Labor and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara paid last respects to the body of Anula Rathnayake, a nurse who died in Israel, at her home in Eriyavetti this afternoon.
Speaking to the media, the minister said:
Anula Rathnayake is a nurse who did her duty properly. Today I expressed the condolences of our government, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Government of Israel to Anula’s relatives. All compensation due to Anula will be given in the same way. If it is necessary for our workers working in Israel to stay there, we are ready to bring them home at any time, but so far no one has expressed a desire to return.
We are getting information that the people in the war zones are in safe places, but not only in Israel, but even the Sri Lankan workers who are working in the neighboring countries, if there is any danger from the war, we have prepared all the necessary arrangements to bring them to this country. No matter in Israel or in any country in the world, death comes to us according to the life we have brought. We don’t like war.
I do not approve of giving visas to Sri Lankans who currently do not have visas in Israel. I saw that news being spread in the media. It is illegal to issue visas to those who have left this country and stayed illegally in israel. I do not approve of the country’s ambassador intervening and granting visas to the illegal workers we have filed cases against
They consider Anula Rathnayake as a heroine who died in the war of that country. Anula was the first woman to send her dead body to Gauwachara, naming her as a heroine of the country who served under the national flags of two countries.