Monday Nov 25, 2024
Monday Nov 25, 2024
Wednesday, 21 May 2014 00:20 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The ceremony which was held in the honoured presence of ex service personnel based in Sydney attracted over 150 Sri Lankans representing Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims, Malay and Burgher communities with several Sydney-based diplomats and the participation of a New South Wales MP and youth leaders from ruling Liberal Party and the opposition Labour Party.
In his welcome speech Ambassador Bandula Jayasekara, Consul General for New South Wales and Queensland stressed the importance of honouring the security forces. He said that Sri Lanka will always look after and protect their heroic sons and daughters. Jayasekara gave a brief insight on how the war heroes are honoured by the Government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa. He also hailed the great contribution made by the security towards the development process of Sri Lanka.
Colonel Athureliya who delivered the ranaviru commemoration speech paid a special tribute to the leadership of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and his former colleague, Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. “This victory would not have been possible if not for the dynamic leadership at every level. As military men we look forward for good leadership that has been at the helm of every victory. In that context I must pay a special tribute to the Government lead by President Mahinda Rajapaksa for his political resolve, ably supported by the strategist Defence Secretary Lt. Col. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, that lead to the ultimate military defeat of the LTTE terrorists. It was their unshakable will to liberate the people of Sri Lanka irrespective of race, religion, caste, or creed from the evils of terrorism. It was that relentless resolve that paved the way for the armed forces to march towards victory.”
Athureliya who slammed the armchair pundits who have no understanding of what security forces have to undergo thanked both SPUR and the initiatives of the Consulate General in Sydney for paying a tribute to the Security Forces in Sydney. Colonel Athureliya said: “Ambassador Bandula Jayasekara has articulated the tribute society is obliged to pay to armed forces who have been in the forefront of battle and rescued our great nation from the clutches of terrorism and near division.
“Terrorism is ugly. To understand terrorism one has to be in the midst of it. The people of Sri Lanka in all corners have gone through it for 30 long years terrorism is easily analysed and debated by armchair pundits. One has to live in the precincts, hear the explosions, see the carnage, cries of those who have suffered injury, see human flesh dangling from heights, brains scattered, the damage to property, the sirens of ambulances to understand how eerie and scary it is. People in Sri Lanka lived in fear for 30 years. We are soldiers. Above being soldiers we are also human beings and we too have similar emotions and sentiments as the ordinary people in the streets.”
Athureliya pointed out that Victory Day is a common name in various countries, to commemorate victories in important battles of war in the country’s history.
Matt Kean MP, Parliamentary Secretary for Communities in New South Wales commended Sri Lanka for defeating terrorism and bringing peace to the country. He said since peace has dawned in Sri Lanka the fruits of peace can be enjoyed by everyone a like and thanked the Sri Lankan-Australians for their support.
Nimal Liyanage a former President and a dedicated stalwart of SPUR made a special presentation on SPURs contribution to the disabled security force personnel in Sri Lanka mainly in the villages. He urged everyone to visit them when they go to Sri Lanka and to spend time with them. Liyanage assured that SPUR will continue to support Sri Lanka at all times as they have done for a long time without fear.
