CLASSIFIED | POLITICS | TERRORISM | OPINION | VIEWS

CHIEF CIVIL ADMINISTRATOR OF THE EASTERN PROVINCE PREPARING FOR ELECTIONS SHOT DEAD BY SUSPECTED TIGER GUNMAN

By Walter Jayawardhana

The Chief Secretary to the Eastern Province, an important civil administrator of the Sri Lanka government was shot dead by a suspected Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) gunman while he was working in his office, Defense Ministry sources said.

“I unequivocally condemn the cowardly assassination today, of Mr. Herath Abeyweera, Chief Secretary of the Eastern Province by terrorists of the LTTE. This is yet another act of savagery by the LTTE in its campaign of terror to achieve its goal of a separate state, allegedly for the liberation of the Tamil people who are themselves severely oppressed by its violence and terror,” said President Mahinda Rajapaksa issuing message of condolence to the family of the late Abeyweera.
The LTTE was routed in the Eastern Province last week and they threatened to practice urban guerilla methods to attack government and military positions.

President Rajapaksa further said in his message that “The late Mr. Abeyweera was a dedicated public servant, who served the Sinhalese, Tamil and Muslim people of the East with great commitment for over 15 years as the District Secretary, Ampara. He performed a great service for the entire East under most difficult conditions, in view of the separatist terrorism waged by the LTTE, which always sought to disrupt the civil administration. “

Defense sources in the Eastern port city of Trincomalee said a suspected LTTE gunman entered his office at Inner Harbor Road in Trincomalee at 6 p.m. Monday July 16 and shot him point blank killing him on the spot.

Secretary Abeyweera was working hard on the government plan to hold elections to the area at the end of the year to replace the military administration imposed in the area over a decade due to LTTE forces occupying a major portion of the province.

President Rajapaksa further said, “It is most regrettable that at a time when steps are being taken to restore democracy in the East, the country has lost a public officer of his calibre whose commitment to democracy was always unquestioned. We regard his ultimate sacrifice in the service of the people as a great honour to the commitment of all public officers to the service of the nation. This assassination further strengthens our resolve not to give in to the forces of terror, but to proceed with our task of restoring freedom and democracy to the East, and all of Sri Lanka .”

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