They were admired and respected by all

Maj General Janaka Perera and Wajira Perera - first death anniversary:

By Janukshi, Shehara and Ashanka Perera

(October 06, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) It is with heavy hearts we reflect on the year since our beloved parents were taken from us, along with 29 other innocent civilians. Our sense of loss is overwhelming and although we miss them everyday, we gain strength in the knowledge that they are together and they are watching over us.

We know both Ammi and Thaththi were deeply loved and respected by so many people in Sri Lanka. It was comforting and heart warming to know when we went to Anuradhapura how much our mother too was loved and admired by the people there. The outpouring of emotion by the people who lined the streets to pay their respects to our parents made us appreciate this was a shared loss and the nation was grieving with us.

Thaththi always wanted to help the Sri Lankan people. He felt a great sense of community and compassion to improve the lives of all Sri Lankans. With Ammi by his side the two of them hoped to achieve this. They never believed in racial divides or in singling out people for petty differences. One of the many values our parents instilled in us was that all people should be treated with respect and dignity.

Our parents were extremely patriotic to our country and to the people. They wanted to contribute to making the future bright and hopeful for Sri Lankans.

This sense of patriotism was evident in their two diplomatic postings when Thaththi represented Sri Lanka as High Commissioner to Australia and subsequently as Ambassador to Indonesia. In these positions, Ammi and Thaththi proudly represented Sri Lanka to the host country. Through their hard work and dedication, many people learnt about our country.

Throughout Thaththi's successful military career he contributed to the success of many a battle and defended the sovereignty and integrity of Sri Lanka. He tried to ensure the safety of all his troops because as Thaththi always said, "I would not like to leave any mother without a son." People saw Thaththi's strength and courage in his military victories and political stands but we know the source of his strength came from the love and support of Ammi.

Her magnetic personality, her quiet charm and genuine interest in everyone attracted people to her. She related to people from all walks of life and showed respect and courtesy to everyone.

Ammi was very beautiful but it was the inner beauty of her soul which radiated. We believe it was our father's love and devotion to her which influenced him in all aspects of his life. We believe it was this love which made them want to give back to their homeland and help the Sri Lankan people.

Our parents have taught us many values on which to base our lives. One of the main ones is to stand up for what is right and not be afraid to do so. We know our parents lived by these words and it for this reason they were loved by the people of our country and admired and respected by everyone.

For us, our parents were inspirational. We are proud to say that Ammi and Thaththi lived their lives in an honourable manner without compromising their values. Everyday we try to live up to their standards and follow their guidance, so they would be proud of us.

Ammi and Thaththi are with us in everything we do, in every decision we make, in our joy and in our sadness and because of this we have the courage to look towards the future.

We honour them and will love them forever. Our thoughts are with all the families who lost their loved ones on that fateful day one year ago, and we share the pain of those who have been victims of terrorism.

-Sri Lanka Guardian