Northern people who died during the conflict are also war heroes: Govt. MP

• Our intention is to put a stop to ethnic and religious extremism
• Says she too was involved in the war as a member of the women’s brigade in the Navy

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana  

Sons of mothers in the North who died during the 30-year-old conflict are war heroes just like the sons of mothers in the South, Government MP A. M. M. Muthimale Ratwatte told Parliament yesterday.   

“We don’t hesitate to accept everyone who died in the conflict in Sri Lanka as war heroes,” she said while highlighting that she too was involved in the war as a member of the women’s brigade in the Navy.   

“We don’t want to produce war heroes as we will not leave room for another armed conflict. Our intention is to put a stop to ethnic and religious extremism. Our desire is to build a rich country where its people could lead a beautiful life. We will bring in new laws to fulfil this objective if the current laws aren’t sufficient,” she added.   

“Those who speak for ranaviruwas (war heroes) kept mum when the soldiers were made to clean drains and were made to fix sari pins on the wives of political leaders during that time and got members of security forces to wash their pet dogs,” she said.   

Also, she questioned as to how the son of a former President who served as a Naval officer manage to purchase a TV channel. “We were made to understand that this person did not draw a salary from the Navy. How did he manage to purchase a TV channel in such a scenario? She questioned.