Colombo, April 3 (newsin.asia) – Sri Lanka, on Wednesday took a national pledge to eradicate the drug menace from the island country with President Maithripala Sirisena, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya and other state officials taking oaths to work towards a drug free country.
Government, opposition, state officials and members of the tri forces gathered at the Independence Square in capital Colombo, under the directives of President Sirisena along with hundreds of people for the oath taking ceremony. Representatives of all religions were also present.
The pledge was also live streamed to all schools, for students to take part in the oath taking ceremony.
President Sirisena said the aim of this national pledge was to achieve economic and social prosperity in Sri Lanka while accomplishing the sustainable development goals.
President Sirisena said the aim of this national pledge was to achieve economic and social prosperity in Sri Lanka while accomplishing the sustainable development goals.
The President said the illegal drug trade, which had spread like a major menace throughout the island, could not be controlled only through seizing illicit drugs, conducting raids or taking legal action, but the time had also come to eliminate this threat through implementing a broad attitude change.
Sirisena, said he will continue to invite all Sri Lankans to take the national pledge to make Sri Lanka a drug free country.
Sri Lanka, has in recent months launched a severe crackdown on the illegal drug trade with several drug lords and smugglers taken into custody.
On April 1, under the directives of President Sirisena, authorities destroyed 769 kilograms of cocaine, which the police had seized in island wide raids carried out during the past few years.
The heroin was valued at over Rs.10 billion, an estimated 57 million U.S. dollars.
At the event, Sirisena had said his aim was to free the future generations from drugs as Sri Lanka had become a transit hub for drug smugglers in Asia.
He said he would soon implement the death penalty on those convicted of drug smuggling and trafficking in a large scale.
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