Nation celebrates 63rd anniversary of independence: All eyes on Kataragama
The Nation is ready to celebrate the 63rd Independence Day in Kataragama in the Uva Province where thousands of patriots laid down their lives in search of liberation from the clutches of colonial rulers in 1818.
This is the second time the national independence day ceremony takes place outside Colombo since the UPFA Government led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa took office in 2005.
The decision to hold the national independence ceremony outside the country’s capital helps instill patriotism among the people in the country and it offers an opportunity to the people in rural areas to witness this national ceremony.
An area in extent of seven acres in the vicinity of the place where the national ceremony is held has already been allocated to the people who would come from Badulla, Moneragala, Matara, Galle, Hambanthota, Polonnaruwa, Ratnapura and other districts to witness the grand ceremony.
According to Public Administration and Home Affairs Ministry sources, more than 3,000 personnel from the Security Forces, Police and the Civil Defence Force will participate in the parade which will begin after President Rajapaksa concludes his speech.
Over 1,400 artistes representing almost all areas of the country are expected to participate in a cultural pageant followed by dance items, drill displays by the schoolchildren of the Moneragala districts.
Special transport facilities will be in place from adjacent districts to Kataragama for the benefit of the people. The Buddhist religious program to mark the country’s 63rd Independence day will commence at the historical Kirivehera under the patronage of Uva University Vice Chancellor and Chief Sanganayake of Ruhunu Magampattuwa Ven Dr Aluthwewa Soratha Thera.
The Police together with Security Forces have put in place a comprehensive security arrangement for the protection of people coming to watch the ceremony.
Army Commander Lt Gen Jagath Jayasuriya yesterday inspected the venue where the national independence day ceremony is held and inspected the rehearsals of the march past and Guard of Honour to be accorded in honour of the President.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa will also open the Deyata Kirula Exhibition at Buttala to coincide with the 63rd Independence Day.
This exhibition consisting of hundreds of stalls from all Government agencies, Security Forces and the private sector is expected to attract over a million visitors.
This mega exhibition which is held for the fifth successive year with about 2000 state and private sector exhibition stalls, mirrors the series of development projects in progress across the country.
Tri-services, Police and Civil Defence Force, showcasing their own achievements and talents as well as arms and equipment captured from the LTTE, are to set up separate stalls at the exhibition complex. A tri-service cultural pageant on the opening day is to add more significance and colour to the exhibition that will be open to the public until February 10 after its formal opening on February 4.
Source: Daily News
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Will the National Anthem be sung in all National Languages?
India is a large country with a population exceeding 1 billion, of diverse ethnicity, speaking diverse tongues. However, all the 13 States have but one national language, Hindi, and one national anthem sung only in Hindi, and one national flag.
Let us take a cue from our closest neighbour from where we ourselves, Arayans and Dravidans, have migrated in BC.
Isn’t it ridiculous for DC and diaspora Tamil ilk to agitate for national anthem to be sung in both Sinhala and Tamil?
THERE IS ONLY ONE NATION IN SL. ONE NATIONAL FLAG AND ONE NATIONAL ANTHEM SUNG IN SINHALA ONLY.
It was a mistake by the erstwhile politicians to have yielded to the unreasonable demands of a small group of vociferous Tamils to have made Tamil also a national language in SL. Once we have given in to their demand they ask for more and more, such as national anthem be sung in two languages and autonomy for the Tamils. Let us put a full stop to these unreasonable demands.
I say to all these extremist Tamil nationalists go back to the hell hole you came from in Tamilnadu and make your demands for autonomy from Central Government of India.
Geethayai Kodiyai Newe Wenaswanna Ohna DCwage Ayage Moleeeeeee.
the best anniversary of independance in srilanken history,without any war with bloody LTTE or Radical JVP.we all srilanken to be thanked full to our Mr.President.Yes Mr.N.D. you are right,as you said srilanka has to have one nationl flag,and one national anthem sung in singhala only.God bless srilanka,
My dear Mr.D.C.,Yes srilanka is a one country and will be a one nation,and also have to have one flag without any stripes for tamil or muslims,And also all srilanken have to sing national anthem only in singhala.If you want to have in tamil,Why do not ask from Mr.Karunanidhi in tamilnadu.
