President Chandrika Kumaratunga in a message issued from London yesterday said that the heroic soldiers who sacrificed their lives for peace and integrity of the motherland in the battles at Mankulam and Kilinochchi will go down in history as heroes of peace.

The President said that she is pleased to share the joy of all Sri Lankans including the battle-front heroes who are celebrating this historic victory.

"This was a result of a courageous battle of security forces at the risk of their lives. The nation should pay a tribute and honour these soldiers for their commitment, courage, determination and bravery in this fierce battle."

President Kumara-tunga expressed her condolences to families of soldiers who sacrificed their lives in the fighting. She also paid a tribute and expressed grief on the death of soldiers in the confrontation at Kilinochchi.

"There may be defects and setbacks in a war. Victories cannot be expected at all times. Sometimes, the soldiers had to withdraw from their positions as a military strategy. These tactics will be adopted to achieve future victories."

The President appealed to the public to be very cautious at this decisive moment, as certain sections are trying to take political advantage by highlighting a different angle of the situation. They are trying to spread communal feeling among the people by misleading them.

"Their attempts are a disgrace to the heroic soldiers who sacrificed their lives in battles at Mankulam and Kili-nochchi, to reopen a peace avenue connecting the north and the south. The war is not the solution for the ethnic conflict and it is being waged to combat terrorism. The Government is committed to find a peaceful political solution to this problem. The capture of the final bastion of the LTTE at Mankulam will help to expedite the peace process of the government," she added.