Military parade for Kumaratunge postponed

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 23 November 2005, 14:32 GMT]
A farewell military parade by all three armed forces to the outgoing Sri Lanka President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge has been postponed indefinitely as heavy rains flooded the main parade field of the army head quarters, military sources said.

The parade was organised by the Chief of the Defence services Admiral Daya Sandagiri to give the outgoing President a ceremonial send off as she had been serving as the Commander-in Chief for the armed forces for the past eleven years.

Ms Kumaratunge was the longest serving President who was also the Commander in Chief of the armed forces after late J.R.Jayawardena for two consecutive terms in SriLanka.

Today's postponement of the parade came as a big dissapointment for the out going President as she expected to have a ceremonial exit from her office today. She had commented to her close circle of friends that she wanted to leave her office and the official residence known as President's House with dignity, sources said.

Meanwhile, the new President Mahinda Rajapakse had offered his predecessor the option to stay in the official residence until she finds a suitable residence for her.

The new President still occupies the Prime Minister's official residence `Temple Trees.'