The country is in a dire straits amid the worst economic crisis, and that is why Embattled Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa called on Sunday to unite and work immediately to find a solution to the people's pressing problems.
The President said on the occasion of Vesak Poya Day, he said: We must be mindful of the current situation and unite around a programme that can deliver a fair determination to all. Vesak Poya Day commemorates the birth, enlightenment, and death of Lord Buddha. The three events in his life are said to have happened on the same day.
Resilience is essential in difficult situations. When the country is in dire straits, all the people's representatives must work together to find a solution on behalf of all citizens. He said the true goal should be to reach the desired goal without deviating from the primary goal.
The commitment to restore the lives of the people is a commitment made to Lord Buddha, according to a message from the newly-appointed prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
The Prime Minister stated that restraint and stability should be restored within Sri Lanka, and that Buddha's Dhamma, which has the most valuable philosophical meaning, also functions as practical state political guidance.
Four ministers were appointed to the cabinet on Saturday, but the Opposition parties refused to be part of an all-party government.
The leader of the Opposition, Sajith Premadasa, said in his message that Lord Buddha revealed to the world the message of making the world better through altruism instead of ambition, opportunism and selfishness.
He pointed out that the teachings of Lord Buddha can also be applied in practice in modern life.
The Indian High Commission in Colombo wishes all Sri Lankans on the occasion of Vesak Poya Day.
Sri Lanka is going through the worst economic crisis since independence in 1948. Long queues for fuel, cooking gas and other essentials have been caused by a crippling shortage of foreign reserves, while power cuts and soaring food prices have caused a lot of misery on the people.
President Rajapaksa has sacked his Cabinet and appointed a younger cabinet as a response to the demand for his resignation. A protest against his secretariat has gone on for well over a month.
On Monday, Gotabaya Rajapaksa'sRajapaksa's elder brother Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned as prime minister to make way for the president to appoint an interim all political party government. Wickremesinghe was appointed the country's new prime minister on Thursday.