‘Decade of Peace’ commemoration from May 19 to 22

Arrangements have been made to pay tribute in memory of fallen war heroes in the series of ‘Dasawarshabhishekaya’ (Decade of Peace) ceremonies scheduled to commence on May 19.

Ceremonies will continue for three subsequent days thereafter, Sri Lanka Army said yesterday. Army Commander Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanayake said May 18 marked the milestone of a decade since the eradication of terrorism that plagued Sri Lanka for 30 long years through humanitarian operations.

Addressing a media conference held at the Sri Lanka Electrical, Mechanical and Engineering Regimental Headquarters in Colombo, Lieutenant General Senanayake said the national war heroes’ day commemoration ceremony organised by Ranaviru Seva Authority (RVSA) would take place on May 19 at 3.30 p.m. at the War Hero Monument in Battaramulla, headed by President Maithripala Sirisena and attended by relatives of the fallen and missing tri-service and police war heroes.

“On the same day at 7.00 p.m., a ‘lamp of peace’ will be lit in places of religious worship, government and private sector agencies, houses, tri-service camps and police stations in memory of fallen tri-service, police and civil security department war heroes. arrangements have also been made to issue a new coin portraying the Vellamullivaikkal war heroes’ monument where the war for peace was brought to a conclusion as one more feature of the commemorative programmes of ‘Dasawarshabhishekaya.’ A first-day cover plus a commemorative stamp that displays the same Vellamullivaikkal war hero monument will also be issued on May 22 at the BMICH. The recognising of Army’s Parama Weera Vibhushanaya (PWV) laureates as national war heroes by publishing their victorious warfare achievements and biographies in the book titled ‘Uththamachara’ is scheduled to take place the same day at 3.30 p.m. During the book launch, 29 PWV laureates, posthumously recognised as national heroes in contemporary times, will be honoured by the presentation of copies to their next of kin by President Maithripala Sirisena,” the Army Commander said. Furthermore, 65 senior tri-service officers are to be lauded with the Vishishta Seva Vibhushanaya (VSV) medal on May 22 at the Presidential Secretariat.

“Similarly, islandwide security force headquarters -- as one more major commemorative segment -launches ‘Dasawarshabhishekaya Walk for Peace’ on May 22 with hundreds of their troops covering main cities including Colombo, Kandy, Jaffna, Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Polonnaruwa and Kilinochchi, together with divisions, brigades and all formations under the close supervision of respective Security Force Commanders,” the Army Commander said.

Major General Sathyapriya Liyanage, Commandant - Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force (SLAVF), Commander - Security Forces - West (Sf-west) and Commander Overall Operational Command (OOC), Major General Shavendra Silva, Chief of Staff, Major General Wajira Palihakkara, Officiating Deputy Chief of Staff and Director General Financial Management, Major General Jayantha Seneviratne, Adjutant General, Brigadier Jayanath Jayaweera, Director Personnel Administration and the Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) of the Army Headquarters attended the media briefing.