President Kumaratunga sends condolences to Russia

[November 25, 2003 - 8.45 GMT]

President Kumaratunga in a letter of condolence to the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin expressed deepest sympathies on behalf of Sri Lanka, “to the injured, to the relatives of the deceased and those who witnessed this traumatic event”.

A fire possibly caused by an electrical fault swept through a dormitory of the People’s Friendship University in Moscow, yesterday, killing 32 foreign students and injuring 139 others. Among the casualties were students from China, Bangladesh, Vietnam and a number of African countries.

One Sri Lankan student died in the inferno while three others were injured.

[Full text of the letter]

His Excellency Vladimir Putin,
The President of the Russian Federation
103132, Moscow
Staraya, Ploshad, 4
Russia. 

25^th November 2003

Your Excellency,

I am deeply saddened to hear of the fire disaster in a dormitory of the People’s Friendship University in Moscow. At this moment in time, I learn thirty-six people have lost their lives in the inferno and several have been hospitalised.

I understand that most of the victims are from Asian and African countries, and one of the deceased is a Sri Lankan student and that there are two Sri Lankans among the injured.

Since the early sixties this prestigious University in Moscow has been very popular among Sri Lankan students. This institution of higher learning has since its inception helped scores of deserving students from the developing world to acquire an education.

On behalf of all Sri Lankans please convey my heartfelt sympathies to the injured, to the relatives of the deceased and those who witnessed this traumatic event.

Yours sincerely,

Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga

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Last Updated Date: November 25, 2003  -8.45 GMT.