Opposition leader Ranil Wickremesinghe says the fact that the killing of Major General (Retd) Janaka Perera in October 2008 was not mentioned by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in his address to the nation on Friday suggested that the government should take responsibility for the assassination. In his broadcast speech, the President had given a list of examples of an international conspiracy to tarnish the government’s image.
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| Mr. Wickremesinghe serving dana to the monks at Mihintale yesterday. Pic by Athula Bandara |
The Opposition leader made his comment after participating in a religious ceremony held in memory of Major General (Rtd) Janaka Perera and others who died in a suicide bomb blast three months ago. The ceremony took place at the Mihintale Sanchi Viharaya.
“The president says an international conspiracy to bring the government into disrepute was behind the assassination of Mr. Joseph Pararajasingham, the bombing of the Jaffna-based Udayan newspaper office, the abduction of and assault on a journalist of an English newspaper after the liberation of Toppigala, the assassination of Parliamentarian T. Maheswaran, the arson attack on the Sirasa media institute, and the assassination of Mr. Lasantha Wickramatunga. However, since he does not say such a thing about the assassination of Mr. Janaka Perera, it is confirmed that the government should take responsibility for it,” Mr. Wickremesinghe he said.
Mr. Wickremesinghe said Major-General Perera had dedicated his life to the country, first as a senior Army officer and then as a politician. “In 1983, Major-General Perera was among the first officers in the three armed forces to receive anti-terrorist training. At the time, the LTTE was also training its men. It was pioneer military officers like Mr. Perera who empowered our Army to confront the LTTE,” he said.
Commenting on the alleged international conspiracy to tarnish the government’s image, Mr. Wickremesinghe said the government should say what country or persons were involved in the said conspiracy. “If those incidents are being called an international conspiracy, then reveal the country involved. Why not lodge a complaint with the United Nations?” he asked. | 
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