Whole nation poised to honor armed forces and fallen heroes

Hundreds of thousands of office and factory workers and all students in government and private schools will celebrate the victory of the Sri Lankan security forces by the capture of Kilinochchi, the headquarters of the LTTE terrorists, today (Jan 5).

In a televised broadcast to the nation Public Administration Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama said,"The victory of the Sri Lankan forces is a unique one in the annals of the history of the nation and all workers will celebrate the victory by participating in national flag hoisting ceremonies, by singing the national anthem and observing two minutes silence for the fallen heroes."

He said the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) at Kilinochchi is an event fit to be celebrated by all racial groups of the country since it was an important step to guarantee the unity of the country.

He said the valiant soldiers of the three armed forces and the police and the leadership provided to them by the Chiefs and the President should be remembered in these ceremonies. A senior officer will talk to the others on the importance of the day.

Education Minister Susil Prem Jayanth said on a similar note all schools today should be inaugurated after the vacation to honor the brave soldiers who served in the fronts. Some lost their lives or limbs, he said, in fulfilling this noble task.

He said these ceremonies should start at 8.30 a.m. today preferably with the participation of a family member of a war hero. The national flag should be hoisted, the national anthem should be sung and two minutes silence should be observed for the fallen heroes, he said. He added the school principal at the assembly should make a speech praising the importance of the soldiers who captured Kilinochchi and other places.

Others organized a non-stop chanting of Buddhist sutras in front of the Ruwanweli Stupa of Anuradhapura by Buddhist monks to bless all soldiers and the President starting from January 10.

Defense Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa addressing a meeting of the Air Force said out of the 1900 new houses built in the Anuradhapura area for the armed forces personnel a free house will be given to all who served at the front if they want to live in that area. The rest will be given on a concessionary installment payment basis, he said. If members of the security services have a land, concessionary loans will be given to build their own houses, he said.

Not everybody was in praise of the armed forces. A television channel broadcast repeatedly a speech delivered by a leader of the Opposition United National Party, Ravi Karunanayaka, who said, "This army when they want to go to Ali Man Kada (the Sinhala name for Elephant Pass) would end up in Pamankada- This army when they want to reach Kilinochchi would go to Medawachchi." (Ironically, the army is about to capture Elephant Pass and has already captured Kilinochchi). His leader Ranil Wickramasinghe alleged injured soldiers were not given quick treatment, which was quickly denied by the chiefs of the army and the air force. Palitha Rangebandara, believed so much in his leaders, the Puttlam District MP vowed he would give up his religion if the Sri Lanka Army ever captured Kilinochchi.

But the assistant leader of the party, Rukman Senanayaka, opposed the statements of his leaders and said the army's victory at Kilinochchi would give a turbo boost to the fight against terrorism in Sri Lanka. Commending President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his government for boldly meeting the challenge, Rukman also said the President's and his defense secretary Gotabaya's leadership had been exemplary in the war.