‘NO ONE CAN ATTACK SL’
MR says air capabilities fortified with the opening of Mattala Rajapaksa Airport
No country without strong air capabilities can claim to be a powerful country. Sri Lanka enters the Global Aviation hub with the opening of this international airport Aviation is not something new to Sri Lankans. they have been aware of aviation long before Western nations thought of aviation, which is a prestige to the country
President Mahinda Rajapksa said yesterday no country could launch a development drive without foreign loans and many of the development projects in Sri Lanka had been possible with foreign aid and loans.
Speaking at the commissioning of Sri Lanka’s second international airport – the Mattala Rajapaksa International Airport (MRIA) – President Rajapaksa said even developed countries had obtained foreign loans for their development projects.
“No country without strong air capabilities can claim to be a powerful country. Sri Lanka had this experience several times in the past. Though Sri Lanka has a long history in aviation, she became a victim of an air attack in 1942 when Colombo and Trincomalee were bombed during World War II. We experienced the Parippu drop in 1987. When LTTE terrorists attacked Colombo and the Bandaranaike International Airport we were unable to retaliate. But today no one can attack Sri Lanka as we have air capabilities to guard our skies from air attacks,” he emphasized. “Sri Lanka enters the Global Aviation hub with the opening of this airport and this is also a step forward to make Sri Lanka, ‘The Aviation Hub
No country without strong air capabilities can claim to be a powerful country. Sri Lanka had this experience several times in the past. Sri Lanka enters the Global Aviation hub with the opening of this airport
of Sri Lanka.”
The President said Sri Lanka entered the field of aviation with the launching of her first air flight in 1912 and Sri Lanka completed 100 years in aviation last year.
He said Sri Lanka was a country with a history of several thousand years of air capabilities as our ancient chronicles say one of our Kings had built the ‘Dandumonara’ flying machine and invaded neighboring countries.
“Aviation is not something new to Sri Lankans. they have been aware of aviation long before Western nations thought of aviation, which is a prestige to the country,” the President said and added that with the opening of the MRIA, Sri Lanka will start the journey to become the Aviation Hub of South Asia.
Pix by Pradeep Dilrukshana