"Assist us apprehend Kadirgamar's killers" Police Chief urges Public
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chandra Silva today urged the public to assist the police in apprehending the killers of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar. The IGP noted that the police have already received several leads, with regard to the killers, including their fingerprints. "We have also recovered some ammunition, a pair of slippers and some food items, we believe belong to the killers," he said. Adding that the assassins had fled towards the South of Colombo after firing at Minister Kadirgamar. He also called upon the public to be 'extra vigilant', and immediately inform the police if they spot any suspicious persons.
Lakshman Kadirgamar - Larger than Life even in death-
Bandula Jayasekara in Colombo, State funeral on Monday. The State funeral of the late Minister of Foreign Affairs Lakshman Kadirgamar will be held on Monday 15th August 2005 at 3 pm at the Independence Square, Colombo 7. Monday 15th August has been declared a Day of National Mourning. Today at 2 p.m his remains were brought to his official residence 117 Wijerama Mawatha Colombo 7. His remains were taken over by the Sri Lanka Army guard at the residence in the presence of Mrs. Kadirgamar, close relations, foreign ministry staff, Kadirgamar cabinet colleagues and friends.
It was a very somber mood today at the usually active and lively Kadirgamar residence today. His Army Commandoes were speechless, His much loved office staff and the foreign ministry officials and his personal staff were tearful. Many of them couldn't hide their tears. One young ministry official said how the minister had inquired about his exam results recently. He said they would never get a person like Kadirgamar. He said "He is one in a million" Sadness was written all over their faces. Mrs. Kadirgamar stood in silence with Minister Ferial Ashraff who lost her husband.
Many ordinary people, soldiers, monks and others came to pay their tribute to a man larger than life. Prime Minister, Indian High Commissioner, cabinet colleagues were also there to pay their respects. A senior Army Colonel could not hide his tears. The man they respected, the man they looked up to Lakshman Kadirgamar was silent today. A Senior Police officer and a former bodyguard said "We learned a lot from him. About life and even English" The burly officer turned away from me to hide the teardrops. Lakshman Kadirgamar affectionaly known as LK, Kadir is truly larger than life, even in his death.
Truly a vicious terrorist attack- EU
EU Commissioner Ferrero- Waldner says assassination of Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was a truly a vicious terrorist act and its perpetrators must be brought to justice. He says " I am particularly saddened because I see the clear intention of the killers is to restart conflict and to rob the worthy people of Sri Lanka of the peace". The Commissioner also says that this senseless murder robs Sri Lanka of a man of great stature and dignity who had dedicated himself to finding a peaceful and democratic solution to his country's ills. He will be greatly missed. He says "We must all honour the passing of Foreign Minister Kadirgamar by continuing his work for peace and maintaining the ceasefire.
Meanwhile the Canadian Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew said "I am shocked and saddened to learn of the assassination of Foreign Minister Kadirgamar. This is an unconscionable act committed against a member of the Sri Lankan government. On behalf of all Canadians, I extend my deepest sympathy to his family and all Sri Lankans."
Governments worldwide condemn slaying of Sri Lankan foreign minister
Governments worldwide on Saturday condemned the assassination of Sri Lanka's foreign minister as an act of terror, but urged the country to keep calm and not let the slaying drag the nation back into civil war. Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar, 73, was fatally shot in the chest and head Friday night after a swim at his house in the capital, Colombo. Sri Lanka's military blamed the killing on the Tamil Tiger rebels, who denied any involvement. The killing threatened to derail a fragile peace process between the government and the Tigers, who fought for two decades for an independent homeland for ethnic minority Tamils in the country's northeast.
Both sides have maintained a cease-fire, brokered by Norway in 2002.
``The murder puts the peace process in Sri Lanka to a serious test,'' said Norway's foreign minister, Jan Peterson.
``It's a big, big blow to the cease-fire and the whole peace process, irrespective of who is behind this,'' said Hagrup Haukland, who heads a group of European cease-fire monitors.
Governments across the world condemned the killing.
``This senseless murder was a vicious act of terror,'' said U.S. Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice. Neighboring India, which supplies most of Sri Lanka's military and development aid, called it a ``terrorist crime'' and promised any help Colombo might need in tackling the crisis.
European Union Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero Waldner said the slaying was an attempt to deprive Sri Lankans of peace and prosperity. ``I see the clear intention of the killers is to restart the conflict,'' he said.
There were many appeals to keep the peace process on track.
``This heinous act of terrorism must not be allowed to derail efforts to bring peace,'' said Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer. Rice said she knew Kadirgamar as a man who had worked hard for peace. ``Together, we must honor his memory by rededicating ourselves to peace and ensuring that the cease-fire remains in force,'' she said in statement released in Washington. Sri Lanka's President Chandrika Kumaratunga declared a state of emergency Saturday, but the government said it would not unilaterally violate the cease-fire with the Tigers.
However, some expressed doubts. ``The fact that the president imposed an emergency shows the pressure the government has come under to respond to the killings,'' said Nirupama Subramaniam, an India-based analyst tracking Sri Lanka's peace process. ``Any strong military response could actually upset the cease-fire.'' The neighboring Maldives said it was ``concerned that the peace process might suffer.'' Government-rebel tensions have been rising after a surge of clashes in Sri Lanka's volatile east. Many fear that any further escalation could not only threaten the peace process but also derail reconstruction in tsunami-ravaged areas. The Dec. 26 tsunami killed at least 31,000 people in Sri Lanka.
Condolences also poured in from the governments of Britain, Austria, South Korea, Bangladesh, South Africa and Switzerland. The soft-spoken, Oxford-educated Kadirgamar was a personal friend of many leaders in those countries.
``His death also comes as a great personal loss,'' said M. Morshed Khan, foreign minister Bangladesh.
State of Emergency and a Period of National Mourning
The President has declared a state of emergency to safeguard the national security and declared a period of national mourning in Sri Lanka, after the assassination of respected Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar Presidential Spokesman Harm Pieris told The Lanka Academic.
Pieris said after declaring the state of emergency the security forces have been put on high alert. He also said the forces have and would carry out cordon and search operations and they are already pursuing some suspects.
