Roy Padayachie : An icon of the claims of justice

The GTF pays tribute to Comrade Roy at state funeral - South Africa

( May 12, 2012, London, Sri Lanka Guardian) The Global Tamil Forum (GTF) joined President Jacob Zuba, ministers and senior government officials of South Africa to pay tribute to the late activist and minister, Roy Padayachie, at his state funeral in Durban on Wednesday.

As one of the handful of speakers requested to address the mourners and pay tribute to the late Mr Padayachie, the GTF's spokeperson, Suren Surendiran, shared his memories of Comrade Roy, who he described as a pivotal and inspirational figure to the organisation.

Introducing the spokesperson of the GTF, Mr Suren Surendiran, South Africa's Minister Trevor Manuel said:

"Amongst the big passions in Roy's life, was a passion for justice and you've heard earlier, it was not just a passion for some in South Africa. It was about justice for all in South Africa, but also justice for people across the world. One of the people he worked closely with, in this quest for justice everywhere, is Mr Suren Surendiran, and we'd now like to ask him to join us and to share some of those moments and struggles."

Trevor Andrew Manuel (born 31 January 1956) is a South African politician, currently serving in the Cabinet of South Africa as Minister in the Presidency in charge of the National Planning Commission. Previously he was the Minister of Finance from 1996 to 2009, during the presidencies of Nelson Mandela, Thabo Mbeki and Kgalema Motlanthe; he was one of the country's longest-serving finance ministers.[1] In May 2009, he was re-assigned to head up a National Planning Commission by President Jacob Zuma shortly after the latter's inauguration.

Just as part of my introduction Trevor also announced that a tribute message was received from the Tamil National Alliance in Sri Lanka.

Earlier it was also announced that messages were received from G.L.Peiris, Sri Lanka's External Affairs Minister and MP Sajin Vaz Gunawardane.

Addressing the mourners, Mr Surendiran said,

"let me, on your behalf, salute Comrade Roy, whom I and a large number of Tamil speaking people admire so much, for his leadership, not just in this country, but throughout the Tamil diaspora for laying the foundation for Global Tamil Forum, and for his crucial and catalytic role in bringing the liberation campaign together, with a vision to follow."

"The reward he sought, as he has always said, is not recognition, nor status, nor titles, nor money but that the coming generation – who never even knew him – enjoys a better life, thanks to his courageous work. And I also want to pay my personal tribute, to his work and his leadership in achieving, by his determined action, what many thought was impossible - to internationalise, the Tamil Question."

"I recall, a personal experience, when I, with other Tamil activists came to visit you at your home, with the help of comrade Roy and comrade Sisa Njekalana during the peak of the war in Sri Lanka, back in 2009…at the end of our discussions, you very warmly shook hands with me and said and I quote - “Comrade, please go and tell your fellow comrades, as revolutionaries we will always stand by you”

The complete transcript of GTF's tribute address is follows:

Vanakkam

Your Excellency the President, Hon Prime Minister, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Sally, Comrade Roy’s Family, Fellow Comrades, Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen

To be asked to speak today, to be part of this event in memory of Comrade Roy, is both humbling and a privilege. My wife and I flew in from London, to represent the Tamil people in the island of Sri Lanka and around the world, as members of Global Tamil Forum, at this memorial of a remarkable individual, who is greatly admired as a man of enormous energy, who gave his all, to free his people, he loved.

It was Comrade Roy, who convinced the Global Tamil Forum with his revolutionary experience and urged a large section of Tamil people of my generation, that it was our sacred duty, to help our fellow brothers and sisters in their emancipation, from the evils of oppression.

And it was Comrade Roy, who set out for my generation, that we all have a duty, to meet obligations that arise from

 Our social origins

 Our mutual solidarity

 The claims of justice

And today, we want to honour the legacy, of Comrade Roy.

For, just as surely as some of our greatest heroes of history, his love of his people, his moral anger at their oppression, his sense of duty to relieve them from a life of subjugation, had led him to fight, for a great cause, stand for the highest ideals and try to change their world, for good. And let me, on your behalf, salute Comrade Roy, whom I and a large number of Tamil speaking people admire so much, for his leadership, not just in this country, but throughout the Tamil diaspora for laying the foundation for Global Tamil Forum, and for his crucial and catalytic role in bringing the liberation campaign together, with a vision to follow.

