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Sri Lanka Army

Defender of the Nation

Army Survived All Conspiracies Thanks to HE &;amp; Secretary Defence - Commander


General Jagath Jayasuriya, Commander of the Army on Tuesday (9) went to the Security Force Headquarters-East (SFHQ-E) at Welikanda, in order to symbolically bid farewell to the troops serving the east before he takes office as the Chief of Defence Staff, beginning August 1, 2013. 

Talking to them, the Commander refreshed the memories regarding alleged Army violations and other challenges and conspiracies against the country. ‘In the recent past, overseas-based interested elements have been found, levelling a string of unfounded and malicious allegations against the country and the Army, most of them targeting the President and the Secretary Defence. They were talking of human right violations, said to have been committed by us during humanitarian operations. Fortunately, both President and Secretary Defence firmly stood by us, defeated all conspiracies and defended the good image of the Army right throughout, fearing nobody. That itself was an exceptional courage and a stimulus, received by our organization, which should be gratefully acknowledged by all of us’, the Commander said.

‘In my four-year long tenure, all measures have been put in place, not allowing ugly shadows of terrorism to raise its head again in this country. I wish to make this statement with responsibility and I am sure, with the support from all of you, the country could be made a prosperous one very soon,’ General Jagath Jayasuriya remarked.

Sri Lanka Army has by now gained professional standards in all spheres and all of us can be proud of it. Those who cast negative remarks against us are now realizing our potential and unlimited capabilities, oriented towards the greater benefit of our society. All of you within a matter of four years transformed the Army to be a peace-loving one, having shown your battlefield skills for many years. That was another marked achievement gained within a span of four years, I must mention here with pride, said the Commander.

Referring to the series of welfare programmes underway within the Army, the Commander pointed out that soldiers are the beneficiaries of all those projects, such as housing loans, construction of rehabilitation centres, wellness resorts, low-cost grocery services, medical facilities so on and so forth.

‘Before the end of this year, the ten-storied Narahenpita Military Hospital is to be opened with well-equipped units as the one with the highest number of beds in the country and the new Insurance Scheme for all ranks is to be a reality before the end of this year’, the Commander added.

Major General Lal Perera, Security Force Commander - East welcomed the visiting Commander of the Army on arrival at the premises. A large representative gathering of officers and other ranks assembled at the SFHQ-E to listen to their outgoing Commander of the Army.