“Kadirgamar worked tirelessly to advance a two pronged strategy to the problem facing Sri Lanka. While vociferously supporting a relentless military campaign against the LTTE, he organised for a political solution to address the underlying causes of dissent within one undivided nation.”by Thomas Johnpulle
(November 09, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) Barack Obama has opened a can of worms everywhere in the world. A number of Sri Lankans have pointed out that Sri Lanka couldn’t produce its Obama. They blame the voters, the country and everything under the sun for that. However, they don’t blame the Tamil Tigers. In fact Sri Lanka had its Obama, a few of them to be precise. All of them were killed by the LTTE (Tamil Tigers)! The last thing Tamil Tigers want is a Obama in Sri Lanka who would invariably reconcile differences peacefully, without division of the country along racial lines and will be endowed with heaps of patriotism.
Lakshman Kadirgamar was a senior Sri Lankan politician. A Sri Lankan by nationality, a Tamil by race, he surpassed all petty boundaries of race, religion, party politics, etc. and served the country fearlessly as the Foreign Minister until he was killed by savages in 2005. He had single and every quality of Barack Obama, and was comparably educated, mannered, good-humoured and resolute. He knew what is to cease fire and what is to surrender when a country was taken for a jolly ride by terrorists (who eventually killed him) and their sympathisers under the guise of the Cease Fire Agreement (CFA). Hiding behind the CFA, LTTE built military installations, amassed weapons in the largest scale this world has ever seen from a guerrilla group and prepared for what they called the ‘Final War’. Kadirgamar was widely awake to all these atrocities and when no one could stand up and speak for the country, he stood up! Revolutionary, they say, to speak out the truth in a society engulfed in falsehood. His humility and the love of his motherland – Sri Lanka – were displayed in no little measure on a number of occasions. Once he was invited by his law school in England for a function held in his honour. Guest speakers, mindful of the fact that he entered the law school as a post graduate student, claimed that the qualifications he gained from the school were the icing on the cake. To which he humbly replied that it was the icing no doubt but the cake was baked at home in Sri Lanka!
Kadirgamar worked tirelessly to advance a two pronged strategy to the problem facing Sri Lanka. While vociferously supporting a relentless military campaign against the LTTE, he organised for a political solution to address the underlying causes of dissent within one undivided nation. It may not be a coincident that his name refers to a very famous shrine adored by both Sinhala and Tamil people where for centuries they have prayed together in complete harmony. Obama too, supports fully a military victory over terrorists; he even promised to obliterate Iran if it attacks Israel. However, he is for the resolution of political problems, politically.
Another politician who came very close to that was Jeyaraj Fernandopulle who was also killed by Tamil Tigers at a ceremony organised for the Sinhala-Tamil New Year! What a coincident for a national leader who lived and died for ethnic unity. He easily managed to amass a large number of votes from voters of all communities. He was the winning party’s national organiser at one general election and his national appeal was shown beyond doubt.
Neelan Thiruchelvam was yet another politician who stood for the country and disregarded petty racial differences. He too was killed by Tamil Tigers. In 1999 when he was killed, he was putting the finishing touches on the political solution the government was drafting to solve the ethnic problem!
Sri Lanka had not one, but three (3) Obamas and we cannot ask for more. LTTE succeeded in killing all of them so that the split they are tried to create between the Sinhala and Tamil communities would be successful. Already LTTE succeeded in genocide of Sinhalese living among Tamils. Now it is after Tamils peacefully living among the Sinhalese.
What would have happened to Barak Obama had he demanded a separate state for the blacks in America? In that case, he could not have even dreamt of becoming a Senator, let alone the President.
What would have happened had he placed his faith in violence? Probably no one would be talking about him today.
However, he, like millions of Americans, loved his country – America - dearly, and, integrated fully well into the American value system. As a result, a wide spectrum of voters passionately worked for his victory which is one of the most memorable victories of our time.
Obama can help Sri Lanka produce another replica of him by helping ethnic integration, not ethnic division; unity instead of division along racial lines; democracy instead of terrorism in the tiny island nation. However, as long as Tamil Tigers are around, no Tamil will be allowed by Tigers to sustainably integrate the Tamil community with the rest of Sri Lanka and usher in an era of peace, collectivism and patriotism. The fate of Kadirgamar will befall on a budding Obama in Lanka, again and again as long as LTTE is alive. - Sri Lanka Guardian
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