Kadirgamar a hero of our times- President
President Chandrika Kumaratunga was deeply saddened to learn of the assassination of
Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar late last night. While condemning this act of
terror the President states that her Government will not be bowed by such heinous acts
of violence and will spare no effort to bring the perpetrators of this dastardly act to justice.
A state of National Emergency has been declared to facilitate enhanced security
measures and effective investigations of this act of wanton terror.
Lakshman Kadirgamar was a national leader who combined intellectual vigour, political
courage and personal integrity of the highest calibre. He was deeply committed to a
political settlement that upholds pluralism and democracy within a united Sri Lanka.
During the eleven year tenure of his leadership of Sri Lankan foreign policy, the nation
achieved incomparable success in its international relations, which culminated in the
LTTE being proscribed in many foreign countries.
He was a hero of our times. He waged a relentless struggle against terrorism in all its
forms, despite continuous threats to his life.
Lakshman Kadirgamar was felled by political foes opposed to the peaceful transformation
of conflict and who were determined to undermine attempts towards a negotiated political
solution to the ethnic conflict.
President Kumaratunga shares in the sorrow and extends to Ms.Kadirgamar and
members of Minister Kadirgamar’s family her personal and the nation’s deepest
sympathies at this time of grief. The President has declared a period of national
mourning in honour of the late Minister.
The President today appointed a funeral committee headed by Minister Ratnasiri
Wickremanayake.
The President appeals for calm and restraint in the face of this grave and cowardly attack
on Sri Lanka.