The Sri Lankan Government and Opposition both expressed condolence, in Parliament today, regarding the death of Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years as a prisoner in South Africa for opposing apartheid, then emerged to become his country’s first black president.
Among the leaders offering condolences were Leader of the House and Irrigation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva and Opposition Leader Ranil Wickramasinghe.
Mandela who had spent almost three months in a Pretoria hospital after being admitted in June with a recurring lung infection died at his Johannesburg home on Thursday at the age of 95.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa, in a condolence message as Chair in Office of the Commonwealth, described the late Nelson Mandela as an iconic figure who has left an indelible mark globally.
“His life and philosophy have deeply inspired me and I consider President Mandela’s demise a great loss to me personally,” he said.
In Washington, President Obama called him one of the “most influential, courageous and profoundly good” people to ever have lived.
