In face of any danger:
We will decide fearlessly- President
Armed Forces’ sacrifices not in vain:
Rasika Somarathna in Matale
Even though terrorism had been defeated certain forces which preached
separatism and who tried to divide the country were still at large. “We
are closely monitoring the situation and to defeat this and in the
struggles ahead to build a new country we shall not fear to take
necessary decisions in the face of any dangers that we may face,” said
President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
President Rajapaksa stressed that he would not permit Sri Lanka’s war
heroes to be produced before any international war crimes tribunal.
“They fought to defend the Nation and we are always committed to
defend them with dedication and we would never back down from that
responsibility,” he added.
He was addressing a large gathering at the Central Province War
Heroes’ felicitation at the Aluvihare temple premises in Matale. The
President said the people contributed to this victory without any
differences, in the face of many hardships. “They correctly understood
that we had launched a proper battle to defeat of terrorism.”
“Our mothers and fathers sacrificed their children to the armed
forces, police and civil defence corps, as never before seen in our
history. The leadership too led from the front.
“My own son joined the security forces and the children of other high
ranking security forces personnel and other officials too joined the
ranks,” he said.
“Their immense commitment was not in vain. It is these sacrifices
that have enabled the country to stand tall today without the shadow of
terrorism hovering over us,” President Rajapaksa added. The President
also pointed out that at the time he took over the responsibility of
leading the country, the separatist terrorists were on the verge of
achieving their goal of dividing the country. “Many foreign forces
attempted to persuade us that the path to peace was to give in to a
terrorist organization which they claimed was invincible,” President
Rajapaksa said.
“Some local politicians too had embraced these ideas in order to
realize their own selfish personal goals at the expense of the country,”
he said.
“Certain authorities even feared to identify terrorists as such and
tried to belittle the efforts of the security forces,” he said.
“The people wanted us to defeat the foundations of a cowardly peace
and instead establish a genuine and dignified peace for our land by
defending terrorism decisively. “The fundamental platform that we based
our initiative was an undivided country, a national consensus and an
honourable peace.” “In the Mahinda Chinthana policy framework we gave
emphasis to the word unitary which some scorned upon at that time.
We chose the right people for right positions without any
affiliations.
We sought help from friendly nations, we went to the international
community with our side of the story, we equipped the armed forces with
the necessary manpower and equipment. We inculcated belief, trust and
hope in the minds of the people,” the President observed. He also noted
that the present regime had treated all who contributed to the cause of
saving the motherland from the clutches of terrorism from top to the
bottom equally. However, Security Forces personnel should also be
prepared to protect the dignified position they hold in society now with
exemplary behaviour. They should not become pawns of undesirable
elements for financial gains or otherwise,” he added.
The President also pointed out that the two thirds mandate which the
UPFA got during the southern polls is a clear manifestation of the
peoples thinking regarding their duty towards the motherland.
Referring to the War Heroes felicitation which concluded yesterday,
the President said that Matale was a fitting destination to hold such a
ceremony as it possessed a historical past the country could be proud
of. Its present contribution to the recently concluded conflict too has
been commendable, he added.
During the ceremony Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, former
Army Commander and the present Chief of Defence Staff General Sarath
Fonseka, former Navy Commander Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, Air Force
Commander Air Marshall Roshan Gunatilleke, Former Chief of Defence Staff
Air Chief Marshal Donald Perera, Director General of Civil Defence Force
Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekera and IGP Jayantha Wickremaratne were
felicitated.
Religious and political leaders of the area felicitated the President
during the ceremony. Before the ceremony the President paid his homage
to the famous Aluvihare temple.
Religious and political leaders representing the people of the
Central Province felicitated the President and the war heroes and the
ceremony ended with the chanting of Pirit.
A large crowd including war heroes’ relatives participated.
Mementoes were present to President Mahinda Rajapaksa by senior
political leaders in the Province, namely, Ministers D.M. Jayaratne,
Janaka Bandara Tennekoon, Rohana Kumara Dissanayake, Central Province
Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake, CPC Governor Tikiri Kobbekaduwa and
Basnayake Nilame N. Jayawardhana. Ministers Mahindananda Aluthgamage and
NCP Chief Minister Berty Premalal Dissanayake were also present. |