Honour parents of war heroes

P. B. Kirindeniya Nawalapitiya group corr.

This year’s Sinhala-Hindu New Year is not only a mere a national and cultural festival but also hereafter it will be called an year of war heroes, said Minister of Power Mahindananda Aluthgamage.

He was addressing a public meeting held at Pallegama in the Nawalapitiya electorate.

The Minister said in the meantime let all of us make this an opportunity to pay due respect to the parents of our heroic soldiers fighting in the battle field during this festive season.

The meeting was held following the ceremonial opening of the second community water supply and sanitary project. It is a by-project of the central Province second community water supply and sanitary project launched by the Ministry of Urban Development and Sacred City development.

The entire project cost Rs. 5,455,000 and provides 24 hour water supply to 283 families in Pallegama. This water supply project is managed by the Pasbage Korale Pradeshiya Sabha.

The Minister added that this year’s Sinhala-Hindu New Year celebration had a remarkable difference. For the past 30 years people were unable to celebrate it true to their hearts or genuinely.

Every citizen lived in constant fear. Still for all tens of thousands of our heroic soldiers of all the three forces and the police and their officers sacrificed their lives to make our motherland hundred percent free of terrorism. So it was the duty of the rest of the citizens to recognise the parents of the heroic soldiers who encouraged them to go to the battle field and fight terrorism be highly honoured during this “Vasantha Senekeli” season.

He said now they have been able to free almost every inch of the motherland from ruthless terrorists. Every “Bak Maha Ulela” in the island should have a separate item to honour the parents of war heroes. It was praiseworthy to show them due respect.”

The Minister said during this long period of 30 years five leaders ruled our country.

But not one of them was wise enough, strong enough, bold enough to wipe out terrorism completely from our soil. It is President Mahinda Rajapaksa who appointed the best chiefs of the forces and commanded the war. In the forefront of the battle field we see soldiers from rural villages like Pallegama, so we should not hesitate to give them due respect, he said.