Condolence Messages

Jeyaraj a great personality - Media and Information Minister

Colombo: Me- dia and Information Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa yesterday expressed his deepest condolences on the death of Highways and Road Development Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle whom he described as a great and leading political character in the history of Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.

"Fernandopulle who clearly understood his epochal political role expressed his views in a logical and experienced manner and the untimely demise of this erstwhile colleague is a matter of great sorrow to me personally and to the people of Sri Lanka in general," the Minister said.

He said: "Fernandopulle who dedicated himself from his youth for the progress and welfare of the SLFP, had sterling qualities and a great political future before him. He served all strata of society equally without any discrimination as to race or religion. He was a true people-friendly leader who came forward to help out the SLFP in difficult situations without any hesitation.

The leadership qualities shown by him were most praiseworthy and the void created by his demise could not be easily filled.

In his capacity as SLFP Treasurer, Government Chief Whip and Highways and Road Development Minister, he played many important roles and was a tower of strength to the President.

The services rendered by him will be etched in the history of this country in letters of gold.

Fernandopulle who understood the need to wipe out terrorism from this country fearlessly took a leading role in this task and his death would expose the nature of cruel terrorism to his whole world.

The LTTE terrorists through this barbaric bomb explosion carried out during a sports event killed children and sports personalities as well defied the internationally accepted human sports norms and this should engage the special attention of the international community.

On this sad occasion I wish to express my deepest sympathies to Mrs. Fernandopulle and her two children.

May he rest in peace."

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UN condemns attack

UN: The United Nations condemned the suicide attack in Colombo during a sporting event and offered its sympathies to the families of the victims which include Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and several well-known athletes among the 15 dead.

The United Nations condemned all violence and indiscriminate attacks against civilians in Sri Lanka.

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...... and Bangladesh

DHAKA: Bangladesh on Monday condemned the assassination of Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle by terrorists.

"It was a cowardly act of terrorism that we strongly condemn. Our prayers are with the families of Fernandopulle and others who lost their lives in the incident," Bangladeshi caretaker government Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said in a message. He also expressed his sympathies to the Government and the families of those killed in the attack.

Committed to public service - Amarapura Maha Sangha Sabha

The President of Sri Lanka Amarapura Maha Sangha Sabha Aggamahapanditha Ven. Kotugoda Dammawasa Nayake Thera with superior patriot of Sri Lanka Amarapura Maha Nikaya Aggamahapanditha Davuldena Sri Gnanissara Thera and other Nayake Theras in a condolence message yesterday, said the late Minister Fernandopulle was committed to serve the public.

The message under the hand of Ven. Aggamaha Panditha Kotugoda Dammawasa Nayake Thera says: Minister Fernandopulle is an active leader who wanted to serve the public.

He respected Buddhism though he is a Catholic. He did a great service to the temples islandwide. All the Buddhist monks and Buddhist people respected and appreciated this great gentleman.

Fernandopulle used to meet and sought advice of the Maha Nayake Thera of Asgiri Chapter Ven. Udugama Sri Buddha Rakkitha Ratanapala Thera.

He was more popular as a politician among ordinary people in associating with lot of Buddhist monks and Catholic Bishops. The Minister dedicated his service to the young generation too.

This great leader sacrificed his life for them.

A reprehensible act of terrorism

Colombo Archbishop Rt. Rev. Dr. Oswald Gomis yesterday condemned the assassination of Minister Fernandopulle and several others including athletes at a sports event at Weliveriya on Sunday.

The Colombo Archbishop said "It is with deep regret that we learnt of the tragic death of Highways and Road Development Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and fourteen others, killed in bomb blast at Weliveriya. Many others too have been injured in the incident.

We strongly condemn this reprehensible act of terrorism and extend our deepest sympathies to the bereaved families of the Minister and all others killed in the blast, among whom are two prominent athletes. We wish safe and speedy recovery to the injured.

This is not the first time that we have witnessed such cruelty and the lost of human life which as Catholics we always consider sacred. In an ongoing process of violence, now spanning more than two decades, thousand lives have been lost. Among them were a President, Prime Minister, Ministers, Religious personages, Professionals, Scholars, Administrators, Service Personnel and ordinary citizens irrespective of race, caste, creed or social status.

With violent death claiming so many, especially among our leaders and elite, we are today virtually impoverished in terms of national leadership. The question now is - who will be the next? Is this not a serious indictment on our whole nation?

While everyone with an iota of good sense, goodwill and element of decency in this country would condemn this dastardly act and all such acts of violence, where and when are we going to find a remedy to halt these reckless killings?

Whatever may be the war efforts it is time to realise that the larger majority of our people, be they Sinhala, Tamil or other, want peace through a political solution. And peace is possible only with a dignified political solution.

It is equally important to realise that there could never be a political solution unless there is consensus and unity especially among our political and national leadership. If history ever teaches us lessons, we have only to go back to the Portuguese occupation of this country around 1505 and the British subjugation of the whole Island in 1815.

Much as we blame these colonial powers, it is our own internal conflicts that paved the way to subjugation. The situation today is not much different. Sadly today we lack political maturity, statesmanship and patriotism to place the country above partisan politics.

It is our firm hope that at least this incident which brought death to Minister Fernadopulle and others would prick the conscience of our national leadership to speedily forge consensus on a political solution so that they who died would not have died in vain.

Endeavoured to uphold democracy - Minister Amunugama

Enterprise Development and Investment Promotion Minister Dr. Sarath Amunugama in a condolence message yesterday said the late Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle endeavoured to uphold democracy in the country without expecting narrow and petty political gains.

The message: "I was shocked and saddened to hear the assassination of Highways and Roads Development Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle at a sports event at Weliveriya on Sunday. Fernanopulle who braved to express his views on various issues with bias or inclination to none, firmly stood for the uplift of democracy in the parliament and outside. He showcased exceptional mastery and leadership by playing unique role as the Chief Government Whip.

Fernandopulle who began his political career in 1970 was appointed SLFP Chief Organiser for Katana in 1984. He shouldered many responsibilities in bringing the party to the victory. He was elected to the Parliament in the 1989, 1994, 2000, 2001 and 2004 General Elections.

His service to the nation particulary in the field of Road Development cannot be obliterated from the hearts of public," the message said.

The late Minister cried for the creation of an atmosphere where people of all communities could live in peace. He won the people by putting his practical and pragmatic policies into practice. Never he hesitated to stand for truth and protest for unjust.

Irreplaceable loss - LSSP

The Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) in a message yesterday said the country has lost another national leader whose void is irreplaceable.

The LSSP whilst condemning with utmost contempt the brutal bomb-attack that took away the lives of Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and others, convey its condolences to the families of the Minister and others concerned.

Due to the delay in finding a solution to the long dragging war and the unpredictable situation that it has created, the country has been losing its national leaders and its people. Now it has lost another national leader whose void is irreplaceable.

We would point out that it is the responsibility of the Government to create the necessary environment of preventing any future occurrences of this nature by expediting the final solution to the national question which has been long delayed.

IPU appalled by assassination

In a condolence message the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) said it was appalled to learn of the death of Highways Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle in a bomb blast on Sunday.

The IPU firmly condemns this cowardly act that also took the lives of number of bystanders. Fernandopulle, who first became a Member of Parliament in 1983, was a great friend of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, and his death will be mourned by the World Parliamentary Community, the IPU said.