Defence Secretary Meets East-based Security Forces & Gives Away Proficiency Certificates to Ex-LTTE Combatants

DEFENCE SECRETARY Gotabaya Rajapaksa, accompanied by military chiefs and the acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) paid a visit to the East Thursday (10) morning and spoke to a large gathering of Tri-service and Police personnel serving there.

Mr Rajapaksa, as one more important item of the day’s itinerary also met former LTTE combatants, now almost completely rehabilitated at Senapura Rehabilitation Centre, Welikanda and awarded Proficiency Certificates for Vocational Training and Certificates of Participation to 30 of them, enabling them to join the mainstream of society, once they are released on a staggered basis upon rehabilitation.

As the first stop of the tour on Thursday (10), the visiting Defence Secretary on arrival at the Security Forces Headquarters East (SFHQ-E) in Welikanda was received by the Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya and accompanied to the special red-carpeted dais, from where Mr Rajapaksa received the Guard of Honour accorded in his honour by Gemunu Watch soldiers, attached to the SFHQ-E.

Minutes after that the visit was made memorable as Mr Rajapaksa planted tree saplings in the SFHQ-E premises, along with visiting military chiefs. During his short stay at the SFHQ-E, he had a round of discussion with visiting military chiefs, Commander, Security Forces Headquarters, East and other senior officers in the East on the contribution, being made by the Army and other services to make the ongoing, ‘Nagenahira Navodaya’ mega development programme. He also instructed the senior officers to extend their support to certain areas which still remain not fully developed.

The visiting defence delegation afterwards left for the 23 Division Headquarters in Punani. General Officer Commanding Brigadier Boniface Perera received the delegation warmly and invited the Secretary Defence, Chief of Defence Staff, Commanders of the Army and Navy and the acting IGP to take part in a mammoth tree-planting campaign, organized in the complex in connection with their visit. The visiting delegation, officers and soldiers then had the distinction of planting more than 100 tree saplings of very rare species, all at the same time.

The next moment was of professional importance as the Secretary Defence rose to his feet to address a gathering of about 4000 Tri-service and Police personnel, deployed in the eastern province, a cauldron of LTTE violence a few years ago.

In his address to the gathering, Mr Rajapaksa reminded all officers and other ranks of the importance of remembering old terrorist tactics, modalities and atrocities, applied by them for numerous bloodbaths and carnages in the east. He also told the gathering that each and every member of the services and the Police should keep a round-the-clock vigil since overseas terrorists are still active and hell-bent on revitalizing the terror outfit and betraying the country.

Towards the latter part of his speech, Mr Rajapaksa also elaborated on the string of welfare measures that have been already implemented for the benefit of service and Police personnel by his Ministry of Defence with the support of the government and other agencies. Mr Rajapaksa also took time off to mingle with members of the Security Forces afterwards and shared a couple of concerns and thoughts with them before he bade farewell to them.

The next leg of the day’s itinerary added a special significance as the Defence Secretary in the company of Chief of Defence Staff, Commander of the Army, Commander of the Navy and the acting IGP went to see former LTTE combatants receiving rehabilitation at Senapura under the Bureau of Commissioner General of Rehabilitation.

It was a novel experience as one of the rehabilitees at the entrance to the Senapura Rehabilitation Centre offered a sheaf of betel to the visiting Defence Secretary and greeted him before he was conducted to the auditorium, in the company of Chief of Defence Staff, Commanders of the Army and Navy and the acting Police chief. Brigadier Sudantha Ranasinghe, Commissioner General for Rehabilitation welcomed the delegation at the main entrance to the Senapura Rehabilitation Centre on arrival.

Of them, 30 rehabilitees received Proficiency Certificates for Vocational Training and Certificates of Participation from the visiting Secretary Defence. Mr Rajapaksa along with a gift parcel. Delivering a fatherly address on the occasion, he requested those former combatants to join the mainstream of society as peaceful and disciplined citizens once their rehabilitation process is over since the government was always ready to give all assistance to make their future bright and successful. One of the former LTTE combatants, on behalf of the group thanked the government’s initiative and regretted their association with a violent organization during the prime of their youth in the past. Most of those rehabilitees are in the age range of 18-50 years. Those certificates formally confirmed the completion of their vocational training in carpentry, masonry, plumbing and drainage, house-wiring and bulldozer driving.

As the last leg of the tour, Mr Rajapaksa and the visiting Defence Chiefs visited sacred Somawathiya for religious observances.