People's support needed for economic independence -DS

Ariyapala WANSATHILAKE Kurunegala Central Special Corr.

Sri Lankan soldiers helped the country to bring peace after thirty long years war carried out by LTTE terrorists, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa and the Chief Guest of the Ranaviru felicitation ceremony said at the Kurunegala Maliyadewa College.

A ceremony was held to pay tribute to the war heroes at the college, yesterday.

He said the humanitarian operations for releasing the innocent civilians from LTTE grip is over. The Security Forces faced the whole country without allowing any country or organisations. He appealed to the people who gathered in the college conference hall to extend their fullest support and cooperation to the President Mahinda Rajapaksa to enable him to gain economic independence for the country.

He said our Ranaviru Heroes sacrificed their lives and limbs for the sole purpose of protecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity. We should honour their parents too. It is our bounden duty to help them in every possible way, said Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Contributions made by the war heroes of the college in the humanitarian operations carried out by Forces to liberate the North and East from the LTTE clutches under the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa is itself a great honour shown towards the war heroes of this college.

Rural Industries and Self Employment Minister S.B. Navinna said, Maliyadewa has produced a large numbers of War Heroes in the Sri Lankan Army and they served in various positions in the Forces.

The gallant war heroes who did not own an inch of land, even to bring their dead body, but still risked their lives and limbs to protect the motherland. We need to be more sensitive towards their needs.