National Ranaviru Commemoration Month launched

Rasika Somarathna

Sri Lanka yesterday launched the National Ranaviru Commemoration Month to honour the war heroes, following a ceremony held at the Temple Trees under the patronage of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The daughter of war hero KMUSK Udugama who made the supreme sacrifice on behalf of the nation on March 10, 2008, pinned onto the President the first Ranaviru flag launching the month-long event.

The Ranaviru Month is held to mark Sri Lanka’s victory over the LTTE.

The Sri Lankan armed forces defeated the LTTE on May 18, 2009 and eliminated the terrorism that plagued the country for three decades.

A series of events have been planned by the Defence Ministry and Ranaviru Seva Authority to mark the War Hero Commemoration month, including the Victory Parade at Galle Face Green and War Hero commemoration at the Ranaviru Monument near the Parliamentary complex at Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte on May 18.

During yesterday’s ceremony the provincial governors gave the President funds collected through the sale of Ranaviru flags last year.

The monies were then given to the Ranaviru Seva Authority to be utilized for welfare measures intended for the Ranaviru families.

Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne, all Provincial Councils Governors, Defence and Urban Development Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, President’s Secretary Lalith Weeratunga, the Chief of Defence Staff, Heads of the Armed Forces, officials of the Rana Viru Seva Authority and the Defence Ministry were present.