The reward he sought, as he has always said, is not recognition, nor status, nor titles, nor money but that the coming generation – who never even knew him – enjoys a better life, thanks to his courageous work. And I also want to pay my personal tribute, to his work and his leadership in achieving, by his determined action, what many thought was impossible - to internationalize, the Tamil Question.

Dear Sally, you were his strength! On many occasions he has acknowledged and sometimes even in public, how you have supported him, during his days under-cover during the struggle as a fellow comrade, in raising both your children to adulthood and above all with his career as a people’s servant and a politician - first as deputy minister and more recently as a cabinet minister. Every little success and accomplishments, he always wanted to share with you first, as a sense of gratitude.

I remember one his famous jokes he shares in public and I quote “I May be the Cabinet Minister in charge of this particular portfolio, but let me now introduce you to the Government” with the finger pointing at you!

Mr. President, comrade Roy has always talked very proudly of his days as an ANC cadre, working as an undercover operative during the struggle. He has recollected to me on many occasions, the times that he has driven you from pillar to post, under the watchful eyes of the apartheid regime during that time.

It was heartening sir, to hear you, recollect some of the same events of history, when you spoke last night at comrade Roy’s residence.

In one of many thoughtful moments of comrade Roy’s, he once commented to me, that in our nation’s recent history, we have been very fortunate to have elected presidents with the very best of qualities required for that particular period of history, of our beloved country.

• Madiba, was the healing and reconciling president

• President Mbeki, lead with the intellectual capacity, building the nation

And he said our president, referring to you sir, as someone who will go down the history, as the People’s President.

I recall, a personal experience, when I, with other Tamil activists came to visit you at your home, with the help of comrade Roy and comrade Sisa Njekalana during the peak of the war in Sri Lanka, back in 2009…at the end of our discussions, you very warmly shook hands with me and said and I quote

“Comrade, please go and tell your fellow comrades, as revolutionaries we will always stand by you” -

Comrade Roy has always tried to bring to bear the South African experience in all his attempts, to bring a just solution, to the conflict in Sri Lanka.

Many of his visionary counsel and ideas have now being adopted, as part of the strategy of the diaspora organisation, Global Tamil Forum that I represent on behalf of 15 countries, trying to alleviate the sufferings of our people, back in the island of Sri Lanka.

Even the last SMS I received from comrade Roy, last Tuesday read, and I quote

“Thanks for calling me to wish me on my birthday. Bringing the Tamil representatives from Sri Lanka and from the Diaspora community to visit our parliament and meet with President Zuma and Comrade Maite will be a good next step to take, in as part of the learning from our own experience”

I sincerely hope that last wish of comrade Roy, will come true, in the near future.

As a friend and my personal counselor, comrade Roy has always insisted that we learn from the best of class and none other than from comrade Oliver Tambo’s era, in how he masterminded the internationalization, of the struggle of the oppressed, in South Africa.

Comrade Roy kindly presented me a book titled Oliver Tambo – beyond the Engeli Mountains. In a personal note in the book, he says and I quote

“To Comrade Suren, Expressing our solidarity with your cause for human rights and dignity for the Tamil people. Lots of love and good wishes for the beautiful friendship. Sincerely, Roy and Sally Padayachie – 16/11/2011

Mr President, Sally, Ladies and Gentlemen,

We can only hope that his family will be able to console their grief, knowing that Comrade Roy was not only a loyal husband and a loving father and grandfather but a great man, a hardworking activist, selfless humanitarian, a freedom fighter, a defender of those less fortunate, a patriot south African, a loyal comrade, a sincere Tamil and above all a genuine and dear friend.

On behalf of all of us here, who loved him and take to his rest today, we pray, that what he was to us, and what he wished for others, will someday, come to pass.

As a valued friend of the Global Tamil Forum, Tamils in the island of Sri Lanka and Tamils all over world, he will be greatly missed.

I will always miss you, comrade Roy.

Thank you very much.