Now protect and nurture the freedom we won by making great sacrifices

Hilary Rajakarunanayake, Editor – Sri Lanka, Asian Tribune

Colombo, 23 May, (Asiantribune.com): "We must now protectPresident Mahinda Rajapaksa addressing at the National Rally to felicitate the Armed Forces and nurture the freedom that we have won by sweeping terrorism out of the face of our country after the last thirty years. The battles that our soldiers, sailors and airmen won in this prolonged conflict with terrorism of the LTTE was won at great sacrifice. We must never forget that thousands of lives of our brave soldiers were lost in regaining this freedom".

So said President Mahinda Rajapaksa addressed yesterday, in the midst of a cheering crowd, at the National Rally to felicitate the Armed Forces, held in Colombo.

About 200,000 people marched a distance about three miles from Campbell Park in Borella to the grounds opposite the Parliament, where the monument for the servicemen who died in the war is erected. They were shouting patriotic slogans and waving national flags during the mass procession.

Addressing the rally, PresidenT Mahinda Rajapaksa said, “The National Flag flutters all over the country today and this was the first time that I am addressing a public rally with thousands of national flags displayed but we should remember that the freedom to hoist the flag from Dondra Head to Point Pedro was given to us by thousands of our valiant Armed Forces who had sacrificed their lives to liberate the country.

"It is our bounden duty to help the families of all the soldiers who died in the war and who got maimed for life. We must see to the welfare of their children. We must also eradicate corruption and vice and waste from our country. To do this efficiently we have another war in our hands and I expect the cooperation of all patriotic citizens to join hands with me in realizing this next goal” the President added.

He added, "About 15,000 sq. kilometers of land which had been ceded to the LTTE by a previous government by a deed have now at last been redeemed. Today the lion flag, the national emblem of our country is displayed even in Tamil and Muslim homes in the North and the East of our country."

"We should also remember that the breath of the fallen war heroes are blown on the national flag whenever and wherever we hoist it, "President Mahinda Rajapaksa said in his address.

He further said -

"The victory we had won was not won on a bed of roses but at great and supreme sacrifice of our valiant Armed Forces who sometimes did not get the opportunity to change their uniforms for weeks, they fought in the ditches, floods and had to destroy embankments over twelve feet or cross lagoons but they did not give up till the final victory over the terrorists was achieved and the country brought under the national flag.

"In 1956 there were five forces or groups called the Pancha Maha Balavegaya, Sanga, Veda, Guru,Govi, Kamkaru, but today we have another force Ranaviru and today it had become the Shad Maha Balavegaya or six forces.

"When the decision to defeat terrorism was made I had to face obstacles of not only the terrorists and their supporters at home and abroad and I had to debunk the myth that the terrorist group was an invincible indomitable war machine.

A section of the cheering crowd - (Pix Sudath Silva)

"However, the Defence Secretary Gotabhaya, commanders of the three Armed Forces Sarath, Wasanth, Roshan and other senior defence officials were towers of strength and all the members of the forces and the people of the country stood behind the decision to defeat terrorism. It was due to that conviction and cooperation that we were able to defeat the terrorists.

"When we rejoice the victory of the armed forces we have to remember that it was our duty to help and look after the families of the members of the Armed Forces who had sacrificed their lives for the country.

"It was not only duty to remember that we should provide everything those families needed though we cannot give back the valiant men or women who had given their.

"We should protect the freedom they had won for us and the memorial for the fallen members of the Forces in front of the Parliament was erected there to remind the legislators about those heroic persons.

"All people of the country loved this country but over a long period that love was hidden or killed by certain elements who said that the country should be divided and a portion given to the terrorist as already an agreement to that effect had been signed.

"But we had to make that difficult decision and we stood together with the people who cooperated with us. Now we have won and the next challenge before us to develop the country and I assure you that I will fulfill that task just as I fulfilled the task of defeating terrorism. But like during the humanitarian operations I need the cooperation of the public.

"We have forgiven those sections who made all kinds of allegations against us and threatened to drag us before international tribunals but we started the effort to liberate the country prepared not only to go up to one gallows but even to ten.

"Today even the international community who were opposed to the war against terrorists were praising us today.

Now it was our turn to build our nation declaring war on corruption, waste, drugs and other social evils by taking on the sharks who were behind such evils" – Mahinda Rajapaksa said.

- Asian Tribune -