Congratulations Sri Lanka!

Congratulations Sri Lanka for eradicating terrorism from the soil of this great nation. It is the bravery and the sacrifices of many unsung heroes and heroines of all backgrounds that made this day possible. You have fought and won a battle not only against the ruthless terrorists head on, but also a war against the dark, unseen forces of international terrorism. You have succeeded where the rich, powerful nations with multi-billion dollar budgets and high tech weaponry have failed. You have jumped over all the hoops, obstacles and accusation that have been thrown at you, and you brought victory while saving the lives of innocent people that have been used as a human shield by the cowardly terrorists. Be proud of your achievements, but also be humble, for our victory came at a cost. As Sri Lankans, we must forgive those who transgressed against us and work towards a United Sri Lanka. We now have to work towards building a country that we can truly be proud of. It is up to all of us, Sinhalese, Tamil, Moslems and others alike, to put our past and our differences behind us and work together, to look to the future with with the determination to make this nation live up to its full promise. Let us stand as one people of one country and be united so that no dark forces can ever divide us, ever again.