Latest news with #SriLankanArmy
The Print
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Sri Lanka promotes soldiers to mark war victory anniversary
On May 18, 2009, the Sri Lankan Army declared victory over the LTTE, which for three decades had run a parallel administration in the northern and eastern part of the country in their quest to set up a separate Tamil homeland. On Tuesday, a statement from President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's office said that he termed the separatist war waged by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) a tragedy. Colombo, May 20 (PTI) Sri Lanka has granted promotions to over 200 military officers and 12,200 other rankers to mark the 16th national war heroes day that marks victory over the Tamil separatist movement of the LTTE. On May 19, 2009, the then president Mahinda Rajapaksa declared that the last bit of land under LTTE control in the north east region had been wrested back by the government troops. The government therefore observes both days and organises various events. 'The Sri Lanka Army has promoted 186 officers and 10,093 other ranks; the Sri Lanka Navy has promoted 22 officers and 1,256 other ranks, and the Sri Lanka Airforce has promoted nine officers and 868 other ranks', said the statement from the president's office. Dissanayake – who is also the Minister of Defence and the Commander in Chief of the troops – was originally not scheduled to preside over the ceremony, but did attend it and also spoke on the occasion. Calling the separatist war waged by the LTTE to set up a separate Tamil homeland in the north and east regions a tragedy, Dissanayake said: 'For decades, our nation endured the horrors of war. This conflict which inflicted immense suffering on our people and land was brought to an end years ago'. Dissanayake's participation at the last minute had come under fire from several quarters. Foreign minister Vijitha Herath, speaking on a talk show on Derana later on Monday night, however refuted those claims. The president's non-participation had been mentioned owing to a miscommunication and he always wanted to be present at the ceremony, Herath said. 'The truth is.. it was a miscommunication.' PTI CORR NPK NPK This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
The Print
18-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Sri Lanka marks 16th anniversary of victory over Tamil separatist movement of LTTE
The grieving relatives of Tamil civilians gathered at the site of the final battle at Mullaivaikkal in the northeastern Mullaithivu district. On 18 May 2009, the Sri Lankan Army declared victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), which for three decades had run a parallel administration in the northern and eastern part of the country in their quest to set up a separate Tamil homeland. Colombo, May 18 (PTI) Sunday marked the 16th anniversary of the Sri Lankan military victory over the Tamil separatist movement of the LTTE. Several hundreds of them gathered at the site lighting lamps in their memory calling it the 'Tamil Genocide Day'. In the capital Colombo at the Tamil-dominated city ward, a small ceremony was held amidst demonstration by a small number of Sinhala majority protesters. The state ceremony to pay tribute to government troops will take place at the war hero memorial near parliament here on Monday at 4 pm local time. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who was initially to skip the ceremony, will take part, his office said. Former president Mahinda Rajapaksa in a statement said all those who had sacrificed their lives for the victory need commemorating. Some 27,000 troops lost their lives over the three decades out of which over 6,200 soldiers and 22,000 LTTE cadres died in the final phase which began in July 2006. Indian Peace Keeping force, which was deployed as India's direct intervention in the Sri Lankan conflict between 1987-1990, saw over 1,100 Indian soldiers dying and over 3000 injured. PTI CORR GSP GSP This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
