The President further told that the Sinhalese are born to fight in unfair situations by nature and that attitude is in their genes. Therefore he said ancestors of Sri Lanka who had shed their blood during the Uva Wellassa Riot had done yeoman service to the country.

“The violation of the 1815 Kandyan Convention by British Imperialists was the basis for this struggle of liberation. Bringing the first struggle for freedom from 1817-1818 under control in a barbaric manner and the punishments given to Sinhalese leaders can be identified as a painful result of that struggle,” the President said. He said some countries who are pontificating on human rights had violated human rights in a blatant manner when they were ruling Sri Lanka during the Colonial period.

A book on the Uva Wellassa Riot compiled by the Kelaniya University was presented to the President by Prof. Rohana Lakshman Piyadasa. A special commemoration stamp on the 1815 Uva Wellassa Riot was presented to the President as well. Replicas of the swords used by the Weera Keppettipola Dissawe was presented to descendants of the rebels of the 1815 riot at the event.