President Mahinda Rajapaksa visited was part of the grand reception held today to welcome the heroic sailors of the Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) took part in destroying three LTTE gun-running ships, that were sunk some 1,200 km off Dondra Point on the high seas.The Eastern Navy Headquarters will hold a felicitation ceremony to the Naval task group, in Trincomalee early this week welcoming Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) returning from what Navy Chief Vice Admiral Wasantha Karannagoda called the SLN's biggest triumph in the entire Eelam conflict.
The government is believed to be planning a media blitz with the state media expected to be at the Trincomalee SLN base in full strength. The private media too has been invited to cover the event.
SLNS Samudura (formerly of the US Coast Guard, "Courages"), SLNS Suranimala (formerly of the Israel Defence Force), SLNS Shakthi(acquired from China) and SLNS Sayura, Sri Lanka's flagship-the first vessel bought from India had been involved in the latest operation.
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.
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