Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe honoured

Disaster Management and Human Rights Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, was honoured with the title of "Jagath Keerthi Sri Deshamanya" by the Sasanarakshaka Bala Mandalaya of the Kalutara District at a felicitation ceremony held at the Matugama Auditorium.

The title was conferred on the Minister in recognition of the role he played as leader of the Sri Lankan delegation at the Special Session on Sri Lanka at the Human Rights Council in Geneva. The victory secured by Sri Lanka in Geneva in face of opposition from several rich and powerful nations, greatly strengthened the hand of President Mahinda Rajapaksa who successfully led the fight to rid the country of terrorism.

The felicitation ceremony was organized on the initiative of the Kalutara Sasanarakshaka Bala Mandalaya President and Registrar of the Samastha Lanka Sasanarakshaka Bala Mandalaya, the Most Venerable Gonaduwa Gunananda Thera and Committee Member of the Bala Mandalaya Venerable Madanvala Saranapala Thera.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa issuing a message of congratulation on the occasion said Minister Samarasinghe was a humanist who displayed a high degree of dedication in matters relating to the sphere of human rights and was globally recognized and it was a source of pride to Sri Lanka.

Speaking on the occasion Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, stressed that Sri Lanka's victory was not an isolated occurrence that happened overnight, but rather the result of three-and a half years of constant effort during successive sessions of the Human Rights Council. During this period, constant briefings and discussions were held with national delegations, Ambassadors and regional and cross-regional groupings. It was this engagement that laid the foundations for this victory.

He said the triumph should be viewed as a collective victory of the entire Sri Lankan delegation and not a personal victory of the leader of the delegation. It was an open secret that many forces, national and international, were ready to undermine and trivialize the military victory gained over terrorism. We were able to forestall such efforts and project the President's victory on the international plane, he added.

Minister Samarasinghe acknowledged the constant advice and support of President Rajapaksa prior to and during the Special Session of the Council.