malkavi said:
Govt. declines request for helicopter to take remains of Maj. Gen. Janaka Perera & wife
LankaTruth 08th Oct: 2008, 03.05 AM
As a result of the government's last minute refusal to lend a helicopter the remains of slain Maj. Gen. Janaka Perera and his wife could not be flown to Anuradhapura though arrangements had been made to fly the remains to Anuradhapura today at 9.30 a.m. says Secretary General of the UNP Tissa Attanayake.
On a request made by him to the Prime Minister a helicopter was promised and the remains were taken to Ratmalana Airport at 9.00 a.m. said the Secretary General of the UNP. However, the airport authorities refused to take in the remains to the airport premises stating that no instructions had been given by the Ministry of Defense and no helicopter had been assigned for the mission.
Mr. Attanayake said he had obtained permission from the Air Force Commander yesterday for the helicopter flight. However, the funeral organizing committee has now decided to take the remains by road said Mr. Attanayake adding that the action of the government is an insult to a dead war hero.