Abeyweera was murdered in front of his office in Trincomalee

Deascribing the killing of Chief Secretary of the Province, HM Herath Abeyweera, as a cowardly assassination, Rajapaksa says the killing 'further strengthens our resolve not to give in to the forces of terror.

Abeyweera has served 15 years as Ampara Dictrict Secretary prior to his appointment as the head of the Eastern Secretariat.

LTTE accused

The new Secretariat was formed after the Supreme Court ruled that the temporary merger of the north and the east was against Sri Lanka's constitution.

	President has accused LTTE of killing his top official in the east

"He performed a great service for the entire East under most difficult conditions, in view of the separatist terrorism waged by the LTTE, which always sought to disrupt the civil administration," a statement issued by the presidential secretariat said.

"It is most regrettable that at a time when steps are being taken to restore democracy in the East, the country has lost a public officer of his calibre".

Abeyweera was fatally shot on Monday evening at the Eastern Secretariat premises in Trincomalee, police said.

He was leaving the office when assailants shot him at the Secretariat in Inner Harbour Road.