War Heroes' Day pays gratitude to those protecting mother Lanka - Major General Leonard Mark

Ridma Dissanayake and Rakshana Sriyantha

Udayan quoting Democratic People's Front (DPF) Leader Mano Ganeshan, said celebrating a War Heroes' Week in the South after killing around 100,000 Tamils in the Northern Province is a joke.

Celebrating a War Heroes' Day or War Heroes' Week should not be done, Udayan quoted Mano Ganeshan. Udayan also said a large number of Tamils have been killed during the war period.

Commenting on this report, Mullaitivu District Security Forces Commander Major General Leonard Mark said persons who are criticizing the government and the security forces have forgotten the past.

LTTE leader Velupillai Prabhakaran killed a large number of Sinhala, Muslim and Tamil persons during the period of terrorism and he celebrated a murderous day called 'Mahaviru Day'.

If he can celebrate such a thing, why cannot Sri Lankans celebrate a day marking humanitarian operations on behalf of the War Heroes who have sacrificed their lives, youth and future to protect mother Lanka, he questioned. "Our security forces and Police fight to create a peaceful country for the next generation.

"They are the persons who protect Sri Lanka from terrorists," he said.

"We are celebrating the War Heroes' Day and War Heroes' Week to mark the day which all Sri Lankans obtained freedom to live in peace and harmony," Major General Mark said.

The LTTE organization buried thousands of landmines in the Northern and Eastern Provinces.

But at present, the government has already implemented a large number of development programmes in those areas to uplift the living standards of people living in those areas, he said. Certain political parties who talk about racism have forgotten all those things, he said.

Newspapers such as Udayan are misusing the freedom of journalism in Sri Lanka.

They are trying to create a racial conflict and destroy the peace and harmony in the country, he added.