Citizens’ mail
This war had been won because of the single minded determination of
one man President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Over the 26 years duration of the war there had been opportunities to
bring the dispute to a conclusion but on these occasions either the
enemy was not sincere or the government of the day was taken in by the
half-truths or the LTTE was following a different agenda.
It is also possible, there were people making money out of the
conflict, be it the arms traders, money launderers, protection
racketeers or blackmailers who wanted the war not to end. But all these
people appear to have been blown away by a determined President heading
an equally determined army.
Sri Lanka and her people will be eternally grateful for this
resolution to a conflict that dragged down a proud and prosperous nation
where all her citizens lived in total harmony. That day is sure to
return with this President at the helm.
Shaik Anwar Ahamath
Please permit me to thank you for granting us the opportunity for
sending our views to your newspaper.
It would indeed be better for the all the governments and all the
media all over the world to give all its support it can to the Sri
Lankan Government under the able command of the President for having
defeated the cancerous, worst terrorist, bestial and brutal organization
in the world.
It is these Western powers who were harping on eradicating terrorism,
but their actions today, after the defeat of terrorism in Sri Lanka,
look like they want to nurture terrorism to sell their arms to.
Moreover, for nearly two decades they could not capture the elusive
so called Al-Qaeda leader Bin Laden who seems to be walking or riding on
a donkey all the time, in a pre-historic mountainous location wearing a
gown with a walkie-talkie in his hand. If they could capture him in
action, why couldn’t they kill him?
We and the whole world, should not keep silent about these strident,
scathing attacks on our beloved country.
We should join hands and rally every ounce of strength to show the
so-called powerful nations and their governments, what deceitful,
double-tongued, double-faced liars and hypocrites they are if they go
against our government which had efficaciously and comprehensively
defeated terrorism to its core.
Moreover the world must realize, just seeing the ocean of supporters
on the Ranaviru Commemorative day - May 22, 2009, the power behind our
beloved President - The People’s Power is unparalleled; and we, the Sri
Lankans would not be brow-beaten or bullied henceforth.
The unequalled, unique sacrifices made by all our Armed Forces for
the saving of our beloved Motherland, should be written in letters of
gold and etched on diamond.
The sacrifices made by the families of all the Armed Forces too
should certainly go in to history - not only the history of our
Motherland but also into world history. This is very important.
Long live President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Long live Sri Lanka, and long
live our Armed Forces - the Military, the Navy, the Air Force, the STF
and the Police and long live the families of our Armed Forces.
M. Zulkifli Nazim via email
Sri Lanka made history when its Armed Forces completely wiped out the
LTTE who were named as the most ruthless terrorist organisation in the
world by the FBI, USA. In our memory, armed rebellions have ended either
by warring parties have declared a ceasefire or reaching a power sharing
agreement as witnessed in the cases of PLO and IRA or by secession as in
Kosovo or Chechnya.
There is no contemporary example in the world where a democratically
elected Government is able to completely crush a rebel organisation
without ceding the country as Sri Lanka has successfully demonstrated.
However, the response of the Western world for this remarkable
achievement is purely disgusting. Rather than assisting Sri Lanka to
settle the IDP’s in their home grounds Western leaders are threatening
to take our leaders to international courts on war crimes and also
opposing the two billion dollar loan from IMF to Sri Lanka.
Rescuing more than 1,000,000 civilians during the military operation
is a war crime by Western standards whereas bombing border villages in
Pakistan’s Swat valley causing deaths to hundreds of civilians is not a
crime against humanity. What we need to do at this hour is to ensure
self reliance and meet the aspirations of the IDPs who trusted the
Government and made the cross over with a long term political solution
with rapid development of North East Provinces.
Prof. Rohan Rajapakse Matara
We are lost for words to congratulate and appreciate the unparallel
victory brought to our Motherland, under the leadership of our very
great Leader (President) in our country, who delegated this gigantic
task to the true patriots. We still cannot come to our senses, when we
think of the courage, brevity, patriotism and sheer determination of our
President, Defense Secretary and other respective able commanders and
all the heroes.
All the patriots in the country, were overwhelmed with the
unrelenting efforts, with fortitude, how our great leader with his
dynamic team displayed their bravery and finally achieved the most
difficult goal. Irrespective of race or creed every Sri Lankan who
yearned for united Sri Lanka will be beholden to them. As usual, we also
have certain elements of opportunists, critics, who have been insidious
throughout this mission in our country. We are proud of our valiant
giants who performed this gigantic, incredible task with enormous
sacrifices, through their pragmatic, professional and intelligent
theories and actions.
