National War Heroes’ Day celebrations under President’s patronage

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake is scheduled to participate in the National War Heroes’ Day celebrations to be held tomorrow (19), in commemoration of the 16th anniversary of the war victory, according to the Ranaviru Seva Authority.

Chairman of the Authority Brigadier Senarath Kohona (Rtd.) stated that the ceremony will be held under the patronage of the President in his capacity as the Commander-in-Chief.

The National War Heroes’ Day, also known as Victory Day, to mark the 16th anniversary of the end of the war, is scheduled to take place tomorrow from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the National War Hero Cenotaph in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.

Distinguished guests including Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Rtd.), Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, Admiral of the Fleet and former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda; and Marshal of the Air Force Roshan Goonetileke, who led the tri-services in the final phase of the war, are expected to attend the event.

Today (18) marks 16 years since the end of Sri Lanka’s three-decade-long civil war, which concluded with the death of Velupillai Prabhakaran, leader of the armed separatist group – the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) – by Sri Lankan security forces at the Nandikadal Lagoon on May 18, 2009.

This day commemorates the defeat of the LTTE, a terrorist group that had waged war in the country for over thirty years.

The brutal conflict came to an end with the elimination of Prabhakaran by Sri Lanka’s armed forces, who are referred to by many as war heroes.

In addition to ending the war, the country’s security forces carried out what is considered the world’s largest humanitarian operation, rescuing thousands of civilians who had been held hostage by the LTTE.

Meanwhile, the Patriotic National Front has urged all citizens to hoist the national flag at their residences today in solidarity with the National War Heroes’ Day commemorations.