11:33 AM

Govt’s denial of security caused Janaka’s death - Ranil

UNP and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe told Parliament yesterday that the assassination of Maj. General Janaka Perera on Monday was a result of the Government’s neglect and its denial of adequate security even when it was well known that the LTTE posed a grave threat to his life.

"Janaka Perera was an officer of the army who had defeated terrorists in many battles. He was totally opposed to separatism and stood to protect the territorial integrity of country. He performed an excellent service in the army and was one of the officerwho had contributed to its modernization and was know to have protected human rights while fighting against the LTTE," he said.

Wickremesinghe said the UNP had requested that Janaka Perera should be made the Defence Secretary as he was an officer whose integrity and capabilities made him the ideal person for that post. However, the government had refused to give him adequate security when he joined the UNP and handed in his nomination to contest the North Central Provincial Council election and Janaka Perera had to seek redress from Courts to get security but even the security ordered by the Court was not provided, he said.

Producing a letter sent to the Anuradhapura police by the office of the Leader of the Opposition of the North Central Province, he said the police had not given security for the meeting on Monday, though the DIG, NCP had said that Janaka Perera had not asked for police security for Monday’s event. However, immediately after the incident the DIG had made a statement that it was the work of a LTTE suicide bomber, he said.

Ranil Wickremesinghe said he had no confidence in any investigation conducted by the police or by the government and asked for a recognized foreign police inquiry into the assassination of Janaka Perera, since there was a grave doubt whether the government would hold an impartial inquiry into the assassination.

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