Irrespective of race or creed every patriot in our country celebrate
the triumph of the freedom, we finally gained after a long spell of
harrowing experiences of three decades.
But it should be ingrained in their minds, the extent of barriers
they were faced with, such as, unwarranted and harmful criticism from
our own country, international pressure from the super power countries,
maintaining the sustainability of the economy in the country with
staggering oil prices, evolving for massive projects in the country,
infrastructure development, welfare facilities to the under privileged,
and also meeting the consumer needs with no scarcity etc. In this
scenario, and also Sri Lanka being a developing country, to vanquish the
most brutal terrorist organization in the world is highly commendable.
Undoubtedly we have to accept the fact there would not have been any
other leader, who would have completed this mission so dynamically and
magnanimously.
We, true citizens of Sri Lanka, should express our gratitude from our
part, by extending our utmost support to develop the country, which has
been devastated by the terrorism, cultivating genuine love and care
towards our own brethren in North and East, through which, their minds
will be spurred with confidence, eventually creating a pleasant
atmosphere for them.
We all must offer a helping hand to these innocent Tamil and other
civilians who were battered through harrowing experiences for decades
for revival of their lives to normalcy.
We finally celebrate the most glorious moment during our life time,
saving, uniting and protecting our beautiful and precious country from
the clutches of terrorists. We profoundly thank again, the President,
all his team and all the heroes and everyone who contributed to this
mission, and their families, for paving the way for a dignified country.
Mangalika Wijetunge Mattegoda
We Senior Old Anandians join all Sri Lankans to express our respect
and gratitude to the President, Secretary Defence, Joint Chief-of-Staff
and the three service commanders, the IGP, Director General Civil
Defence for the achievement.
The achievement is the defeat of the LTTE military capability - the
base for acts of terrorism.
Terrorism itself is the virulent disease implementing the strategy of
fear - the threat to murder - group assassination - forcibly isolate
innocent people in order to instill fear on their behalf and compel them
to achieve what the terrorist want.
The base, the foundation making possible for implementation of
terrorism is the military, capability - the LTTE military capability
which was allowed to continue for over 30 years. The capability of the
Armed Services was suppressed.
We again appreciate from the information we gather from the
newspapers that the principle of guaranteed security is being
systematically implemented.
LTTE military capability is no more, but terrorism based on mostly
indoctrinated individuals, therefore not only rehabilitation but that
detterents of legal procedures should be publicized systematically.
C. A. M. N. Silva
He was a hero born on Southern coast
And re-wrote a history for us to boast
Religion and Motherland was his utmost
Patience and faith is his art
The brave is he! Yet kind at heart
Once a father then a leader to all
You are the spirited soul of our land
And a legend for the generations to come
May this be a tribute to our hero
We all Southerners bow our heads and say bravo!
Tiny Sahabandu Homagama
With chants of Impermanence, saffron robes in line,
Lanka mourns her dead taking terror strip North.
Blood of her blood were they, pride of her pride,
Fallen freeing a people terrorized.
Solemn the drums herald heroes ascending
the higher realms,
Songs of sorrow sadden the Deva abodes.
Liberty’s music thrills the released land,
Glory wipes a welling tear for soldiers
returning no more.
They went with valour to battle; they were
in their prime,
Strong of limb, firm of mind, steely eyes aglow,
With compassion in heart, fighting enemy’s heavy
guns with light,
They fell saving the innocents from Tigers’ jaws
of death.
Their duty done, in restful sleep far from their
beloveds’ touch;
Beholden faces of the Saved etched deep in their
cold-warm hearts;
Their debt repaid to Motherland beyond any
worldly measure,
They rest from their labours; happy for a Nation reborn.
Till the Sun and the Moon light the Land of Lanka,
We shall remember them.
We shall remember them.
(The famous poem of Laurence Binyon ‘For the Fallen’ (1914)
motivated me to write this short poem about the heroism and the
compassion of the Fallen Sri Lankan soldiers in the Vanni)
Lakshman Wickramasinghe
Prabahakaran’s ruthless martyrdom
Annihilated through prowess and wisdom
No more bloodshed and turmoil in the Kingdom
Friends, bask in the glorious freedom
- S. H. Pathirana
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