The date of such an announcement, The Sunday Times learns, will be designated National Liberation Day to be observed every year. President Rajapaksa is due in Colombo today after a visit to Jordan to attend the World Economic Forum and the G11 summit. Also due in Colombo today after an official visit to China is Army Commander Sarath Fonseka, one of the main architects of the military victories.

President Mahinda Rajapaksa declared yesterday that the Sri Lankan armed forces had “finally defeated the LTTE militarily.”