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Farewell Comrade Fidel: Lanka pays tribute
View(s):Cuba’s historic revolutionary leader Fidel Castro died Friday aged 90, after defying the United States during a half-century of iron-fisted rule and surviving the eclipse of global communism. One of the world’s longest-serving rulers and modern history’s most singular characters, Castro defied 11 US administrations and hundreds of assassination attempts.
His younger brother, President Raul Castro, announced the news shortly after midnight (0500 GMT Saturday) but gave no details of the cause of death.
Sri Lanka yesterday joined the world in paying tribute to Mr. Castro with President Maithripala Sirisena, within minutes of the death, tweeting a message “The iconic leader of an era of revolution bids farewell to the world. Rest in peace, Comrade Fidel Castro.”
Sri Lanka’s Communist Party while expressing shock, hailed Mr. Castro as the outstanding champion of the battle against imperialism.
The party’s General Secretary D.E.W. Gunasekara who met Comrade Fidel on two occasions in Havana, said Mr. Castro had left an unimaginable footprint in modern history.
He thanked Comrade Fidel for taking the initiative to set up diplomatic ties with Sri Lanka and for sending the equally legendary Che Guevara to Sri Lanka.
Parliamentarians across the board came together yesterday to pay tribute Mr. Castro.Members of all parties thanked him for his close ties with Sri Lanka and his commitment to the Non-Aligned Movement.