The Government is fully committed and prepared to make sacrifices and be committed to protect all faiths and their associated sites of worship asserted President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday at a ceremony to donate financial aid to religious institutions held at the Presidential Secretariat.

Rupees five million was donated for improving 42 Temples, Kovils, Churches and Mosques islandwide.

President Rajapaksa said that the government would seek to establish 'Peace Zones' not only in the precincts of sacred sites, but also in the whole country. 

"Every citizen of this land should have the freedom and the liberty to enjoy the right of religious worship, as per his conscience. The terrorists grabbed this right from the people. 

President pointed out that when the North is also liberated, the whole country would be a 'Peace Zone', and the 'Sacred Sites' would become 'Peace Zones' within it. "We are obliged to protect our religious devotion which we have sustained over the years," President added.

The President pointed out that the various religious units and ministries which were scattered in the past, were brought under one ministry, with the objective of integrating all religious affairs under one management and authority and averting conflicts of any nature.

"We need integration of our society and not division or differentiation. We formulated diverse programmes such as 'Mathata Thitha' with the objective of protecting our society. This project to develop our sacred sites would undoubtedly serve to achieve this objective," President Rajapaksa said.  

President Rajapaksa said that despite the war, government had not abandoned any mega development projects in the country, be it the expressways or the Norochcholai Coal Power project or any other. "We will not abandon the development of the religious sacred sites too," President added.

(Courtesy : Government of Sri Lanka )