Last modified on: 8/4/2009 6:47:02 PM

Preserving the freedom won for the motherland is the greatest tribute for the war heroes - Defence Secretary Download video The duty of the next generation of the country is to preserve the freedom won by the valiant war heroes for the motherland, said Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa addressing a group of schoolchildren at Dharmaraja College, Kandy on Friday (Jul 31). Speaking at a ceremony organized by the college to honour the "Rajans" in the Armed Forces and Police, he said that the greatest tribute the country can pay for the war heroes would be this. The event was organized by the college with the cooperation of the Old Boys Association, to facilitate the serving past pupils of the college in the Armed Forces and Police and to honour those who sacrificed their lives in battlefield. The Secretary Defence was the chief guest to the event. Speaking further, Defence Secretary Rajapaksa highlighted that it was not only the lives that the country had lost due to terrorism. " We lost much of our resources; educated left the country, foreign investments stopped, development of the country came to a standstill, and above all, we lost our pride as a nation", he said. He pointed out that the victory over terrorism was achieved with immense sacrifices on the part of war heroes. He recalled that over 25000 soldiers had sacrificed their lives, roughly an equal number were disabled and thousands of civilians were killed during the past 30 years of war. "We can truly celebrate the victory over terrorism, only if we can rebuild the country and the economy and regain the development we lost. Thus, what is important is not what you want to become, but what you can offer to the country and to the society ", he said referring to the schoolchildren He further went on to say, that the schoolchildren can learn a valuable lesson on leadership by studying the way that the President has lead the war amidst immense local and international pressures. He pointed out that it was the President's determined leadership that enabled the war heroes to achieve the great feat. Over hundred of serving Old Rajans of Armed Forces and Police, College Staff, members of Old Boys Association and a large number of students participated the event. Also, distinguished Old Rajans, Hon Sarath Ekanayake, Chief Minister of the Central Province, and Mr. Sunil Sirisena, Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Employment Promotion & Welfare were present at the occasion.