Sept 17, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, along with the Sri Lankan Navy ceremoniously welcomed the sailors who returned home after the successful mission that is considered as an epic victory.

President Rajapaksa attended the ceremony started this morning at the Naval Base in Trincomalee to welcome the crews of the six naval ships who destroyed three weapons-loaded LTTE ships in the Indian Ocean on September 11. President met the crews and handed letters of commendations to the captains of the ships.

The six ships, SLNS Sayura, SLNS Samudura, SLNS Suranimila, SLNS Shakthi , A 520, and A 521 arrived in Trincomalee harbour this afternoon. Hundreds of sailors manned waysides of the jetties and greeted the arriving ships, waving their hats and cheering their comrades in a traditional "Man and Cheer Ship" ceremony.

Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa expressing his gratitude to the sailors for their bravery and commitment said that victory celebrated is not a victory won over by one race over another, but a victory won over terrorism. The Defence Secretary also pointed out that without defeating the terrorism first a political solution cannot be implemented. "Whatever the political settlement, it cannot be implemented unless terrorism is eradicated," he said.

Following the main event The President also opened the "Two Fathom Jetty" newly built by the civil engineering department of the Navy.

The Ministers, Douglas Devananda, Nimal Siripala De Silva, G.L. Peries, Milinda Moragoda, Mahindananda Aluthgamage and the Chief Minister of North-Central province Berty Premalal Dissanayake along with Secretary to the President Lalith Weeratunga and Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa accompanied the President.

Chief of Defence Staff Air Marshal Donald Perera, Commander of the Navy Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda, and Commander Eastern Naval Command Rear Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe and other senior officers of tri services and police also attended the ceremony.

(Pix: Suadth Silva)