President Mahinda Rajapaksa vowed yesterday that the country would never be divided, and that his was a responsible government that was committed to safeguarding the nation’s unity.

The President was speaking at a ceremony at which he was conferred the special title “Vishvakeerthi Threesinhaladishvara” by the clergy of the Malwatta and Asgiriya Chapters.

The ceremony took place at the Magul Maduwa, in Kandy. “This is a country that was heading towards separatism, but we worked as a team and succeeded in uniting the country,” the President said. “I promise that the country will never again be threatened by separatism.”

The President thanked the Sangha for their guidance in achieving peace for the nation. “The government’s chief responsibility now is to create a righteous society,” the President said.