K H C Sankapali, chargé d'affaires at the embassy, hoisting the Sri Lankan national flag at the embassy premises yesterday. Pic: Abdul Basit / The Peninsula
Doha: Sri Lankans in Qatar celebrated their country’s 69th Independence Day with traditional zeal and fervour yesterday.
Despite the chill weather, many Sri Lankans turned up at their embassy in the Old Airport area for a flag-hoisting ceremony.
K H C Sankapali, chargé d'affaires at the embassy, hoisted Sri Lanka’s national flag as the national anthem was sung and a traditional oil lamp was lit.
Two minutes of silence was observed in remembrance and honour of freedom fighters of Sri Lanka. Also, religious observances were performed.
The message of Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena was read out. It said: “It is at a challenging and decisive moment that we celebrate the 69th Independence anniversary this year. The responsibility of strengthening the recently secured democratic freedom as well as ensuring that, enriched by indigenous wisdom, all communities could live with dignity, lies on our shoulders. We have been able to overcome a dark era and reillumine our insurmountable aspirations for democracy, freedom, and human dignity. However, the realization of the true meaning of freedom and independence lies in our potential to free ourselves from the shackles of all kinds and forms of poverty, ill-health, and confines of divisive identities of race, religion and caste, and enrich ourselves, as a society that values equity and rights of all.
Also, messages of Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesighe and Foreign Minister Mangala Samaraweera were read out.
Sankapali, addressing the gathering, said, “You all have been here for the past years or decades. You have not only benefitted from this country, you all have been great contributors to the development of Qatar. I, on behalf of my government, take this opportunity to thank Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and the government of Qatar for providing opportunities for Sri Lankans to be part of their development and progress while providing a great contribution for the process of earning foreign exchange for our motherland.”
“The Embassy of Sri Lanka in Qatar is committed to provide all assistance and support for the betterment of our Sri Lankans living here according to all applicable rules and regulations and guidelines in Sri Lanka and also subjected to the law of this country,” she added.
Sankapali also hinted that a new ambassador of Sri Lanka to Qatar will soon be appointed.
“We will have a new ambassador soon as the official formalities and procedures are being done at the moment regarding the new appointment,” she said.
