Anura Bandaranaike dead

COLOMBO: Former Minister Anura Bandaranaike passed away yesterday after a prolonged illness Bandaranaike who was also a former Speaker of Parliament was 59 at the time of his death.

Bandaranaike who had been receiving treatment at a Singapore Hospital continued to be warded at a Colombo private hospital before being taken to his official residence at Visumpaya on March 12 where he passed away at 3.35 PM yesterday.

The news of the death was received with shock and sadness by the nation with mourners converging on Visumpaya to get a glimpse of the remains. President Mahinda Rajapaksa was among the first to visit the residence at Visumpaya on hearing the sad news while there was a steady flow of his Parliamentary colleagues to Visumpaya.

There were reports that large groups of mourners were preparing to leave for Visumpaya from Gampaha and Attanagalle, the Bandaranaike family seat while white flags were seeing coming up in homes and establishments along the Kandy road leading from Horagolla, the ancestral home of the Bandaranaikes.

The scion of the famous Bandaranaike family, Anura Bandaranaike was heir to an exceptional political legacy having seen both parents and a sister who ascended the highest office in the land as Prime Ministers and President respectively at different periods.

His father S.W.R.D Bandaranaike founded the Sri Lanka Freedom Party as a common man’s party that swept into power in the famous cultural revolution of 1956 while his mother Sirimavo Bandaranaike was the first woman Prime Minister of the world.His sister Chandrika was the country’s fourth Executive President.

Bandaranaike virtually lived and breathed politics under such an environment which was to later give full play during his illustrious career as a Parliamentarian.

An eloquent speaker and skilled debater, Bandaranaike was in his element on the floor of the House making memorable speeches spiced with wit and humour in his inimitable oratory. He was the quintessential gentleman politician who won the respect of both friend and foe alike.

When his mother Sirimavo Bandaranaike was stripped of her civic rights in 1981, on Anura fell the mantle of Leader of the Opposition an office he acquitted himself with admirably leading his depleted team against the 168 member UNP juggernaut.

Anura underwent many vicissitudes during his political career at the latter stages and even left the party founded by his father to join the opposition UNP and was made a Cabinet Minister.

He thereafter lent his weight to the UNP General Election campaign which soon followed and though the party was defeated Anura was picked as National List MP.

He contested from the UNP once again at the 2000 General Election where again the party suffered a reversal but this time by consensus from both sides of the House he was elected as Speaker of Parliament.

Bandaranaike rejoined his sister at the 2001 election where the UNP this time emerged winner relegating the PA to the Opposition. With a premature end to that Government and at the polls that followed, the UPFA under Chandrika came to power and Anura Bandaranaike was made the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Tourism.

Born on February 15,1949 Bandaranaike was educated at Royal College Colombo and is a graduate of the University of London. He first entered Parliament as a 28 year old contesting the multi member Nuwara-Eliya - Maskeliya constituency in 1977.

Remains brought to Parliament today

Rohan MATHES

COLOMBO: The late Anura Bandaranaike’s mortal remains will be taken to Parliament in Kotte today where it will lie in State from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Thereafter, his remains will be taken to the Bandaranaike ancestral home in Horagolla Walawwa and will be kept there until the funeral scheduled for Wednesday, where his body will be placed in the family Mausoleum alongside his parents.

Meanwhile on hearing of the demise of his close and long-standing friend President Mahinda Rajapaksa rushed to Visumpaya to pay his last respects and inquire into the funeral arrangements.

President Rajapaksa has directed all his Ministers, Parliamentarians and party members to look into every detail of the funeral arrangements and extend all assistance wherever possible, sources further said.