The Army Commander said the people of the country, including in the North and East are free to commemorate their dead. “The Army will in no way prevent this,” he said adding that it was not only the lives of soldiers that were lost during the war. Several commemorative events to mark the milestone and the Victory Day will commence today. The official National War Heroes’ Day commemoration organised by the Ranaviru Seva Authority (RVSA) will be held at the Battaramulla National War Heroes’ Monument, headed by President Maithripala Sirisena and attended by relatives of the fallen and missing Tri-forces and Police officers.
Meanwhile, 65 seniors in the Tri-forces will be awarded the Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya (VSV) medal on May 22 at the Presidential Secretariat in a ceremony, headed by the President. An event titled ‘A Walk for Peace’ will be held by the Security Force Headquarters islandwide with hundreds of troops taking part in cities such as Colombo, Kandy, Jaffna, Vavuniya, Mullaitivu, Polonnaruwa and Kilinochchi.
The Army will launch ‘Uththamachara’ a book featuring heroics and biographies of the forces Parama Weera Vibhushanaya (PWV) laureates during the ceremony, presided over by President Maithripala Sirisena.President Sirisena took steps yesterday to promote 38 senior Army officials to their next rank.The President promoted two Colonels of the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force (SLAVF) to the rank of Brigadier and seven Lieutenant Colonels of the SLAVF to the rank of Colonel and 29 Lieutenant Colonels of the Regular Force of the Army to the rank of Colonel yesterday.

Meanwhile, soldiers took part in a reforestation program in Marichchikaddi, Wilpattu under its ‘Thuruliya Wenuwen Api’ program. Over 500 troops serving the 59, 64, 68 Divisions and the Forward Maintenance Area, Mullaitivu under the Security Force Headquarters, Mullaitivu donated blood at the Mullaitivu Base Hospital yesterday in remembrance of their fallen comrades.