Armed forces sacrificed their lives for country: Gotabhaya
By M. W. Somarathne
Defence Ministry Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa paying tribute to the war heroes said that around 21,500 members of the armed forces had sacrificed their lives protecting the territorial integrity and the unity of the country during the last three decades.
He added that if the country did not go to war even at this late stage it would have resulted in grave consequences. He noted that military commanders in the battlefield had told him this.
The Defence Secretary was speaking at a programme for the welfare of the families of dead war heroes held at the Army Special Forces Head Quarters at Koholanwela in Matale. The Rana Viru Seva Authority organised the programme.
The Defence Secretary said around 17,000 members of the Armed Forces and Police had sacrificed their lives between 1980 and 2005. “Between 2005 and now, 3,500 more armed services personnel had to sacrifice their lives for the country. A large number of service personnel have become physically disabled, while a considerable number had received grave injuries. The war that has lasted for about 30 years caused a lot of destruction to this country but now it has reached a possible end .If our heroes did not dedicate and sacrifice their lives we would not have been able to reach an end to this.”
“No one can fill the gaps created by the loss of life. But, as a grateful nation it is a responsibility of all of us to solve the problems of families of the war heroes. President Mahinda Rajapaksa is very concerned about that aspect. All the problems of the war heroes’ families have to be solved. Due to lapses in services, such families have been compelled to suffer. The services rendered by the war heroes should not be underestimated,” he added.
The Defence Secretary drew attention to the large number and the types of weapons recovered from the LTTE in the battle fields. “No one could go to Wanni, Mannar or Kilinochchi earlier. Although there were so many weaknesses, our heroes never went back. Because of their courage, the fulfillment of the long awaited hopes of Sri Lankans will not take long. Our heroes defeated the efforts to split our country,” he noted.
In conclusion, the Defence Secretary said that there is a project already underway to help the families of the war heroes. Problems related to salaries, allowances, housing, education of children, and other welfare activities are some of those.
The Chairman of the Rana Viru Seva Authority Major General Palitha Fernando, Senior Assistant Secretary of the Ministry of Defence Indu Ratnayake, Matale District Secretary Gamini Seneviratne also addressed the gathering.
DAILYMIRROR.LK
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