Sri Lankans and all who appreciate the role played by the heroic members of the defence forces in protecting the democratic government and people, will remember you as one of the chief architects of the historic victory over the LTTE. Your management style and the command structure you built in the Sri Lanka Army have even received the plaudits of top management experts, internationally. You are indeed one of the icons of modern Sri Lanka.

While we respect your decision to bid farewell to the defence arm of the government, Sri Lankan patriots consider it inconceivable to associate your name and future with a set of politicians who have time and again committed many a crime against the Sri Lankan nation. They were even prepared to sleep with the LTTE and carry out the dictates of some Western countries making Sri Lanka, a vassal state. It is a well-known fact that all the politicians who are attempting to clasp your hand, have no hope or future.

These politicians and the political parties have no more interest in you, apart from using you as a means of gaining their end. For them you are only a means to be used to grab power. In their strategy you are only a pawn. Therefore, please do not become prey to their machinations, as you will be used to resurrect the anti Sri Lankan agenda of their masters. Once their use for you is over, they will have no hesitation in casting you aside thereby allowing them to continue with their treacherous policies and also damaging your image as a national hero. Sri Lanka has had to face such treacherous conspiracies throughout its history but was able to overcome them and continue to function as a sovereign country for 2500 years owing to the sacrifices made by tens of thousands of her brave sons and daughters.

Whatever the causes which led you to take the decision to step down from the Defence Services, that should not deter you from contributing your skills and expertise for the progress and the forward march of the Nation. In this scenario of political treachery and a glaring leadership vacuum, you are a precious national asset, and any foray into the public arena should only be done on your declared patriotic and nationalist terms, with the good of this nation kept uppermost in mind. As the tide changes, those who attempt now to only throw crumbs at you, will fall onto line.

But Sir, we do not think you will be rushed into making a wrong decision, which will have adverse effects on the nation as well as on you and your image. We are reminded of institutions and individuals without any depth, who take temporary pleasure in cutting the nose to spite the face, thus destroying every possession in the process.

Some of the crafty politicians who are making various announcements, stipulating conditions and drafting manifestoes are keen that you accept their vicious formula wrapped in attractive packaging in order to delude you into destroying yourself and everything you contributed towards the nation. They are simply attempting to inveigle you in to giving them a FREE RIDE. They are indeed an unscrupulous lot, bound by anti-Sri Lanka, pro-separatist and neo-colonial leanings.

One cannot forget the lessons of history. We trust that you will continue to be on the side of the Sri Lankan people and not with the destroyers of Sri Lanka.

We are aware of the wrong moves and lack of desired progress in regard to good and transparent governance by the present administration. The history and the agenda of the politicians and the political forces, which are waiting in the wings to make use of you, however, cannot be the alternative to meet the needs of the nation.

We pray that you will have the wisdom to differentiate between the separatist-neo-colonialist agenda and the aspirations of the nationalist forces striving to build a strong, unified, democratic and truly and independent Nation.

Ranjith Soysa