Killing of Ethnic Minority
Catholic Minister by Tamil Tigers condemned
The Permanent Mission of
Sri Lanka to the United Nations Office at Geneva
07th April 2008
Sri Lanka and the international community strongly condemned the assassination
of Highways and Road Development Minister and former Minister of Christian
Affairs, Hon. Jeyaraj Fernandopulle by a Tamil Tiger suicide bomber
on Sunday.
The late Hon. Jeyaraj Fernandopulle who was a people's leader of Tamil
origin and a devout Catholic was killed along with thirteen others including
former Olympic marathoner K.A. Karunaratne and national athletics coach
Lakshman de Alwis. More than 90 people were wounded.
The incident occurred after Minister Fernandopulle, who was fluent
in four languages, had finished addressing the sports enthusiasts at
7.30 am and prepared to wave the flag declaring the commencement of
the marathon.
Minister Fernandopulle who had taken part in peace talks with the LTTE,
was the second government minister to be killed by the Tamil Tiger this
year.
Previously Minister Fernandopulle severed as Minister of Civil Aviation,
Tourism, and Christian Religious Affairs as well as the Deputy Minister
of Finance, Ethnic Affairs and National Integration.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa emphatically and unequivocally condemned
the cowardly assassination of Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle by LTTE
terrorists.
The President in a message said: "I emphatically and unequivocally
condemn the cowardly assassination of Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Minister
of Highways and Road Construction and Chief Government Whip, by LTTE
terrorists.
Our thoughts first go to Fernandopulle's family and to the families
of all others who were also killed and injured in this act of savagery,
whose grief we share with them. Minister Fernandopulle was a popular
representative of the people, elected by the voters of Gampaha District
at several elections.
The assassination of such a committed democrat once again shows the
total contempt of the LTTE to the democratic process and its unquestioned
commitment to violence and terror to achieve it narrow and limited objectives,
that are far removed from the interests of the Tamil people of Sri Lanka.
It is also significant that in carrying this repeated act of terrorist
brutality the LTTE has chosen as its target a leader of the Catholic
and Christian communities of Sri Lanka, who played an important role
in bringing about greater understanding among the different communities
of our country.
While calling on the people to be calm and collected in the face of
such extreme provocation by the forces of terror, I wish to reiterate
that this dastardly act will not weaken our resolve to eradicate terrorism
from our midst and bring peace, harmony and democracy to all our people,
which was also the constant and unqualified wish of Mr. Fernandopulle."
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Canada Maxima Bernier said in a
statement that Canada strongly deplores this senseless act of violence,
which killed Sri Lankan Highways Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and
former Olympic marathoner K.A. Karunaratne as well as civilians taking
part in a sporting event.
Hon. Jeyaraj Fernandopulle
http://www.jeyaraj.org
President condemns cowardly assassination
http://www.dailynews.lk/2008/04/07/news02.asp
Canadian Statement on Terrorist Attack in Sri Lanka
http://news.gc.ca/web/view/en/index.jsp?articleid=390279&categoryid=16
Video of the Suicide Blast : http://www.lankamission.org/content/view/93/1/
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