Sept 20, Colombo: The motherland should come first whatever political opinion is held, Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa told the members of the Southern Province Sri Lanka Freedom Lawyers Association Saturday at the Temple Trees.


Pointing out that the country must exist before anything, the President said a dignified state and not a country with a ruined reputation should be bestowed to the future.


Despite the attempts by certain groups acting with petty objectives try to bring international disrepute to the country, the government has been able to maintain international relations preserving the dignity of the country, the President said.