Lessons to be learnt
Lakshmi DE SILVA
|
Brigadier Shavindra Silva and President Mahinda Rajapksa
discussing a point while General Sarath Fonseka looks on. |
Ven Dr. Welamitiyawe Kusaladhamma chief sangha nayake Thera of
Colombo and Chilaw divisions, Chancellor University of Kelaniya and head
of the Vidyalankara Pirivena, Kelaniya speaking to the Daily News said
that the the terrorist group that plagued the country for three decades
defeated in just three years gives the country and the world some
lessons to be learnt.
If there was determination and dedication, there was nothing
impossible to achieve.
The main reasons for the defeat of the most ruthless terrorist group
of the world, the LTTE, was due to the determination and dedication of
President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the three armed forces,the Nayake Thera
said.
As long as we remain divided there was nothing we could achieve. It
is only by uniting that we could achieve any goal.
It was because the Army, Navy, the Air Force and the police worked as
one group united to achieve a common objective that this victory was
made possible. The Defence Secretary gave the services the proper
direction to achieve it the Nayake Thera said.
Following the example set by our kings, President Rajapaksa took the
correct decision without fearing for his life to protect the people of
the country and he had the blessings of the clergy of all religions in
the country as well as the good wishes of the people of the country so
that he was able to face the internal and external pressures brought to
bear on him, he said.
Therefore, it would no doubt be an example to the whole world to work
towards a goal with determination and a firm will.
When President Rajapaksa on his return to the country from Jordan
stepped down from the aircraft and knelt down and saluted the earth of
the motherland it brought tears to the eyes of all persons who saw it.
It clearly demonstrated his patriotic feelings, the Nayake Thera noted.
It was very clear that President Rajapksa was a Buddhist from the
south he had the conviction.
He was the President not only for the Buddhists of the south but for
all ethnic and religious groups of the whole country. In his address to
the nation from the Parliament on Tuesday it was very clear that he
stood for all the groups of our people.
He emphasized there were only two groups of people.
The first group loved the country and the other group who did not
love the country, were the minority, he noted. The victory achieved by
our armed forces gives all of us a challenge not only for the Government
but for all citizens of the country.
If we could have defeated terrorism that plagued the country for 30
years in only 3 years the challenge could be met by not only the
Government but by all the citizens of the country.
It was now necessary for all the groups of people to forget
differences and unite to work towards the progress of the country.
We should all think that we are all children of mother Lanka and pool
our strength and abilities to work for the development of our nation.
We should not only work to develop the North and East but to develop
the whole country and to achieve amity so that terrorism will not raise
its head again, the Nayake Thera noted.
Therefore we would like to give our best wishes and invoke blessings
of the Triple Gem on President Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary, the
commanders and members of the armed forces and the people of the country
wishing for peace and prosperity for all of them, the Thera said. |
