U.S. Embassy Honours September 11 Victims

11 September 2011 11:43 am - 14 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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U.S. Ambassador to Sri Lanka and the Maldives Patricia A. Butenis today honoured victims of the attacks of September 11, 2001, through an inter-faith memorial service at her residence. Embassy staff gathered with invited guests to hear a speech by Ambassador Butenis followed by prayers for the victims by an Anglican priest, a Buddhist monk, a Hindu priest, a Jewish rabbi, a Muslim imam, and a Roman Catholic priest.

Ambassador Butenis spoke of the attacks in New York, Washington, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania, which killed nearly 3,000 people from over 90 countries. She also noted that a Sri Lankan was among the victims. “Rahma Salie was of Sri Lankan descent, raised in Japan and married to a Greek-American. She and her husband were flying to a wedding, and Rahma was seven months pregnant with their first child when their plane from Boston was hijacked and crashed into the World Trade Center.”

Ambassador Butenis turned her attention towards the future and shared a message praising the resilience of the victims of terrorists both in the U.S. and Sri Lanka. “My deepest wish for Sri Lanka as a country is that it continues to embrace one of its traditional, essential core values, that of its multi-ethnic, multi-religious identity. That is its true strength and the country must be resilient enough to hold on to it.”

Distinguished guests present at the ceremony included Ministry of External Affairs Director General for Europe, Americas and CIS, Ms. Himali Arunathilaka.

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Comments - 14

Jix Sunday, 11 September 2011 03:10 PM

wher'd you get the Rabi from? cool!

Dev de Silva Sunday, 11 September 2011 06:49 PM

Remembering the victims of this tragedy of 10 years ago and those brave men and women who risked or sacrificed their lives to save the victims on that fateful day. I salute the US Armed Forces fighting terrorism to keep America safe! I have to say that Terrorists are TERRORISTS anywhere in the world. Thank goodness that even after almost three decades, the gallant Sri Lankan military took on the world's most barbaric and ruthless terrorist group known as the LTTE and delivered them the "wallopping" of their lives - and totally eliminated them from that country. All TERRORISTS must be treated like TERRORISTS - no exceptions. And all those people - whoever they maybe - who support terrorism and/or sympathize with terrorists must also be treated as "terrorists"!

V. Puran Appu Sunday, 11 September 2011 11:31 PM

Who is going to mourn for the millions killed in Iraq and Afghanistan by USA in the name of the mythical "war on WMD" and "war on terror"

Luv Lanka Monday, 12 September 2011 02:30 AM

Will the US also light a candle for the hundreds of thousands inocent people killed by US forces in Japan, Vietnam, Afghanistan & Iraq

Patriot Monday, 12 September 2011 03:12 AM

May we never ever have to experience another 9/11...

Peace lover Monday, 12 September 2011 04:01 AM

what a camouflage!

nagi Monday, 12 September 2011 04:09 AM

so why double standards for Srilanka which eradicated terrorism? are we children of a lessor God? if killing of osama made obama a hero then how come war criminal accusations for Mahinda? the fact remains that 9/11 was good for Srilanka as LTTE was banned US realized what terror meant. very sad but true.

Teacher Monday, 12 September 2011 04:51 AM

It seems Americans are more sacred than anyone. They will never need to mourn, if they correct themselves and get out of war business.

patriotic Monday, 12 September 2011 05:19 AM

bloody nonsense

lankatarzan Monday, 12 September 2011 06:33 AM

Oh, Madam, How about those millions of innocent lives butchered by your forces in Iraq & Afghanistan...?

Pramod Fernando Monday, 12 September 2011 07:56 AM

There are lots of contraversies relating to 9/11. There was a program on BBC on 11/09/2011 revealing the secrets of the 9/11 attack a decade ago. Pls check on Youtube. Type "Contraversy 9/11" and see for yourself.

amilacooray Monday, 12 September 2011 09:20 AM

Do we have Rabais in Sri Lanka?

Roy Monday, 12 September 2011 09:45 AM

What about millions of Germans and poles masaqured by soviet union in the second world war and afganitan invasion where many died.

Dee Monday, 12 September 2011 10:03 AM

All the countries which you mention actually asked for it, so no offence committed . those who live by the sward will die by the sword.

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U.S. Embassy Honours September 11 Victims

Comments - 14

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