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| Sunday, 19 March 2006 |
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Women's International Day: War widows - not a forgotten lot by Lakmal Welabada
"Prabhakaran once said that the Sinhalese easily forget things. We must prove that his attitude is wrong. We haven't forgotten our soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the North and East war" said, Counsellor Rita Hemapala, after the two minute silence observed to commemorate war heroes at the felicitation ceremony of war widows. The ceremony was organised by the Ranaviru Family Counselling Service of Ex-Armed Forces jointly with Touchwood Investments Ltd (TIL) to mark the International Women's Day held at the Sasakawa Hall, Kollupitiya recently. Twelve widows including Mrs. Lali Kobbekaduwa, wife of the great hero Major General Denzil Kobbekaduwa, were honoured at the simple gathering where Air Vice Marshal Anslem Pieris, Air Vice Marshal Harry Gunethilaka, officials of the Touchwood Investments including Executive Director Asith Koralage and Director Marketing M. A. W. Kularatne and former co-odinator Major and Capt Victoria Lakshmi, President of the Ex-Army Women Association Ramani Kangararachchi were present. Mrs. Kobbekaduwa was awarded a special plaque, and all the twelve families were presented with cash investment certificates, by Touchwood Investments. Mrs. Hemapala continuing her speech further said that not only the government, but the whole community should shoulder the responsibility of looking after the families of those who sacrificed their lives for the country. "We draw the monthly salary of our late husbands and it strengthens our economy to a certain extent. But, there are so many other challenges we tend to face socially," she said. The Sunday Observer learns that many young widows who do not have children, have to suffer leading a single life under the pressure of their in-laws because, if she re-marries, the compensative salary she draws would be stopped, and 'his' whole family would lose the income. Hence, a new law amendment would be passed shortly enabling a war widow to claim a lump sum of the salary of her husband, and then turn over a new leaf in her life. M. A. W. Kularatne, Director Marketing of the Touchwood Investments addressing the war widows promised to give their utmost assistance by providing self-employment. The Ranaviru Family Counselling Service with branches all over the country, do a great service in re-building the lives of widows, children and families of Armed Forces men, who sacrificed their lives for their motherland. |
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