Thera's demise an irreparable loss - President

COLOMBO: President Mahinda Rajapaksa yesterday lauded the services rendered to the Buddha Sasana and the people by Ven. Handungamuwe Nandarathana Thera, who was brutally gunned by the LTTE.

In a condolence message, President Rajapaksa condemned the assassination and called for all patriotic forces to get together to end such acts of terror.

The President said the Ven. Thera, Viharadhipathi of the Sri Pabbathramaya, Trincomalee, rendered a yeoman service to the Sasana, society and to the nation. But terrorists have cruelly ended his mission to serve the people.

He noted that the Ven. Thera could deliver sermons with equal fluency in Sinhala and Tamil, which was the need of the hour for the North-East. Thus his demise is an irreparable loss to the people in the area and to the country as a whole.