There he is the sleeper Pillayan forsaking his own mother tongue to cover up his covert activities. I am sure he has hidden a dozen dynamite padded bra wearing lassess from the North in his house. He is feeding them, getting them prepared for their final glorious walk to eternity while singing hossanas to unity in Onlanka.
It is great to celebrate independance but the Sinhala people of this emerald isle have no freedom from fear. Pillayan and his cohorts, the gun powder filled tamil youngsters and the dynamite padded bra wearing lassies are still alive, crouching in the darkness for an opportune moment to slaughter innocent civilians in the cities and hack women and children in their beds in the villages, to death.
When will the Sinhala buddhist citizenry be free of fear? These terrorist tamils are still alive. Each time I come across a Tamil man, woman, boy or girl, my fears engulf me; I shiver at the thoughts of what these gun powder filled testicle bearing young men and dynamite padded bra wearing tamil lassies did upto 20 months ago. Do you think they have given up on their thirst for Sinhala blood?
We should pack all of them, tamils living between Dondra Head and Kankesanturai, doesn’t matter who they are or what they do, off to Kanimoli’s land. We can get President Hussein to support us in this venture and in return give him a base in Trincomalee. I am so desperate; time is running out; Pillayan and his cohorts are getting smarter by the day. The slaughter can begin any time.
We have to act very quickly and unlike the last time, we have to be diplomatic in dealing with these blood thirsty snakes in our midst.
Agree with the Guru.
Sri Lanka is not for all; it for peace loving people only.
The tamil youth having committed atrocious deeds aginst the Sinhala people, have no rights whatsoever to our lands.
Shifting Independence towards Kattaragama is a start to shift the capital towards down south in Sri Lanka.
Mohamed Shareef Asees Ph.D
Guru is a disgrace to Buddhism and the Sinhalese race for propagating his radical Sinhala jathivadaya. He sees a kotiya in every young Tamil. This is paranoia. Racists tends to be paranoid. As a result they are incapable of living together in peace and harmony with other communities as ONE NATION. Guru, Julian, DC and such racists, whether Sinhalese, Tamil or Muslims will never be able to live in peace and joy as their hearts are full of bitterness, hatred, suspicion and intolerance of other races. They do not appreciate each other’s languages and cultures. How said!
Guru and Julian have forgotten the JVP uprisings of brainwashed, misled Sinhala youths who murdered, burnt, destroyed and looted their own Sinhalese people, as they were anarchists. They wanted a Che Guevra style revolution to topple governments of the day which they perceived as failing to serve the people and the nation. No government in any country is perfect. This is because they lack in moral principles as enshrined in the sacred teachings of a religion, like Buddhism. If all governments in the world seek to serve the peoples of their countries than enrich themselves at the expense of the people, according o the sacred dhamma of holy Buddhism, what a lovely world we would have! There would be peace and harmony in the world and joy as the nations of the world unite to seek to help one another in combatting common enemies of poverty, hunger, disease, natural diasters etc. This would be an ideal world.
Man has a spiritual soul unlike an animal. It enobles him as a child of God. Man should strive to become one with God and be truly children of God than animals and devils. Territorialism is an animal nature. Man is more than an animal. We should rise above our animal instincts because we have a spiritual soul that is eternal. People like Genghis Khan were not satisfied with the narrow confines of their country. They wanted to extend it by conquering other nations, and impose their will on other nations. Germany, Japan and Russia did the same in the last century. For a small nation, Britain conquered the world when they colonised many countries in the nineteenth century. They did so with their policy of divide and rule. Today, USA is carrying out the same policy but more subtly.
Today, there are many conflicts in the world. Egypt is embroiled in trying to get rid of its President, who is perceived by its people as a dictator, who reigned for 32 years. The national wealth of oil etc is enjoyed mostly by the imperial West who exploited Egypt. Majority of Egyptians do not enjoy a better quality of life. The national wealth is shared only by the ruling class. Perhaps, there is a lesson to be learnt by the ruling class of SL before they too are toppled by a wave of disgruntled, cheated people.
Nicholas,
There is no bitterness, there is no hatred, there is no suspicion and there is no intolerance.
It is fear dear Nicholas; these gun powder filled testicle bearing young men and dynamite padded bra wearing young women are still alive in our midst.
Rather than adopt a “search and destroy” strategy, in this round we should solve this issue once and for all.
