Washington Buddhist Vihara pays tribute to war heroes

Washington - One month after the defeat of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) by the Sri Lankan military, Sri Lankan expatriates in the greater Washington D.C. area gathered Saturday to pay tribute to the war heroes of the Sri Lankan Forces who laid down their lives for the protection of their motherland.

Sri Lankans from all communities and faiths gathered on June 20 and took part in religious observances conducted by the venerable monks at the Washington Buddhist Vihara. The service was led by Ven. Maharagama Dhammasiri Nayaka Thera.

Jaliya Wickramasuriya, Sri Lanka's Ambassador to the United States, thanked the events organizers and said that all Sri Lankans will be eternally grateful for the ultimate sacrifice made by their men and women in uniform.

Ven. Dhammasiri Thera said that the conflict is often compared to the time when the Great King Dutugemunu united the entire island. But the recent victory, he said, was in fact a greater achievement, since King Dutugemunu only had to fight the local enemy, while the Government of Sri Lanka, led by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, had to fight an international propaganda war, while defeating the LTTE militarily.

Sri lankan expatriates take part in religious observances	Jaliya Wickramasuriya, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the United States addressing the gathering	.Jaliya Wickramasuriya and Embassy officials performing religious rites