"The LTTE has repeated its brutality targeting 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" said the President while condemning the LTTE suicide attack which killed Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle and 12 others this morning.

Our thoughts first go to the family of Mr. Fernandopulle and to the families of all others who were also killed and injured in this act of savagery, whose grief we share with them", the President was further quoted in his condolence message.

Statement by President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the assassination of Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle.

I emphatically and unequivocally condemn the cowardly assassination of Mr. Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, Minister of Highways and Road Construction and Chief Government Whip, by the terrorists of the LTTE, earlier today,

Our thoughts first go to the family of Mr. Fernandopulle and to the families of all others who were also killed and injured this act of savagery, whose grief we share with them.

Minister Jeyaraj 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. Jeyaraj Fernandopulle.

Courtesy - Policy Research & Information Unit- Presidential Secretariat