COMMANDER of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya in a special message issued to mark the New Year 2010 calls upon all Army personnel to work harder to achieve more victories in the years to come.
Here is the full text of the message:
Happy New Year!
The overwhelming victory, ever recorded in the most recent history of Sri Lanka over the three-decade long ruthless cycle of terrorism that plagued our beloved motherland which boasts of an unblemished 2500 year old reputation, was mainly attributable to professionalism, untiring efforts, dedicated determination and unmatched commitment of you, the fearless War Heroes, a godsend to our resplendent island. My ability to give leadership to a such victorious Army, in my opinion remains a blessing and an extraordinary fortune, bestowed on me.
My fellow-members in the Army,
This unparallel victory that assumed greater significance brought fame and also added a new leaf to military history of world wars upon defeat of the most-feared terrorist organization across the earth transformed our motherland, reputed as the pearl of the Indian ocean to that of a beacon of hope, in true senses of the very words, particularly for those groping in the dark in search of solutions to the menace of global terrorism. This unprecedented achievement gained, thanks to your invaluable dedication and commitment, needless to mention, sent shock waves across continents and fetched admiration and appreciation. Though we are obsessed with the joy of this resounding victory, we as professional soldiers must also actually realize that some sections still remain obviously ruffled and provoked over our unexpected military gains. Varying local and overseas influential elements, who stood behind Prabhakaran and backed his separatist terrorist acts and ideology still appear to be continuing to flex their muscles either in disguise or openly as before, posing a threat to our motherland’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and self-dignity, a fact that need to be grasped properly by all of us.
Several leading reasons, inclusive of the unshaken political leadership with correct vision given to our unparallel military successes, led our troops to fight as members of one family, one country and one nation in order to reach our final goals fearlessly with determination and valour, which in turn worked as the incentive to our final success. Those victories, unbearable to those elements, have made them wild and hostile, another leading factor that we should understand in entirety.
Those influential elements, abundantly rich with money and other resources are launching different machinations with the ulterior objective of degrading and insulting heroic troops, held in high public esteem, devoid of any caste or creed concerns while trying their best to divisively complicate the Army as an organization that has won respect and dignity among the masses. I believe, you all do not need any professional expertise to understand this, but common sense. In order for us to take full cognizance of those realities and overcome those challenges accordingly, it is imperative that we all, as officers and seniors stand firm, enlighten each and every junior officer and soldier in all headquarters, divisions, regiments, brigades and formations and act in accordance with the cherished motto of each formation under respective unit flags.
In the light of continuing threats against our country and the Army, the scope of duties entrusted to you in the post-war scenario is diverse and many in number, both at physical and psychological levels.
The impact that affected the organization in the aftermath of the war and several other reasons has caused many alterations to the Army composition, procedures and its age-old traditions. In the past few months, I am in the process of taking stock of those developments and continue to resolve issues one by one on a priority and methodical basis.
The priority among those issues lies with our fallen War Heroes, dependants of those families, various needs of our wounded and disabled War Heroes and their welfare. I am equally determined to resolve varied requirements of those serving soldiers, specially in terms of administration, welfare, troop deployment, etc. Similarly, measures are being adopted, particularly at the end of a long-drawn conflict to identify and meet future military challenges effectively and successfully as a professional outfit. Our requirements by way of expanded accommodation, re-organization and intensified training sessions are also to be addressed closely as those needs would immensely promote our professional standards.
While attending to resolution of many exceptional issues and challenges, related to you and the organization in the past several months as Commander of the Army, I am happy to share with you a string of my personal experiences. We are indisputably fortunate to have a Government with an incomparable political leadership plus a Secretary Defence and a Defence Ministry who together translate aspirations of our War Heroes into action without confining merely to verbosity alone. It is obvious and needless to repeat here, the series of numerous administrative, deployment and ample welfare measures that have been inducted so far for the interests of valiant soldiers and their next of kin by Ministry of Defence and the Government in addition to the steps taken for promotion of professional standards among Army personnel.
I feel it is my duty too to brief you on several such Government initiated projects that have already been implemented on mid-term and long-term bases.
• Provisional structural changes that have been made during the times of military operations are to be re-adjusted and reverted on the basis of a re-structural programme. Reverting of arbitrary transfers, done on malicious bases is to be effected methodically covering all streams in the Army.
• Planning of future military strategies and implementation of the same, in conformity with ground requirements is to be continued to match international standards while providing new intensified training sessions and additional educational opportunities to all members of the Army.
• To go hand in hand with fast developing technology, new equipment are to be added to the organization in view of the organization’s onward march on a priority basis.
• I also express my gratitude to HE the President, Government, Secretary Defence and Ministry of Defence for their invaluable concerns on many a welfare measure that have already seen fruition. Priority given by the government in this sphere, eradicating all doubts that hung against future prospects of War Heroes and welfare of those War Hero families has cleared many complexities and setbacks while instilling the dignity of being a member of an Army family.
• A permanent protective and welfare policy structure that cares for disabled soldiers and their next of kin and next of kin of the fallen War Heroes for the rest of their lives is being mapped out, fully recognizing their invaluable sacrifices and service to the nation. May all those fallen War Heroes attain Nibbana or Mokshaya, in advance with their respective faiths.
• Similarly, may all those injured in the war get well soon and I take this occasion to wish them speedy recovery. It is also pertinent to mention here that an infrastructure covering life-long welfare for all those became disable in the War is already in progress, as you perhaps know.
Dear serving War Heroes!
Your commitment and dedication as an Army, and a country brought about a series victories. Victories that we need to win are many more. I hail your determination for giving your organized contribution to the Government, now on the road to a fully-pledged development process with dedication. I also take this opportunity to thank each and every member of your families for the strength and courage being extended to you for the fulfillment of your duties while standing as a shadow.
I also note with thanks the services rendered by ladies in the Seva Vanitha who contributed silently to the victory amidst difficulties and challenges, a fact I take pride in.
Likewise, members of our civil staff, though unarmed provided an unforgettable service to the successful completion of the war.
Dear members of the civil staff, while appreciating your role I take this opportunity to extend my thanks to each and every member of your family who has remained a source of strength to you all the time.
In conclusion, let me wish all of you serving the Army, officers and other ranks, members of Army and civil sector families, family members of fallen War Heroes a very peaceful and a prosperous New Year.