A new home for Pillayan and his cohorts across the ocean far away from our lands is the best way to go. After all that’s where they came from and that’s where they belong.
There is no doubt in my mind…the National Anthem of Sri-Lanka should be sung only in Sinhalese….leave aside the National Anthem…just eradicate hatred among people of Sri-Lanka. Atleast don’t instil it in our Children…the future of our Nation.
It’s commendable the celebrations are spread accross the country..if one thinks the Capital will be shifted…to South…so be it…what’s our impact on this….I don’t think Doctors are invited to parliament….only selected members of the government are to travel the distance…
Focus on other things mate….just give ateleast few more years….then let us decide if this government is competent enough to take us forward.
Guru,
You suggest that Pillayan and all the Tamil SL citizens be exiled into Tamil Nadu, all because of your paranoid ‘fear’ of all Tamils as LTTE in disguise. How ridiculous!
‘Paranoia’ means ‘intense and unfounded fear’. Unfortunately, you are suffering from this. My words are not going to allay this unfounded fear in you. Perhaps you need to seek help from a psychiatrist for treatment for your fear psychoss.
You are an extremist Sinhala buddhist. You are just as bad as radical nationalist Tamils, seeking ‘eelam’. Both suggest ‘ethnic cleanisng’. This solution is rabid. Imagine, you have bundled out all the Sri Lankan Tamils out to Tamil Nadu, where would you stop then? Would you then turn against Sinhalese Christians and the Muslims, to kill them saying Sri Lanka is for Sinhalese Buddhists only? You are a disgrace to Buddhism! Your intolerance has no limits. You would then turn against Veddas or Aadivasis, saying they are Kuveni’s children and should be purged also.
My friend, you need to seek help from Angoda soon. I have no cure for your paranoia or fear psychosis. Others who think like you, fortunately a miniscule, should also seek help from Angoda hospital.
Nicholas…
Well said brother….I commend your ideoligy…however, I wonder if your well crafted elaboration is understood by “block heads” who thinks otherwise.
Honestly brother, apart from your unconditional support to the Government, at times I don’t agree with your perspectives, but on the majority…I enjoy it.
From Abu Dhabi.
Dear Kamal,
Thank you for your compliment. I do not support ideological extremists whether Sinhala Buddhist, Tamil or Muslim, as they are destructive, and their ideologies are against our fundamental spiritual aspirations, conscience and sense of morality.
Islam is a lovely religion. I have bought the Holy Koran and read it occasionally. I also love to listen to the chanting of the Holy Koran on Peace TV, as it is so beautiful and peaceful. Holy Prophet Mohammed, may Allah be praised, never encouraged racism or fanaticism or murder in the name of Allah. It is wicked man’s concept for ulterior motives. Hence the concept of suicide bombing by Al Qaeda and the LTTE of their enemies in the name of Allah in the belief they will merit eternal life in paradise is utter nonsense. God said, “Thou shall not kill”. God has made no exceptions. Only God has supreme power over man’s life. God condemns suicide bombing in His name.
Eternal life can only be achieved by leading a virtuous life in union with God, by growing in God’s image and likeness, so that as God is good we are good, as God is loving we are loving, as God is forgiving we are forgiving etc. Only in this way we acheive union with God, so that God lives in us and we live in God. This is truly heaven. We are then continually ihn the presence of God we love. There is tremendous peace and joy in such a person who is one with God and in the presence of God always. God will always bless him and protect him from danger. When he dies he becomes ultimately one with God for ever and ever in eternal joy in God’s love.
I praised the Hon President for having utterly vanquished the evil LTTE so that SL citizens can live in peace and go about their business of leading a contented family life without fear of bombs and murder by the LTTE. However, I do strongly criticise Hon President constructively, when he and his ministers and MPs forget to serve the nation, and rather serve themselves selfishly from the public purse, to lead luxurious lives, and thus wasting the IMF loans etc meant for development of the country. Please read my blog, in the section where the Hon President raises the national flag on Independence Day. I criticised the Hon President twice, so much so that Guru said, “Thank you for your outburst”.
On the whole UPFA is the best government we have had so far, but it can also go astray, and forget the ideals and policies set-out in the Mahinda Chintanya Idiri Dekma. UNP and JVP will bring anarchy and destruction to our lives. They should never be allowed to rule.
Allah ho Akbar!