Sri Lanka marks 16 years since the end of civil war

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.

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, May 19, from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the National War Hero Cenotaph in Sri Jayawardenepura Kotte.

The event will be held under the patronage of Deputy Defence Minister, Retired Major General Aruna Jayasekara. Distinguished guests include Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, who led the tri-services in the final phase of the war; Admiral of the Fleet and former Navy Commander Wasantha Karannagoda; and Marshal of the Air Force Roshan Goonetileke.

Meanwhile, the Patriotic National Front held a media briefing yesterday, urging all citizens to hoist the national flag at their residences today in solidarity with the National War Heroes’ Day commemorations.