‘We need far sighted leaders”- President at military academy convocation  

[September 25, 2003 - 7.15 GMT]

President Chandrika Kumaratunga said current realities demand far-sighted leaders to circumvent the crises mankind faces today. 

“In finding solutions for modern problems, we must first widen our horizons comprehensively in every imaginable sphere of human knowledge, so that we can perceive the complex nature of the present scenario or understand the present ethos in broader perspective,” the President said at the 13^th general convocation of the Kotelawala Defence Academy yesterday, 24th September. 

She said the more knowledgeable ‘possess and wield more power over their less knowledgeable counterparts whether they are individuals, communities or countries. 

“It is at this point that we understand the importance of the role that the Defence Academy can play in producing military leaders ready for continuous learning, be they at the Academy or in the field,” President said while commending security personnel who sacrificed their lives for the country. 

S.P. Dewage, a female cadet who excelled both in academic and military studies won the best all-round student’s award.  

Kotelawala Defence Academy popularly known as KDA was set up in 1980 under the patronage of late Prime Minister Sir John Kotelawala. KDA prepared cadets for Bachelor’s Degrees in Defence Studies, Engineering, Management, Technical Sciences, Commerce and Arts in its first 20 years, a Master’s Degree programme was introduced in 2001.

Full text of the address

Honourable Minister of Defence,
Chancellor,
Members of the Board of Management,
Commandant,
Academics,
Officers,
Graduands,
Parents,
Ladies and gentlemen,

It is with great pleasure that I accepted the invitation to be the Chief Guest at this 13^th Convocation of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence Academy.  If I remember right, it is only once that I was unable to take part in this important event as the chief guest in my capacity as the President and the Commander-in-chief of the armed forces.  I am indeed happy to be here, this afternoon, to share with you the happiness, joy and pride with which the new graduands receive their degrees in defence studies.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Kotelawala Defence Academy, as we all know, has been catering to the requirement of producing much-needed leaders for the three armed forces for the last twenty-year period.  The Academy plays a significant role in producing capable, skilful and competent young men and women physically and intellectually potent as future military leaders.  And thus, I would say, it has now come of age as a seat of learning well established in the tertiary education system of the country where defense education has become an indispensable component, at this crucial hour of our history.

The maturity of the Academy is further evident in initiating a masters degree program for senior officers.  Chancellor, this, I believe, would no doubt pave the way for much needed research in all branches of defence related affairs, an essential prerequisite for our armed forces to face the challenges of this hi-tech era.  I consider this as a right step forward as it would liberate us from the servile attitude of depending merely on foreign expertise, believing such expert advice as divine truth.

Ladies and gentlemen, leaders, they say, are not made but born, but the Kotelawala Defence Academy has shown that the old adage is no more valid entirely, by producing more than one thousand military leaders for the three services during the last twenty years of its existence.

Today, the country needs leaders of the highest caliber.  Whether in politics, military, religions, or otherwise, outstanding leaders are needed more than ever before.  The complex socio-cultural, economic and political realities of the present era demand far-sighted leadership to circumvent the crises that human beings are facing all over the world today.  With the advancements in information technology, we can no longer live in isolation as individuals, families, communities, religious or ethnic groups, or as individual countries for that matter.  Every country is inextricably entangled in a web of complex problems that cannot be solved by applying theories, principles and parameters that we were content with, a few years ago.  In finding solutions for modern problems, we must first widen our horizons comprehensively in every imaginable sphere of human knowledge, so that we can perceive the complex nature of the present scenario or understand the present ethos in broader perspective.  In the absence of such an approach, we would be like the four blind men who tried to describe what the elephant was like, by touching the various parts of its body.

It is in this sense that higher education derives its special significance today.  Knowledge has turned out to be the most powerful weapon in the fight for survival in the entire world today.  The more knowledgeable possess and wield more power over their less knowledgeable counterparts whether they are individuals, communities or countries.  So this dichotomy between knowing and not knowing has become the most powerful governing principle in modern societies.  Ladies and gentlemen, it is at this point that we understand the importance of the role that the Defence Academy can play in producing military leaders ready for continuous learning, be they at the Academy or in the field.  They must have inquisitive minds with broadened intellectual capacities to grasp complex situations and react to them swiftly.  In this sense, the Academy should lay a strong foundation in its graduates so that they can widen their knowledge base while gaining experience in the field.

