6.4.2008
Sunil C. Perera in Colombo
Chief
Organiser of the government and Minister of Highways Jeyaraj
Fernandopulle was killed in an LTTE suicide bomb attack
this morning. The blast occurred at around 7.30 am while
the Minister was at a marathon race in a Weliveriya.
Sources
say the Minister arrived at the starting point of the
Marathon to give the starting signal when the blast occurred.
Police say the Minister was killed at the site and 11
others have also been killed. 99 persons were injured
in this morning’s blast.
Hospital
sources say 92 persons are receiving treatment at the
Gampaha District Hospital. The condition of ten is critical.
Three patients have been transferred to the Ragama Hospital.
Four others are receiving treatment at the Accident Ward
of the Colombo National Hospital.
The
post-mortem has been conducted on the Minister and preparations
have been made to convey the body to Colombo. The bodies
of seven persons have been identified by their relatives.
Marathon runner K.A. Karunarathne and National Athletic
Coach Lakshman De Alwis are among those killed.
The
office of Gampaha A.S.P. says the head believed to be
that of the suicide bomber has been found. Police spokesman
DIG N.K. Ilangakoon says special security arrangements
have been made centering the site of the blast and search
operations are being conducted around Weliveriya. IGP
Victor Perera toured the site of the blast.
Minister
Jeyaraj Fernandopulle was a father of two and aged 55
at the time of his assassination. He was born on 11th
January 1953 and received his primary and secondary education
at Ave-Maria Convent and Maris Stella College in Negombo.
Passing out from the Sri Lanka Law College, his legal
career commenced in 1977.
In
1983 he was appointed as the Organizer in the electorate
of Katana for the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. He was elected
to Parliament from the Gampaha District in 1989. In 1994
he was elected as a Member of Parliament for the second
time and was the Deputy Minister of Finance, Ethnic Affairs
and National Integration. In 1997 he was appointed as
the Minister of Plan Implementation and Parliamentary
Affairs. In 2000 he was appointed the Minister of Civil
Aviation, Tourism and Christian Religion Affairs. In 2004
Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle was appointed the Minister
of Trade and chief government whip of parliament.
The
late minister is renowned as a leader committed to enhance
ethnic relations between Sinhalese, Tamils and Muslims.
He is also noted as a Minister who frequently kept in
touch with the media regarding current developments. The
late Minister gave his final comments to the SLBC at around
6.50 this morning regarding the eastern provincial election
while travelling to Weliveriya for the Marathon race.
In
a message of condolence Minister of Information and Mass
Media Anura Priyadarshana Yapa says the untimely demise
of Minister ernandopulle creates a huge void in the country’s
political arena in addition to being a great loss to the
country. The Minister appreciated the role played by the
late Minister in solving the ethnic issue and advancing
the Sri Lanka Freedom Party. The Minister added that the
need of this moment is to take forward the attempts of
Minister Fernandopulle and eradicate terrorism. The Presidential
Secretariat says the final rites of Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle
will be conducted with state honors. President Mahinda
Rajapakse has directed relevant units in this regard.
Courtesy - Asian
Tribune