Many locals who had occasion to visit the diplomatic mission of a powerful ‘red’ country in recent times had been surprised to find a portrait of the former strongman prominently displayed on a wall in the mission office. 

A purohita in yahapalanaya during a visit to this diplomatic mission had openly expressed surprise at the prominent display of the portrait of the former head of State as something unusual. And a mandarin at the mission had immediately reacted with the quip: “Regimes may change. But we don’t forget our friends!”

This portrait took centre-stage again when reports said that it had suddenly gone missing from the wall it was hung on quite recently.

Some sources say that the portrait was removed on orders from above. Of course, mandarins at the missions are tight-lipped about it. 

However, some JO members believe that the removal of the portrait could be the response to tales carried to the top leaders of the powerful country that JO had begun getting pally with the closest neighbour.