Defeating LTTE terrorism :

KDU contribution immense

Sandasen Marasinghe

Army Commander Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya stated yesterday that the contribution made by the officers passed out from the Kotalawela Defence University to defeat LTTE terrorism was immense and it was a tribute to its founder-General Sir John Kotalawela.

He made this observation at a ceremony at the KDU premises to commemorate the 113th birth anniversary of Sir John Kotalawela. Stating that in this new era the country was at cross-roads to development. The Army Commander said that the Army was in the forefront of this process today.

The contribution of the forces at the Nagenahira Udanaya in the East and Uthuru Vasanthaya in North was commendable.

Army Commander Jayasuriya stated that winning the hearts and minds of the people in the North and East should be foremost in the minds of all and emphasized winning the respect and confidence of them should be by the Army's exemplary actions and standard of discipline.

He said the Kotalawela Defence Academy has also come of age and today become a renowned University in the country taking the Three Forces on the path to wisdom and professionalism, thanks to Sir John's great gift of the Kandawela Estate to establish it.

The KDU Chancellor Lt Gen Dennis Perera, the Commandant and VC of the KDU Maj Gen Milinda Pieris, Deputy VC Brigadier Lal Gunasekara, SLAF Deputy Director Aeronautical Engineering Air Commodore L.H. Ajanth Silva and officers of Tri Services also participated.