Pivithuru Hela Urumaya leader and former Minister Udaya Gammanpila said yesterday (`6) that the departure of United States Ambassador to Sri Lanka Julie Chung should be celebrated by the public.

Speaking at a press briefing, Gammanpila marked the occasion by eating milk rice, which he described as a way of celebrating the Ambassador’s departure.

“The American Ambassador who was a curse to Sri Lanka is set to leave the country. The joy of ending that curse is what I was celebrating by eating milk rice,” he said.

He added that the entire country should “celebrate by eating milk rice and beating tambourines.”

In a farewell statement marking the conclusion of her tenure, Ambassador Chung expressed gratitude to the people of Sri Lanka and said she was proud of what had been achieved during her time in Colombo, noting continued cooperation between Sri Lanka and the United States.

Ambassador Chung officially concluded her tenure yesterday (16).