No national day of mourning for Ratnasiri

Thursday, 29 December 2016 08:10 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Sri Lanka’s former president Mahinda Rajapakse, (R), Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan (L) and Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya (C) attend the funeral of former Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake at Parliament in Colombo on 28 December 2016 - AFP

Parliamentarians paid their last respects to veteran politician Ratnasiri Wickremanayake when his remains were brought to the Parliament Complex yesterday morning. The funeral of the two-time Prime Minister will be held on 31 December, in his hometown Horana, his son Vidura Wickremanayake said - Pix by Ruwan Walpola

The Home Affairs Ministry yesterday confirmed that the Government will not declare 30 December as a national day of mourning for former Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayake.

The Government previously declared 31 December and then 30 December, as a national day of mourning as a mark of respect for the late premier who passed away on Tuesday at a private hospital in Colombo.

Ministry Spokesman Asanga Jayalath said that plans were underway to present a Cabinet paper declaring a day of mourning but the decision was later suspended.

However, President Maithripala Sirisena has instructed that the funeral should be held under State-sponsorship. The funeral of the former premier is scheduled to be held in Horana on 31 December.

Sources said that a national day of mourning is accorded only in the event of the death of a sitting Prime Minister. The confusion arose after the Government declared a period of mourning when legendary musician Pandit Amaradeva passed away earlier this year and was accorded a State-sponsored funeral.