President Anura Kumara Dissanayake will attend Sri Lanka’s 16th National War Heroes’ Commemoration Ceremony as the chief guest, the government confirmed on Sunday, following public criticism over earlier reports suggesting he would skip the event.
The ceremony is scheduled for today at the National War Hero Cenotaph in Sri Jayawardenepura, Kotte. It honours members of the Tri-Forces, Police, and Civil Security Department who lost their lives in the country’s decades-long civil conflict.
This annual state event marks the military victory in 2009 over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). While hailed by many in the south as a celebration of national unity and sovereignty, the event remains deeply contentious. Tamil civil society groups and international human rights organisations continue to criticise the commemorations as triumphalist, pointing to the thousands of Tamil civilians killed in the final stages of the war — a period increasingly described as genocidal by international observers.
The decision to reinstate President Dissanayake as chief guest comes after his earlier planned absence, with Deputy Defence Minister Maj. Gen. Aruna Jayasekara initially slated to attend on his behalf, drew sharp criticism from nationalist groups and opposition figures. The reversal is seen as a response to mounting political pressure.
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