DEATH ANNIVERSARIES of two world-renowned Tamil intellectuals and peace crusaders, Lakshman Kadirgamar and Kethesh Loganathan who vehemently voiced against Tiger terrorism and favored a “home spun” solution to the terrorism in Sri Lanka fall on 12th August.
The LTTE’s fiendish thirst for blood removed both of them from our midst when both those great gentlemen were in their respective homes in Colombo 7 and Dehiwala on 12th August. Mr Kadirgamar passed away in 2005 and Mr Loganathan in 2006. Both were shot in their homes and died in Colombo National Hospital on the same day.
Mr Kadirgamar’s third death anniversary comes at a time his dream for a united Sri Lanka under one National Flag is reaching its fruition, decimating terrorism from the northern theater of violence. Special alms-giving ceremonies to mark his death anniversary take place at Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International Relations on Green Path and his residence attended by his widow, Mrs Sugandi Kadirgamar.
Mr Kethesh Loganathan’s second death anniversary comes at a time Tigers after repeated appeals are continuing their armed fight, moving away from the table of negotiations.
Mr Lakshman Kadirgamar, the exemplary statesman par excellence was Sri Lanka’s former Minister of Foreign Affairs who tirelessly undertook the task of combating the world’s most ruthless terrorist organization after unmasking gruesome atrocities, perpetrated by Tiger terrorists on their own Tamil community, both here and overseas.
“The savages have killed him; simply because they were afraid of him. He was neither a commander of the army nor a war specialist; merely the minister for foreign affairs of Sri Lanka. This 73 year old elderly man was killed because he, of all people, exposed the cruel activities of the so called Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) to the whole world. And this killing proves once more that true to Mr. Kadiragamar’s words, the picture that the LTTE had painted, as an almighty organization is entirely false since they haven’t got the courage even to accept responsibility for the murder, fearing international outrage. Everybody should take a stand against racism. But racism, by LTTE’s definition is only the alleged pressure imposed on the Tamil minority by the Sinhala people. And it seems ironic that the self elected “Liberator of the Tamil people” had slain all other Tamil leaders who took a stand opposing against their dictatorship, including Mr. Kadiragamar. Not to mention the hundreds and thousands of Muslims they have killed over time. And how can the LTTE define these cowardly acts as measures taken towards liberation? We should also take in to account The Sri Lanka Monitory Mission (SLMM) which, all this time was merely being a spectator of what’s going on, just sitting there comfortably, merely watching, like this was a game of football, which is an utter disgrace to the word “Monitory” The Media, mainly the local media which has been assigned the supreme task of enlightening the people is trying a desperate, though unsuccessful mission of overshadowing the common sense of the people by trying to hide from them, the truth that is so obvious, as to the murderers of this role model. For all people who elect to keep silent over these inhuman acts of LTTE outlaws, should keep in mind the poem written by Rev. Martin Nimolar First they came for the Communists, and I didn’t speak up, because I wasn’t a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up, because I wasn’t a Jew. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn’t speak up, because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up for me. by Rev. Martin Niemoller, 1945 Luxman Kadiragamar was a Tamil national, but he spoke not only for the Tamil people nor just the Sri Lankans, but for all Asians who are under constant shadow of terrorism. And in the end these forces that he fought all his life, took him down, and once again, terrorism won. But it’s not only Mr. Kadirgamar who lost, for this is a major defeat of democracy, equality and ethnic co-existence. In any war, one side will win, the other side, eventually will loose. But what’s important in a war is the way, the methods, the tactics and most importantly, the objectives the war was fought for. In that sense, though Mr. Kadirgamar lost his war, his vision, his goals and his sheer courage will inspire generations to come. And that’s why Mr. Luxman Kadiragamar is a true hero of our times…….”
The second death anniversary of Mr Kethesh Loganathan, one of the contemporary Tamil intellectuals who at the time of his demise was serving as Deputy Secretary General of the Secretariat for Coordinating the Peace Process (SCOPP) is marked with religious observances. He was gunned down by a lone terrorist of the LTTE pistol gang.
Mr Loganathan had a long history of commitment towards the peace process in Sri Lanka and he joined the SCOPP as its Deputy Secretary General, resigning from his post as Director of the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and Head of its Conflict and Peace Analysis Unit. He had wide experience in research and analysis as well as communication and journalism. After taking his appointment in the SCOPP, he played a pivotal role in the All Party Representation Committee (APRC) providing secretariat support to its deliberations.The LTTE killed this intellectual and the firm believer of a peaceful resolution to the national question since Tigers were threatened and on the way to isolation due to deliberations of the APRC and united efforts of the government to find out a permanent solution.
Mr Loganathan had a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Georgetown University, Washington DC and a MA in Development Studies from the Institute of Social Studies, Hague in the Netherlands. Mr Loganathan was 54 years old when he was felled by the terrorist bullet.
(Courtesy : Sri Lanka Army )