Maj. Gen. Janaka Perara's body kept for four hours at Ratmalana - UNP
2008-10-08 16:07:57

UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake told journalists today that the convoy carrying the body of Late Major General (Rtd) Janaka Perera to Anuradhapura was kept waiting for four hours at the Ratmalana airport.

Mr. Attanayake said he requested Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickramanayake to make arrangements to fly Major Gen. Perera's body to Colombo and was provided an aircraft as requested.

Yesterday, Mr. Attanayake had called Prime Minister Wickramanayake again to ask for a helicopter to transport the body back to Anuradhapura. Mr. Wickramanayake had told him that he contacted the Air Force Commander and made the necessary arrangements, he said.

However when the convoy carrying the body went to the Ratmalana airport today they were kept waiting for four hours because they didn't have written permission, Mr. Attanayake said.

The last time, they brought the body to Colombo without permission, and this time they were not informed that approval would be necessary, he said.

Mr. Attanayake expressed his displeasure over the treatment given to Major Gen. Janaka Perera, who he said was a national hero.

But, the Prime Minister told Parliament that according to the air force instructions the body should have been handed over to the air force at the funeral parlour and since the body had been taken to Ratmalana the body was not accepted. .