Lest we forget: Dr. Neelan Tiruchelvam
By Sydney Knight
As the month of July draws to a close those of us who knew and loved Neelan prepare to remember him in our own very unique way.
So it is with the International Centre for Ethnic Studies (ICES) one of Neelan’s many creations.
The ICES has announced its intention of having the Annual Memorial Lecture.
It is 8 years since Neelan fell victim to a ruthless suicide bomber. Neelan used to jokingly say when I used to see him walking down my road that no one will waste a bullet on him. Ultimately someone chose to “commit suicide” killing him.
As we dare to remember that death we need to place that national tragedy in the context of the present problems in Sri Lanka.
Why was Neelan killed? I still remember the words of a leading woman University person telling me that day in Neelan’s Rosmead Place Residence “Let us give Eelam and finish with it. We cannot afford to lose any more Neelans”.
Neelan was one of the very few Tamils who dared to provide an alternative to Eelam. Neelan with his roots in Jaffna sustained and nurtured in the South, Royal College, Peradeniya etc; wanted to take with him the Southern Electorate in solving the problem.
Neelan tried to break the walls and build bridges. But alas he was killed.
What was the message? Since 1999 we who have chosen to live/work in Sri Lanka when the grass is supposed to be greener on the other side have tried and failed to solve our problem.
How many more Neelans have to die before sanity prevails on both sides of the divide? The 19th of July victory Parade Celebrations will not help the cause of peace. It may please those who think that the LTTE can be defeated but not the work for peace. It was Mother Teresa of beloved memory who toiled in Kolkata who once said “If peace and love are not allowed to take their rightful place at the table of negotiation then hatred and anger will produce a conflict that will continue for many years to come. It will solve nothing and thousands of innocent lives will be lost.”
Very nice words from a very spiritual human being who died ten years ago.
What then is the message for Sri Lanka’s four Faith Communities? Is war the answer? Do our Faiths celebrate war? Haven’t all our Founders been persons of peace?Why then are we in Sri Lanka being like Bush & Co. Ltd? Bush’s Faith Community has failed him. Can we in Sri Lanka allow our Faith Communities to fail us?
Could we in Sri Lanka as we celebrate Neelan’s life promise each other to abhor war and work for peace? Neelan was a man of peace. Can we therefore in his memory work for peace? May Neelan’s tragic death make us commit ourselves to work for peace. Over to all who want peace with justice in Sri Lanka.
