Armed forces should be groomed to face future challenges: President

President Maithripala Sirisena yesterday said that Sri Lankan security forces should be groomed to take up humanitarian challenges in the face of possible natural disasters in the future.

Addressing a ceremony at Temple Trees to pay tribute to Sri Lankan armed forces who were engaged in humanitarian work in Nepal, the President said scientists had predicted that Sri Lanka might have to face natural disasters similar to Nepal in the future and the Sri Lankan security forces should be trained to carry out humanitarian services in such a situation. “It is everyone’s hope that such disasters won’t take place in Sri Lanka but it is important to expand the expertise of our forces so that they will have the skills to face such situation,” he said.

The President paid a glowing tribute to armed forces personnel who took part in the

It is everyone’s hope that such disasters won’t take place in Sri Lanka but it is important to expand the expertise of our forces

humanitarian services in Nepal bringing pride to the nation.

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said the Sri Lankan forces were duty bound to defeat global terrorism using its experience in the 30 year old war. He said the Sri Lankan forces had a role to play in ensuring regional security especially safeguarding the security of the Indian ocean. He therefore stressed the need for modernizing the forces so that they could fulfil those tasks effectively.

Major General Maithri Dias who led the forces who worked in Nepal shared their experience with the audience and recalled how they experienced several tremors while engaging in humanitarian work in Nepal