and has enacted implementing legislation at the domestic level".

Considering the importance of cargo transportation for the enhancement of global economic activity, Sri Lanka has an "open skies" policy on freighter operations. An Aviation Master Plan is accordingly being developed and will be published shortly.

HISTORIC STATUES OF BUDDHA
FOR SALE!

An internet racket is on the way to sell statues of historic value believed to be smuggled from Sri Lanka. One such statue of Lord Buddha had been announced sold by the website. It states that the statue was found near a ruined temple in Sri Lanka in 1826 and it is believed to be a statue crafted in the 14th Century. These statues are believed to be smuggled from several Buddhist countries. They are priced between 37 to 150 US dollars.
RIDING HOLIDAYS IN LANKA

A Riding School in Sri Lanka is embarking on its first large scale riding safari, with a contingent of experienced Argentinean riders on a 13 day tour encompassing nearly every type of climate and terrain present in Sri Lanka.

The ride will commence in the cool hills of Kandy, followed by a ride through tea estates and sand tracks in Nuwara Eliya and Ella through streams, mountains and jungles and through scenic landscapes forgotten by the urban world; a route taken never before on horse back - a trip truly for the adventurous.

Finally, the riders will ride into the sunset on the famed golden sands of Bentota. Riding holidays are a new venture, and has a lot of potential in the tourism industry and could attract the high end tourist, passionate about exploring countries on horseback.

SINGAPORE BUSINESS DELEGATION IN SRI LANKA

A major Singaporean business delegation has recently assured to initiate key investment projects in Sri Lanka in the near future. This promise was made by the delegation during a discussion with President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga on investment proposals.

The business delegation was lead by Sri Lanka's High Commissioner in Singapore, HE Mr.Ajit Jayaratne.

Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment Promotion Anura Bandaranaike, Senior Advisor to the President Mano Tittawela, Chairman of Board of Investment (BOI) Saliya Wickremesuriya and Chairman of Urban Development Authority (UDA) Gemunu Silva were also present at the discussion.

The delegation included representatives from some of the leading Singapore companies such as Jurong, Keppel Land and Mohamed Mustaffa.

Jurong is planning to follow the concept of a Special Economic Zone, similar to the ones they have implemented in China and India. Such a zone has special features which go beyond the usual concept of an industrial park.

Keppel Land, one of the largest real estate developers in Singapore, is pursuing the possibility of a major commercial and residential complex in the heart of Colombo. The Company already has several regional projects launched in Indian cities such as Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Kolkata.

Mustaq Ahamed, Chairman and proprietor of Mohamed Mustaffa and Sons, the renowned 24-hour shopping complex in Singapore, stated that they are contemplating opening an outlet in Colombo as well.

INVESTMENT FROM SINGAPORE

Singapore is set to become the biggest foreign investor in Sri Lanka over the next few years as the country moves to end a decades-long ethnic war. A shopping mall, hotel and residential complex called Havelock City planned by the Shin Kwan Group at a cost of $150 million will mark a new round of investment by Singapore companies this year.

"Singapore is already the third-biggest foreign investor in the country in terms of cumulative investment," Saliya Wickramasuriya, the director general of the Board of Investment, the country's investment promotion body, told Dow Jones Newswires in an interview.
Among other Singaporean projects in the pipeline is a hospital by the Raffles Group and a shopping and leisure complex by Mohammed Mustafa and Samsuddin Co. Private Ltd.

Sri Lanka is promoting country specific economic zones; Wickramasuriya said that a Singaporean company was interested in developing 1,000 acres to be used by Singaporean companies in the south of the island.

Three new highways connecting Colombo with the international airport in Katunayake, the central hill-town of Kandy and southern Matara are in the pipeline.

SEVA VANITHA CHARITY DINNER
IN SINGAPORE

The Singapore Unit of the Seva Vanitha Organization once again organized a charity dinner to raise funds for worthy causes for the needy in Sri Lanka. The dinner was held at Hotel Meritus Manderin at Orchard Road and was attended by both Sri Lankans and Singaporeans. The Chief Guest at the event was HE Mrs. Jaya Mohideen, The Singapore Ambassador to the Czech Republic. The audience was entertained to cultural performances by a dance troupe flown specially for this event. The cuisine was typical Sri Lankan, prepared by the master chef Publis of Hotel Mount Lavinia. A Sri Lankan food week followed immediately after the charity event at the same venue.

GANESHISM - A CELEBRATION OF GANESH IN ART BY MAHEN CHANMUGAM

Utterly Art Exhibition Space
208 South Bridge Road - 2nd level
Tel: 6226 2605
email: utterlyart@pacific.net.sg

Opening: Thursday 21st October 2004 - 7pm
The exhibition runs to Sunday 31st October 2004

Opening hours:
Mon - Sat 11.30am - 8pm
Sun 12 noon - 5pm

Sri Lankan-born Mahen has been painting for over thirty years and has devoted the last eight to portraying Lord Ganesh. This exhibition, Ganeshism, is the culminating point of a collection that attempts
to present the symbolism and iconography surrounding Lord Ganesh in a colourful, contemporary form through his art.

With Ganeshism, Mahen attempts to reach back to the past, while looking forward, balancing the challenges between the spirit of modernism and the need to capture the essence of a traditional art form, undiluted.

Drawing inspiration from the mythology and philosophies of Hinduism, his canvases are saturated with intense colour, evocative of the bright powdery pigments that decorate the entrance to Hindu temples. The ever present images of the lotus heart and petals splashed across his-life sized canvases act as an eloquent metaphor for the regeneration of the soul.

Mahen studied art under Prof. Stanley Abeysinghe in Sri Lanka before moving into commercial art, where he has worked as an art director and illustrator in the advertising/publishing industry for most of his adult life.

He is currently the Creative Director of MCN Creative Associates Pte Ltd and lives with his wife, daughter and cats in Singapore. For further information visit www.ganeshism.com or call Nadia at 9762 6712.

SRI LANKA'S SECOND AIRPORT
IN KOGGALA

Sri Lanka's second airport will be constructed in Koggala. Nine hundred acres of land has been allocated to develop the military air field at Koggala into an international airport. Currently Sri Lanka has only one international airport.

The High Commission of Sri Lanka is pleased to invite you to
visit our website at http://www.lanka.com.sg

Issued by the High Commission of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, #13/07, Goldhill Plaza, 51, Newton Road, Singapore 308900. Tel: 62544595/6/7 Fax: 62507201 Website http://www.lanka.com.sg Email: slhcs@lanka.com.sg
Office Hours 9.00 a. m. - 1. 00 p.m. 2.00 p.m. - 5.15 p. m. (Monday to Friday)