COLOMBO, Aug 15: Sri Lanka’s assassinated foreign minister was given a state funeral on Monday as Colombo vowed to honour a truce despite blaming Tamil Tiger rebels for the murder and demanding a review of the peace process.
The coffin of Lakshman Kadirgamar was taken for cremation at the Independence Square park where President Chandrika Kumaratunga made an unannounced appearance and joined foreign dignitaries for the ceremony.
Thousands of police and heavily armed soldiers cordoned off the park where Kadirgamar was to be cremated at sunset on a wood pyre covered with white cotton sheets according to Buddhist funeral rites.
His coffin, draped with the Sri Lankan Lion flag, was taken in an open hearse along the mile-long route to the cremation site.
Cabinet ministers and foreign delegations from 12 countries were in attendance.
Pakistan was represented by Foreign Minister Khurshid Kasuri.
Kumaratunga responded to Kadirgamar’s murder on Friday by imposing a state of emergency that allowed police and security forces to detain scores of people in and around the capital.
However, investigations have made little headway, officials said.
“I will redouble the efforts of my government for the devolution of power (with minority communities) based on dialogue, dialogue with all parties,” Kumaratunga said in a televised speech on Sunday night.—Agencies
COLOMBO, Aug 15: Sri Lanka’s assassinated foreign minister was given a state funeral on Monday as Colombo vowed to honour a truce despite blaming Tamil Tiger rebels for the murder and demanding a review of the peace process.
