Gajaba Regiment Seva Vanitha Unit pays tribute:

Lanka’s valiant soldiers made the supreme sacrifice

By Irangika Range

It is nearly impossible for anyone to forget the role played either directly or indirectly by Sri Lankan women in the battle to wipe out separatist terrorism from the country. Their untiring contribution to achieve the target of defeating terrorism has now been written on the hearts and minds of the people of this country.

While some women have directly involved in the battle by leaving behind their near and dear ones to face the enemy eye to eye in the field, there were many others indirectly contributing by encouraging their husbands, brothers, fathers and sons to go to the front to save their land of birth.

It was their encouragement, the contribution by women that lasted long as a shadow in the battlefield where the war was ravaging. It was that back up which helped the men fighting against the terrorism not to give up despite there were many obstacles to stop their forward march. Of those women, the ones who had been serving under the banner of Seva Vanitha unit of the security forces rendered a very special service.

Silently

They served silently and encouraged their husbands to carry on the battle and looked after the kith and kin of the valiant soldiers who lost their lives and limbs. The members of the Seva Vanitha units too care of the welfare of the family members of the soldiers that suffered injuries and missing in action.

Now the war against terrorism is over but the services initiated by the Seva Vanitha members continue further as they have not forgotten the war heroes and their needy family members. Actually the Seva Vanitha members have stepped up their services by various means and volume to provide for the family members of the soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice in the name of the motherland.

At the head of these heroic women are members of the Seva Vanitha Unit (SVU) of the Gajaba Regiment of Sri Lanka. The SVU of the Gajaba Regiment has shouldered the task of protecting the well-being and welfare of war heroes and their families who contributed to the humanitarian operation that liberated the country from terrorism.Gajaba Regiment SVU Chairperson Saroja Daulagala, wife of Colonel of the Gajaba Regiment and Commandant of the Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force Major General Lalith Daulagala, is the guiding light behind the success of these endeavours.

She has truly committed herself to extending welfare activities not just for Gajaba war heroes, but for their wives, children and parents as well.She said a number of projects have been initiated by the Gajaba SVU under the instructions and close supervision of the Defence and Urban Development Ministry’s SVU Chairperson Ayoma Rajapaksa, for the benefit of soldiers and their families who made immense sacrifices on behalf of the nation.She said President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa are striving hard to provide a better tomorrow for the families of war heroes and those serving in the Security Forces.

Duty

“We handle numerous welfare matters and believe it is our bounden duty to fulfill their requests even with our limited resources. Be it housing projects, donation of exercises books, wheelchairs or other relief matters, we are maximally dedicated in the successful accomplishments of all such projects. The Gajaba SVU does not focus only on providing assistance to soldiers as a long-term step, we also focus on empowering their wives as well as raising the level of education of members’ children”, she said.

“We have handed over school exercise books and other stationery to over 750 children of Gajaba military personnel including those who were handicapped and sacrificed their lives during humanitarian operations recently for the third consecutive year. In addition, eleven students who received best results at the Grade Five scholarship examination, Ordinary Level examination and Advanced Level examination were granted scholarships.Funds to carry out welfare activities were raised by organising New Year fairs at the Regimental Centre in Saliyapura. These funds were utilised for the donation of exercise books to the children and constructing houses of Gajaba war heroes.

Another commendable move to salute heroic members is the housing programs. The beneficiaries are the families of war heroes who either lost their lives or were maimed while serving in the battle front.Paying tribute to war heroes, the Seva Vanitha branch donated 17 newly constructed houses among war heroes.

A special project has also been commenced to distribute furniture and home appliances worth around Rs 750,000 to the families of the each of the war heroes.”she said.“Defence Ministry (MOD) SVU also assisted by constructing houses for families of war heroes who died, missing in action and disabled.,” Mrs Daulagala said.“We have planned to construct new houses this year too, she said.

There are several families who are unable to complete the construction of their houses due to financial difficulties. “They are provided with financial assistance by the SVU. We will also distribute 24 blocks of four-acre land located in Bibile in Monaragala donated by Philanthropist among the families of war heroes who died, missing and disabled in action. We will assist them to construct their new houses by providing financial support and the manpower,” she said.

Attention

“We would appreciate if the corporate sector and the public would pay more attention to support the housing program and other welfare projects which is not only a worthy cause but pays tribute to the heroic members for the freedom that we enjoy today,” she said.

The SVU has also focused to empower wives of Gajaba war heroes to transform them as a battalion shouldering the task of developing national productivity.

They were provided with assistance and training by conducting workshops to engage in many self-employment projects including beauty culture, craft work, patchwork, cookery, cultivation, pottery making, sewing, toys, horticulture and several other projects. Not confining their activities to the Gajaba regiment, the SVU extends its services to the community, accepting their social responsibility. It engages in conducting health clinics, counselling programs, and dental clinics for the benefit of the public and the soldiers and their families.

Meanwhile, medical aids and dry rations for war heroes and their families are also provided.Mrs Daulugala said that the highest number of the casualties of the war was from the Gajaba Regiment. “The number of Gajaba Regiment soldiers who lost their lives was around 4,750.

There are around 18,000 soldiers in the Gajaba Regiment. It is our duty to work for the welfare of the family members of all those soldiers.She said that the members of the Seva Vanitha Unit coming under her purview today spent the majority of their time to provide for the war heroes and to take care of the welfare of the family members of the soldiers.

“We receive enough and sufficient backing from the government. It is obvious that the needs of disabled soldiers were special and the family members of those soldiers would have to face a lot of social problems. It is on such occasions, they need our help most.

We always take care of their needs and intervene in their affairs on behalf of them. We help them with counselling. We have introduced sources of additional income for the family members of the soldiers. We have also mediated in helping the disabled soldiers to find means and ways to spend their pastimes fruitfully so that they would be happy. A separate physiotherapy unit had been commenced for the disabled soldiers at the Sena Pura Camp in Anuradhapura.

Despair

She further said that they were thankful for President Mahinda Rajapaksa and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa for ending the terrorism victoriously. “There was no single day without fear and despair when the war was on.

There was hardly a day when our family could meet together, and I think that was the case with every family of this country then as there was no peace and every capable person had something to do - a role to play in the battle against terrorism. All wives, mothers, daughters and sisters of the families of the valiant soldiers who took arms for the safeguard of this nation were living similar lives.

Today they all are enjoying the dividends of peace ushered in under the guidance of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.” I am so happy and enjoy the work of helping the people who shed their sweat and blood to bring peace to us.

I receive the guidance and support of my husband in my work and I think am so fortunate and lucky to have a husband like him. My social works bring an immense joy to me.” I think it will be a great merit and consolation for my soul as well,” she said.