29.7.2008

President Mahinda Rajapaksa meets injured War Heroes at Anuradhapura Hospital

His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka and the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Mahinda Rajapaksa paid a visit to the military ward of the National Hospital Anuradhapura on Sunday (July27). During his visit, he spoke to the injured war heroes and exchanged sentiments with them. Also, he spoke with the relatives of the injured soldiers who were visiting their loved ones at the time and conveyed his sympathies to them.

During his conversations with the injured war heroes, the President was surprised to know the great zeal displayed by the soldiers even on their hospital bed.

One of the soldiers who had lost one of his legs in the battlefield inquired the President whether he is going to stop the present mission, as claimed by some newspapers. The president asked the soldier from where had he got to know that false news and ensured that the noble mission would not stop until the motherland is fully liberated from terrorism.

"I am the President, take my word, this will be ended when Prabhakaran is brought at your feet", he said.

Another soldier who had lost his both legs told the President that he would join his comrades at the battlefield as soon as the doctors let him get out of the hospital

"Sir, I had lost my both feet, but I still have my hands, when the doctors put me out of this place, I will go to the battlefield and fight with the terrorists with my hands in order to liberate Kilinochchi," he said.

Later, the President speaking at a mammoth public rally revealed what he was told by the war heroes. He said those great war heroes that he had met are expecting to return to the field once their wounds cured, to fight the war to an end.

"That is our hope, the hope of all the citizens of this country. I would say that the time is not too far when we give the same democratic freedom that we had given to the Sinhala, Tamil and Muslim people in the East, to the people living in Kilinochchi and Mullaittiuvu", he said. "We felt that in our hearts," he added.

Speaking further, he earnestly requested all soldiers who are absent from their duties to join with their comrades at the battlefield to fight the final battle.

"Therefore, I request, I implore, all our soldiers who had gone on leave and not reported back to the service, to come back and join our gallant forces to win this final battle", he said. "Contribute your strength to the country, return to the service," asked the President.

The President further said that there is no war in the country to have a ceasefire but a humanitarian mission that cannot afford to be abandoned.

"We do not fight a war, we are only engaged in a humanitarian mission. We in mission aimed at letting people to live in freedom", he said. Therefore, he asked the people to have faith on the government that it would liberate the country from terrorism in the near future.