I was saddened to read Tissa Bandaragoda’s letter [5/2] praising Neville Jayaweera’s jibe at ,what NJ calls, the sinister aspect of the majority group [NGOspeak for Sinhala Buddhists] celebrating our military triumphs in terms of "their"[N.B not"our"] religious and traditional ceremonies which can be negatively seen by those who are not closely associated with such sentiments. NJ, I am afraid, exposes his hidden agenda as an expat peacenik in the employ of a fundamentalist organization, dedicated to slinging mud at the Sinhala Buddhist establishment.

Of curse, we MUST celebrate our battlefield triumphs in the traditions of our forefathers.

So did every European Christian ["majority group"] country with parades and sonorous cathedral chants – with nary a bow to the various non-Christian servicemen who died for the same cause.

Let’s face it – the majority of Sri Lankans are Sinhala Buddhists, and so are most of our servicemen. Why should we not celebrate their triumphs in our own customary manner ? This does not deny the minorities from celebrating national triumphs in their own manner – and so they DID in their churches, mosques and kovils on Independence Day .

Expat peaceniks should direct their sermons to their countries of refuge.