Dr. Chula Rajapakse MNZM Spokeperson USLA

The 9^th successive annual Ranaviru commemoration organized by the United Sri Lanka Association (USLA), Wellington NZ was held at it’s premises Lak Madura, in Tawa Wellington starting at 4pm., with Mr. Palitha de Silva , USLA vice President in the chair.

Following the singing of Namo Namo Matha and observing a two minutes silence in memory of the victims of the war, Mr. De Silva addressed the meeting. He reminded that the meeting  was honoring  the  sacrifices  & memory of all those killed during the war, including those of all sections of the security forces, the innocent civilian victims of terrorist attacks and those in the administration similarly affected. He also recalled that following the end of the war on 19^th May 2009 the executive committee  of USLA met in emergency session and resolved to commemorate this day annually noting that the preservation of the territorial integrity which was achieved by the war was also the primary objective of the formation of USLA. He also observed that USLA’s efforts over the years to expose the terrorist nature of the LTTE would have contributed to the attrition of the support from the west to the LTTE that also contributed to it’s ultimate defeat.

Dr. Chula Rajapakse USLA spokesperson speaking next thanked the chair for affording him an opportunity to once again reinforcing & reaffirming our eternal gratitude to the members of the security forces for liberating Sri Lanka from here decades of Tiger terror, many of whom paid the price of loss of life and limb”.

He observed that but for these sacrifices we and  all of Sri Lanka would not have the freedom to visit and travel to Sri Lanka without fear of being a victim of a terror attack. It is this liberation and these sacrifices that has now made it possible for,

• Mothers and fathers of Sri Lanka  to travel to the same destination in the same vehicle without fear of their children loosing both parents in one terrorist attack as they feared during the war.
• All in Sri Lanka to travel by bus without being a victim of a terror attack as happened in the Petah central bus station, opposite the the Maradana railway station, and many other locations.
• All in Sri Lanka to travel by train without fear being a victim of  a terror attack as happened at the Dehiwala railway station. This happened a few days after an abortive much publicized meeting in Wellington NZ, which the organizers declared was to let the world know who they are and what they stand for”. Following the bombing, I was able to tell the world via a letter to the Dom Post news paper that, ‘”the bomb that was heard for miles around stated more louder and clearly than any meeting could say of who they are and what they stood for”.
• Ordinary citizens  and trainee Buddhist monks  in border villagers could sleep in peace without fear of being hacked to death in their sleep as happened many times during the war.
• Pilgrims to go about religious worship without being victims of terrorism as happened at Sri Maha Bodhi  in Anuradapura.
• The Prime Minister to go about attending public functions and mingling with people without fear of being a victim of  terrorist attack as happened to Prime Minister Rajiv Ghandhi.
• The President to similarly attend public functions & mingle with people without fear of being a victim of a terrorist attack as happened to President Ranasnghe Premadasa

These are just a few of many , many reasons for why we should be grateful and honor the achievements and sacrifices of the Ranaviru. The importance of doing so is also driven home to us in NZ three weeks before Ranaviru Day , on ANZAC day where New Zealanders in increasing numbers gratefully honor the sacrifices of their Ranaviru, The ANZAC Soldiers. Their sacrifices however were made over one hundred years ago in Gallipoli and the first world war, not under ten years as in our case. Yet, more and more especially from among the young turn up for dawn parades and other functions every year with the government emphasizing the need to keep this memory of gratitude alive especially among the future generations.

Unfortunately, in Sri Lanka  the exact opposite appears to be happening with every attempt being made to forget the achievements and sacrifices of the Ranaviru.

Besides commemorating their achievements , we also owe it to them to protect the sanctity and dignity of their achievements from being wrongfully tarnished as is happening with the UNHCR resolution alleging , without substantiation, that their liberation of SL from Tamil Tiger Terror was achieved at an unacceptably high civilian casualty rate upwards of 40,000. , in the last few weeks of this war

In October 2017 Lord Naseby, tabled in the House of Lords UK, a series of dispatches  from the defence attaché of the UK High Commission in Colombo ,obtained after a considerable struggle, clearly showing that the SL security forces exercised considerable caution to  minimize civilian casualties and that the civilian casualties in the said period was considerably lower than the claimed 40,000, around 7000, tallying well with other estimates.

This information could  and should have been tabled at the UNHCR in March to negate the fundamental basis of it’s resolution and hence the resolution it self ,as suggested by Lord Naseby to President Sirisena when he offered him a grudging and belated thanks for his efforts. But non of these  has happened and the honor of the achievements and sacrifices of the Ranaviru remains under a cloud.

These are serious lapses  and those responsible should be made accountable for these some day.

Not withstanding these, we in little old New Zealand, little old Tawa and little old Lak Madura, will continue to gratefully acknowledge  and thank the Ranaviru for their achievements and sacrifices,and help the rehabilitation of the disabled Ranaviru, said Dr. Rajapakse.

This was followed by the lighting of  candle by all attendees, in grateful memory of the Ranaviru.

There after a video prepared by Mr. Lilupa Karunaratne  was screened . This was    on the Mihindu Seth Medura , a permanent rest home for  thirty disabled  soldiers, to the up keep of which  USLA has donated over forty thousand NZ dollars over the past few years , most recently  four computers to start a computer room . Mr Sadun Kithulagoda, the previous USLA President, gave an account of the great work going on in this rest home, that he had observed on his visit there in the previous year. He recalled emotionally how a soldier who had lost his sight in both eyes in battle touched cricketer Tilekeratne Dilshan who accompanied him, saying that before he lost his sight he loved to watch him bat , but now he was happy that though he could not see him bat, he could touch him.

The video also included a discussion between President Manori Hettiarachi , presently in Colombo on a visit to the Mihindu Seth Madura , discussing with the Colonel in charge,   what further help USLA could offer it.

The treasurer  Mr.Ranjith Nanayakkara drew attention to the USLA Ranaviru fund Ac,   01 0517 0292026 03 ANZ Bank , for continued donations.

Mr Daya Wijewardena , another  past president  drew attention to an instance of NZ refusing a visitors visa to a  Sri Lankan to visit his daughter in NZ on the grounds of having served in the SL police and contributed to security operations during the war . He also informed that SL security force persons who  served during the  war were being refused UN peace keeping operation postings,  leading to considerable financial loss to  SL . Both of these seem to be consequences of the continuing sanctions based on the UNHCR resolution and it’s unsubstantiated allegations.

The meeting terminated with tea and refreshments

Later in the evening, in another location  in Wellington,at the Dharma Ghavesi Meditation Centre , in Wainuiomata  , at it’s  Wesak Celebration’s Atavisi Buddha Puja , it’s chief incumbent ,Bhante Jinalankara,   made a special offering in memory of the Ranaviru. Later in his sermon he recalled the many hardships ordinary people endured during the war , which they no longer have to .

Dr. Chula Rajapakse MNZM

Spokeperson USLA