The Government will hold the Victory Parade at the Galle Face Green in Colombo on May 18 every year to mark Sri Lanka’s victory over terrorism. The Victory Parade will be held on May 20 only this year, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa said.The Defence Secretary made this observation after the ceremonial
opening of the monument erected at Elephant Pass in memory of war
heroes.

Emphatically stating that the Victory Parade was to mark the victory
of all the communities in the country, Defence Secretary Rajapaksa
said all communities will participate in this national event.

A push by Indonesia to dramatically toughen its approach to fighting Islamist militants has come under fire as a threat to human rights that could ultimately reverse gains in tackling extremists. The security ministry has asked lawmakers for sweeping amendments to strengthen the hand of the state under the country's 2002 anti-terror law, rushed into effect after bombings in Bali that year that killed 202 people. The proposed amendments would allow detention of anyone believed to be involved in terrorism for at least 30 days - up from a current seven - without declaring them a suspect, anti-terror chief Ansyaad Mbai told AFP. The changes would also boost from 120 days to two years the time a suspect can be held before they see the inside of a courtroom and encompass bans on glorifying or inciting terrorism, as well as outlawing terrorist recruitment. "Terrorism (relies on) networks. It is an extraordinary crime, it needs extraordinary measures," Mbai said.

July 6, 2009 (YAMBIO) – Residents of Dimbiro village near Yambio continue to flee their homes following last week reprisal attacks by the Ugandan rebel Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). The attacks have been provoked by ongoing anti-LRA operations by the Ugandan army and the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) in the region.

HE President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the Ceremonial Opening of Parliament, Sri Jayawardhanapura - Kotte, May 19, 2009, address to the nation on the historic occasion when the hopes and expectations of the Sinhala, Tamil, Muslim, Burgher, Malay and all people of our country for several decades, to see a Sri Lanka that is free of murderous terrorism, have been realized.

PARIS (AFP)--France on Monday called on Sri Lanka to seek a lasting peace after its military declared victory in the decades-old conflict with the Tamil Tigers. Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, who spoke by phone with his Sri Lankan counterpart Rohitha Bogollagama, said fighting must come to an end after the rebel Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam admitted defeat. "Today, it is up to the Sri Lankan government to act responsibly toward civilians and build conditions for a lasting peace that will benefit all of the population of Sri Lanka," said Kouchner. France is ready to "contribute to the consolidation of this process that will shape the future of the country," he said. Rebel leader Velupillai Prabhakaran and some 250 holdout fighters were killed in the final battle.