MESSAGE OF CONDOLENCE
The late Hon. Anura Bandaranayake is a legend. He was very kind affectionate and friendly and also very frank and out spoken.
I knew him personally since 1977 when he entered Parliament as a 28 years old youth and the youngest of the lot representing the three member constituency of Nuwara-Eliya, along with the late Hon. Gamini Dissanayake and the late Hon. S. Thondaman. Both of us were in the opposition at that time. He could become a seasoned debater because of the frequent nagging he received from the Government benches. What I had to admire in him was the boldness with which he faced the seasoned seniors in Parliament.
He was in a very envious position of having been one, whose both parents were Prime Ministers of Sri Lanka and the mother the world’s fist Premier. The added pride is that he was the only brother of an Executive President.
I have had a number of one to one meetings with him and discussed the ethnic issue of ours. He was very supportive of my views in this matter and very strongly believed in maximum devolution to the regions. The fact that he was elected unanimously as speaker of the 2000 Parliament is an additional feather on his cap. His succeeding the late Hon. A. Amirthalingam as the Leader of the Opposition is yet another. Had he not lost his father at the tender age of 9, we would have had an entirely different “Anura”.
His demise is a greet loss to the nation. I express my deepest condolences to both his sisters in particular and to all his relatives, constituents and friends as well. Let his soul rest in Peace.
V. Anandasangaree,
President – TULF.
