In his speech delivered during the ceremonial opening, the President said that his government is fully committeed to strengthen the national security needs and accordingly no one should have any doubts on the matter.
“In order to prevent any recurrence of the LTTE’s ruthless war, we have to understand today’s responsibility that has befallen us in proper context and correct perspective, setting aside narrow-minded and unfounded viewpoints. We do not want to see our young ones, like those we saw now, sacrifice their precious lives and organs again", he said.
"First and foremost, we should understand the fact that the LTTE ‘ideology’ is still not dead, and it is yet to be rooted out, though our young heroes physically defeated their armed terrorism. That ideological process is still alive, overseas. This is a challenge before us. We have to eliminate the LTTE’s ideology through many fronts, for example, at geo-political, scientific, social, economic and overseas levels. The government has fearlessly undertaken that challenge because the LTTE ideology has still not abandoned the notion of a separate country in Sri Lanka. In the post-war period in the past, nothing of that sort or any such moves were initiated with correct decisions and approaches. Only by doing so, we can create a just society where all can co-exist happily and peacefully without letting more and more bloodsheds as we have continuously witnessed for 26 years in our resplendent island,” President Sirisena underlined.
“Our opponents as well as some media spread untrue and fabricated stories, saying that the government has been forced to pull out troops in the North and go on weakening existing security measures, etc. In some instances, they are even going to the extent of claiming that the government was being “pressurized” to curtail national security, for example. I must state here with precision that no foreign country or for that matter, any such leader, has to-date advocated any such notion, nor have any of them approached me or the government with such an agenda. For narrow political gains, such canards are spread by interested parties who do not like to appreciate our reconciliation or friendly approaches to all communities. Some, having fully realized the realities ahead of us, pretend that they do not understand our moves in this direction,” President added.
“We are adopting a very friendly approach to all our foreign friends. When I was at the UN sessions, I requested all our foreign friends to resume their conduct of training programmes for members of our armed forces as before. They have positively responded and are now engaged in extending that training expertise to us, our service personnel. We have now Chinese, Indian, Japanese warships, etc calling at Sri Lanka as symbols of their goodwill. Our foreign relations are blossoming and I am sure all the countries, like India, Pakistan, China, UK, USA would help our armed forces in their search for training expertise in the future as well,” President Sirisena remarked.
"The social responsibility of nursing and caring these patriotic men lies in the hands of everyone while ensuring their physical and mental well-being during the remainder of their lives as it was they who brought peace to our country. We are grateful to them forever for it. Our salute and admiration for them remains yesterday, today and tomorrow", President Sirisena further added.
Eng. Karunasena Hettiarachchi, Secretary Defence delivered the welcome address and assured that the Ministry of Defence, is all the time prepared to support the well-being of disable War Heroes. A senior resident inmate spoke out his heart and underlined the importance of having a pool of this nature which is the one and only in Sri Lanka.
Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Kolitha Gunatilleke, Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Crishanthe De Silva, Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral R.C Wijegunaratne, Senior Officers of the Air Force and Police, Tri service officers, YCF members, Director Rehabilitation, distinguished invitees and family members of resident War Heroes attended the event, coloured by displays of water ballet by several inmates and a group of school students.
The 16.2m x 12.6m size state-of the-art pool constructed by the Young Constructors Forum (YCF) has been designed with a slope with three different depths enabling disable soldiers to undergo therapies while being in their wheelchairs. Four physiotherapists and 20 patients can receive treatment at a time.
