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I came here today with a sense of great respect;
with a great sense of pride for our war heroes who sacrificed
their lives for the country. Today we celebrate the
last day of the month dedicated to war heroes. But I
think assigning a day or a month for our war heroes
is not sufficient. No soldier of any other country would
be able to render service of such magnitude as performed
by our war heroes.
Where conflict rages, it is the army
that supplies food to the people to overcome hunger;
when the innocent people of the North and East fall
sick it is the army that helps to treat them. The army
looks to their welfare activities as well. Our war heroes
sometimes lay down their lives not really in armed combat,
but also when engaged in humanitarian activities to
protect the lives of innocent people.
In the recent past they didn’t
have time to spend with their parents or their families
and children. It was a soldier on leave who volunteered
to defuse deadly bomb-packed lorry taken into custody
in Kotavehera recently. We have to be more sensitive
about these things. It is our soldiers that take food,
drink and essential drugs for the people of the North.
If this is so, when caring for our
war heroes we should act with more alacrity and respect.
They are engaged in a massive humanitarian mission.
Today we commemorate the departed war heroes. Yet, war
heroes never die. They lay down their lives on behalf
of the motherland and their service is immortal.
Considering the importance of the
war hero’s service in facing terrorism, we are
ready to act appropriately. We have already taken adequate
measures with regard to some matters. We are bound to
discharge our duties and obligations by them. That is
why we have initiated building 50, 000 houses under
the Ranaviru Village concept. Similarly, we have introduced
concessionary loan schemes such as housing loans, medical
loans and loans for self-employment of our war heroes.
We have started a separate special
school for the children of these heroes. We have already
taken steps to give promotions to disabled war heroes
on a supernumerary basis. They will be entitled for
a pension at the age of 55. We are taking steps to grant
full pension to war heroes who retire after a service
of 22 years.
Therefore, I believe we have been
able to boost the morale of our army to protect our
country. We have explained our aim to the people of
our country. Our objective is to build a country where
all can live without fear and uncertainty.
We have to establish a society where
people can live without fear and uncertainty. To the
people of the North we have to grant them the right
to live in freedom. We have secured that right to the
people of the East. It is necessary for the North as
well. Therefore, we should defeat terrorism.
For that purpose we have a very clear
objective and determination. We are not just doing these
things for political survival. We make it clear to the
people, to all members of the families of the war heroes
who sacrificed their lives, and remind them that all
sectors of the government are genuinely committed to
do our duty on behalf of the motherland, by the war
heroes who have already sacrificed their lives and those
who waiting to do so.
There are a large number of issues that could be resolved
through negotiation. We are ready for it at any time.
We are genuinely ready. It is not possible for us to
give an opportunity to strengthen terrorism. We are
not ready to sign fake agreements. I declare without
fear that we are not at all prepared to betray the victories
achieved by us and our heroes of war.
We will save our country from the terrorists and give
an opportunity for all races to live freely in this
land. The parents who committed their children for the
country, and the wives who offered their husbands on
behalf of the country, and the children who sacrificed
their fathers for the sake of the country can be happy
that they sacrificed their lives to protect their land
of birth. The whole country is indebted to them. You
should be proud of your relatives. I wish them all of
you strength and courage to safeguard this country,
to protect this motherland without dividing it into
two, and to create a country where all can live in freedom,
without fear and uncertainty.
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