“Sri Lanka Rana Viru Day” Commemorated in Los Angeles
"You made, peace attainable soldier!
Lt Col. Lalith Gunerathne (Retd) with other participants
By Lasantha Bogoda (photos: Anton Rowel and Sunil Ranjith De Alwis)
“When we soldiers leave for battle there is always the uncertainty of our return. Soldiers leave mementos and souvenirs such as handkerchiefs and rings to be given to their next of kin if they did not return” mentioned Rana Viru Seva Authority Chairman, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Lalith Gunerathne, delivering a speech at the Sri Lanka Rana Viru Day commemoration ceremony conducted by the “Sri Lankan Patriots” organization on June 07, 2008, at the Lankaramaya Temple, La Puente, California.
A large crowd gathered at the temple to participate in the event. The participants lined themselves holding a lighted lamp in their hands and stood solemnly listening to the speeches and observing ritual Buddhist ceremonies.
The lamp lighting memorial was conducted to honor and pass merit to the Sri Lankan war heroes who had sacrificed their lives and limbs in safeguarding the territorial integrity of Sri Lanka.
Chief organizer of “The Sri Lankan Patriots” (SLP), Saman Boralage who conducted the meeting stated that SLP is proud and very much honored to organize the memorial with community participation. This cruel war is being waged against the Government of Sri Lanka, by the terrorists based on fallacies and totally erroneous presumptions. Our soldiers have been able to fight against their inhumanities, honorably. The soldiers are our heroes and they will remain in our hearts for ever” declared Saman.
"Our prayers and thoughts are with you"
President of SLP, P.Dissanayake, stated that the nation is honored to have such heroes who have safeguarded our nation for thousands of years. SLP is an organization, which stands for a unitary state in Sri Lanka, and our soldiers have laid their lives and sacrificed their limbs voluntarily for the same cause.
Lt. Col. Gunarathne went on to add in his speech that the Ranaviru day was declared to be held on June 7th annually, the first of it being held in Kurunegala in the year 2000. “It was my intention to have the event spread globally and I am glad that today it’s been conducted in sixty-one countries. We may have lost our sovereignty and subjugated ourselves to foreign forces if not for our soldiers’ heroic deeds” he stated.
Following Sri Lankan organizations also participated in the memorial. Sri Lankan Consul General’s office in LA, Sri Lanka Express Foundation, Ranaviru Foundation USA, Friends of Charity, Sri Lanka America Association, Serendib Foundation for music and performing arts.
"Pick the mantle from them....my son"
Saman Boralage invited Lt. Col. Lalith Guneratne to light the first lamp on behalf of Rana Viru Seva Authority followed by other representatives of participating organizations. A special lamp was lighted in memory of the Indian soldiers, who sacrificed their lives fighting LTTE terrorism in Sri Lanka alongside the IPKF, Indian peace keeping force
Ven. Pannila Sudatta, Ven. Panakawe Pemananda and Ven. Hevanpola Dhammasara conducted religious services and the Ata Visi Buddha Puja in memory of the war heroes and mentioned that the soldiers have rendered yeoman service to the nation by defending its sovereignty.
Shanya Markalande, aged 11, concluded the ceremony by singing the Sri Lankan National Anthem.
Sri Lankan Patriots organization also conducted a food sale, in aid of a building project, to construct a community center housing a library, computer room and an assembly hall in “Pangolla Ranviru Gama” (Village for War Veterans) in the Kurunegala district. The village has 100 families (300 children) of soldiers who are either disabled or who were killed in action.
( go2lanka.com)
