GRATEFUL people in the Wayamba (north-western province) offered their profuse thanks and appreciation to His Excellency, the President, Secretary Defence and former military chiefs during a glittering ceremony at Panduwasnuwara Raja Maha Viharaya Friday (18) evening, attended by thousands of next of kin of fallen War Heroes, disable War Heroes and a host of dignitaries and the public.
This special ceremony “Wayamba Upahara” of appreciation has been organized by the Governor for North-Western province Tissa Balalla and the Chief Minister Athula Wijesinghe as part of the island-wide felicitation ceremonies that extol heroic services of the President Mahinda Rajapakse, Dr. Gotabaya Rajapakse, Secretary Defence, former Chief of Defence Staff and Tri-service Commanders, Inspector General of the Police and the Civil Defence Force Director. The incumbent Commander of the Army Lieutenant General Jagath Jayasuriya and Navy Commander Vice Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe also graced the occasion as special invitees.
Religious dignitaries including the Chief prelate at Kurunegala Ethkanda Viharaya, Bishop for Kurunegala, Chief Moulavi for Kurunegala District and the Chief priest (kurukkal) for Hindu Temples in the province presented separate parchments to the President on the occasion in appreciation of his political leadership, extended towards eradication of LTTE terrorism. A citation in this respect was also read out. Separate mementos and replicas that depict gallantry and heroism were presented to President Mahinda Rajapakse separately by North-Western province Governor and Chief Minister for North-Western province.
Dr. Gotabaya Rajapakse who was the guiding tower of strength for the successful completion of the humanitarian operations as Secretary Defence, Air Chief Marshal Donald Perera, former Chief of Defence Staff, the incumbent Chief of Defence Staff General Sarath Fonseka who was then the Commander of the Army, former Commander of the Navy Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, now a Presidential Advisor on National Security, the incumbent Commander of the Air Force Air Chief Marshal Roshan Goonathilaka, Inspector General of the Police Jayantha Wickramarathne and Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara, Director Civil Defence Force were among other recipients who received those symbolic appreciative mementos on the occasion as hundreds of attendees gave them a thundering applause.
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