We must also be aware that knowledge alone does not make a good leader.  In addition, one must also inculcate in oneself the correct attitudes and make sure that one possesses the necessary skills and qualities for one’s leadership role.  Thus, it is the duty of the Academy to provide the cadets with maximum opportunities to identify the right attitudes, team spirit; sense of brotherhood and readiness for selfless sacrifice must be inculcated in the cadets in their formative period as officer cadets.

A proper leader, in the first instance, must be able to identify the best resources and expertise available around him and exploit them to the maximum to achieve his targets and objectives, to create new things, and to find solutions for problems.  This is an essential prerequisite in leading, whether it is a family, a team of players, a business enterprise, a small platoon, a whole army, or a government.  A proper leader must be able to win the hearts of his followers.  He needs to have the charisma or the ability to inspire his followers with devotion and enthusiasm.  He needs to clearly identify his responsibilities and work towards achieving set targets and objectives depending on whom or what he leads.  He has to be selfless and must have the strength of character to face the challenges with unwavering confidence.

Therefore, for you all who are graduating today, it is not enough to know the basic strategies of the profession of arms; you should also have a multiplicity of other requirements as mentioned before.  In the battlefield, you must know the geographical and climatic conditions of the enemy territory.  You must also have a fair measurement of the potentials and weaknesses of both the enemy as well as your own.  You need to maintain the high morale without which you are sure to lose.  You should never ever be complacent and find an easy way out by putting the blame on somebody else for your failures.  You should contrive to maintain a very high morale first in yourself and then to infuse such morale to those whom you command.  Despite the fact that there can be many contributory factors that affect your morale, which are beyond your control, it is your responsibility to turn every stone unturned to create and maintain the high morale needed for the successful completion of the assignments given to you at any crucial time.

We know that discipline is another very important phenomenon in the military.  No military unit would function smoothly and efficiently without maintaining proper discipline.  You have to obey the orders and commands of your superiors.  In military training, fear of punishment is used as the mechanism through which you inculcate discipline in the young trainees.  However, we have to question the validity of resorting to punishment alone for generating discipline in the present knowledge society.  We have to find out whether fear generated discipline is only external and whether that is one of the reasons for the large number of army deserters during the last few years.  I leave it to those of you who would do masters level studies at KDA to conduct research aimed at finding ways and means if inculcating internal discipline in the trainees, which would make them into powerful and impregnable military units.

Upholding good military traditions, which have evolved over the years bind individuals into distinct units with their own values.  Going beyond certain boundaries laid down in the unwritten law of military life can be detrimental to the unity and integrity of a unit.  Traditionally, there are taboos for military men.  For instance, although politicians have the freedom to talk about the military, politics is taboo for the men of arms.  But, in the modern knowledge society, you too, as military leaders, must be aware of what is happening in the political scenario both at national and international levels.  However, you should never allow party politics affect and damage your loyalty to your respective services and thereby to the nation.  As I mentioned before, you should not try to pass the ball into others courts and wash your hands off your mistakes. 

Instead, you should concentrate your thoughts more and more on improving your military potential to face any future situations.  Especially, during times of peace you should never succumb to the tendency for relaxing with complacency.  Such conduct will prove to be detrimental to you as well as the nation.  You must constantly remind yourselves that vigilance in times of peace is required more than at times of war.  You should harness your intellectual capacities to foresee the future and use the periods of calm to reflect on the failures and successes that you have had in the past.  It is only then you can be successful in the future.  

Today, we are experiencing a relative calm in terms of your involvement in the active battlefield against the Tamil Tigers.  Yet, we have not yet achieved the cherished permanent peace that would hopefully end all forms of hostilities.  All sorts of discussions are going on between the government and the LTTE through international mediation,  and  in  spite  of  this,  there  is  no  reason why  we  should  rest  content  that  everything  is  over.  It is our bounden duty to be ever ready to protect the nation from any threat that can be forthcoming at any time, any day in the future.  Let us be optimistically waiting for the permanent peace that we all cherish.  Yet, let us not be deaf and blind to the possible dangers ahead of us.

Finally, I must make this an occasion to pay my tribute to the parents of the young officers passing out today, who selflessly sent their beloved sons and daughters to the armed forces to safeguard the nation.  I am sure the people of this country are grateful to you for selflessly sending your children to join the armed forces with your full blessings.

Let me conclude by wishing you, the graduands who are passing out today the very best in their military careers in their respective services and may you all have the valor, courage and strength to serve your motherland as honest, sincere and dedicated leaders.   

Thank you.

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Last Updated Date: September 25, 2003  -7.15 GMT.