President in his address to the nation says to focus on reconciliation to heal the broken hearts & minds along with other development activities.
The annual War Hero commemoration, the ‘Ranaviru Commemorative Parade - 2015’, was held in Matara today (19).
“It is important to stimulate post-war reconciliation,” he said, adding that more attention should be paid to conditions that affect the reconciliation process.
“The Government can assure that terrorism will not raise its head in the country once again. The development process is important, but it must go hand-in-hand with reconciliation,” he added.
President Sirisena also said though the damaged buildings, destroyed roads and other physical resources were being re-built there was no reconciliation process during the post-war period to rebuild the broken hearts and minds. “Therefore, as the new government we clearly state that our policy is that of development and reconciliation,” he said and added, “we cannot fulfill our expectations for reconciliation only through development.”
The President said the Government, within its policy, will be committed to carry out the reconciliation process in the similar way that tri-forces, police and civil security force made their commitment in the war.
“We never let the brutal terrorism to be arisen in this country again. We will strengthen the process for development and reconciliation. We have kept foremost trust and honor on the tri-forces and leading security divisions. We must clearly state that we will take every possible step to strengthen the military service and to create a suitable environment to work by providing ample physical and human resources to the armed forces especially, when it come to the National Security,” he said.
B.M.U.D Basnayake, Secretary, Ministry of Defence, along with General Jagath Jayasuriya, Chief of Defence Staff, Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva, Commander of the Army, Vice Admiral Jayantha Perera, Commander of the Navy, Air Marshal K.A Gunatilleke, Commander of the Air Force, N.K. Illangakoon, Inspector General of the Police (IGP), Chandrarathne Pallegama, Director General, Civil Security Department and a few other senior officers of the tri-services are also at the venue in Matara.
