Buddhist rituals mark Kadirgamar's State Funeral

[TamilNet, Monday, 15 August 2005, 15:55 GMT]
The funeral of slain Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar was held with full state honours at the Independence Square at 6 p.m. Monday. Late Kadirgamer's son Ravi lit the funeral pyre after sunset according to Buddhist tradition. Several thousand people paid their last respects as the remains of kadirgamar was taken in procession to the Independence Square from his official residence at the Wijerama Mawatha. From the beginning of the drive of the Independence square to the venue where the funeral orations were made by the religious leaders and the Prime minister on behalf of the Sri Lanka government, the military parade accompanied the cortage.



President Chandrika Bandaranaike kumaratunge was present at the Independence square and was seen consoling the wife of late kadirgamar Suganthi Kadirgamar who was sitting next to her.

Premier Mahinda Rajapakse in his speech said that Lakshman Kadirgamar believed in the integrity of Sri lanka and said Mr Kadirgamar was a true son of the soil.

Many parliamentarians including the leader of the Opposition and the Presidential candidate of the United National Party (UNP) Ranil Wickremesinghe were present at the Independence square.

Meanwhile, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA) Parliamentarian Selvam Adaikalanathan speaking to TamilNet said the reimposition of Emergency Regulations is causing hardship to Tamil civilians. Mr Adaikalanathan added that declaration of emergency has also created a fear psychosis among the Tamil people, raising the spectre of excesses of Security forces who will have widespread powers to arrest and detain civilians.

He also condemned the Sri Lanka Government for accusing the LTTE in connection with the assasination of Kadirgamar without producing any evidence.